By Lauren DiTullio, News Staff
Emily Staupe, a Northeastern alumna, employee and researcher, died unexpectedly in her Milford home last Sunday. She was 30.
“We were always kind of a family in the lab,” said senior behavioral neuroscience major Tehya Johnson. “Out of everyone, Emily was by far the most supportive person I have ever known. She was there for all of us.”
In a statement read over the phone to The News, Ms. Staupe’s father, Dale Staupe, said she graduated from Northeastern in 2005 with a 4.0 grade point average and a Bachelor’s of Science degree in Psychology. She was hired by the school’s psychology department as a research assistant and research technician shortly thereafter. That is how Johnson, then a freshman, said she met and befriended Ms. Staupe.
“I started working with her as soon as I came to NU … the lab was definitely one of the places she loved to be,” Johnson said. “She loved neuroscience and she loved doing everything we did in the lab.”
The two became close, Johnson said. They often got lunch together, and remained friends even after they moved to different labs. While Johnson was unaware of the specifics of Ms. Staupe’s most recent research, she said that Ms. Staupe was involved with many different projects. Research that Johnson and Ms. Staupe worked on together centered on drug addiction. Ms. Staupe’s brother, Brett Staupe, 30, said she did extensive work with the Western Blot Test, which is used to detect proteins in the body.
“She would ride the train into Ruggles most days … Even when she lived closer to school, she often came home for dinner or a movie night or something like that,” Brett said. “She loved her family and did everything she could … and she just loved Northeastern.”
According to an e-mail from Northeastern University Human Resources Management, Staupe had also recently enrolled in the Biotechnology Master’s program offered by Bouvé College of Health Sciences.
Johnson and Staupe both said Ms. Staupe loved her cats, and that figure skating was a passion for her. Staupe also said she was passionate about volunteering at her local church and working with troubled girls through the Big Sister program.
“She had a pretty extensive book collection,” said Brett. “We pretty much owned half of Barnes & Noble at one point. She was into a lot, and it’s going to be a vacuum, like a black hole in our family.”
Ms. Staupe was involved with many things from a young age, having pursued gymnastics and playing the flute throughout high school. She graduated from Milford High School in 1996 and lived in Milford.
Ms. Staupe is survived by her parents, Dale and Anita Staupe, and her brother Brett. Donations will be accepted in lieu of flowers. Psychology Department Chair Joanne Miller will be assisting the family with donations and can be contacted at 617-373-3793 for more information.
As stated in the e-mail from Human Resources, confidential counseling is available to students through the Spiritual Life Center (617-373-2728), and for employees through the Employee Assistance Program (877-739-3989).
