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Our People

Rose Nguyen (PhD expected 2020, Psychology) 

Rose probably has the most unique background of current DAM lab members. Rose started out doing something meaningful as a social worker and then as a research assistant in a clinical neuroscience lab before losing her way and joining the DAM lab. Rose is also the lab optimist, which is something the rest of us are trying fix. Rose's research is in judgment, decision making, and memory. [UPDATE: Rose was selected as a recipient of the prestigious NSF-GRFP award.]

Alison Robey (PhD 2017; Post Doc 2017-2019; Assistant Research Faculty, 2019 - Present) 

Alison has been in the DAM lab for over 6 years! She earned her PhD in Psychology (Cognitive & Neural Systems) from University of Maryland in 2017 and worked as a post-doc in the DAM lab from 2017-2019. Her main research focus is on identifying and testing educational applications based on cognitive theory. Alison previously worked with Dr. Dougherty on projects entailing trying to figure out why retrospective confidence judgments are better predictors of future recall. Recently, Alison has been researching self-regulated learning which involves what students decide to study and how. Alison enjoys teaching, currently instructing two courses: Graduate Statistics and a freshman course in understanding research claims in the media. One of Alison's proudest achievements is that in the 6th grade, she earned all 8 Pokemon Training Card League badges from the local Zany Brainy. You can find Alison's CV here.

 

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David Johnson (PhD 2016, Psychology; Post-Doctoral researcher 2018-present) 

David earned his PhD in Social and Personality Psychology in 2016 at Michigan State University. His research uses cognitive modeling to understand the processes underlying decision making. His research employs computational models and secondary data analyses to study the psychological processes that underlie decisions. He has used this approach to understand decisions where law enforcement have shot unarmed civilians. You can find David's personal website here.
David Illingworth (PhD 2019; Post-Doctoral Researcher 2019-present) 

David is our most recent addition to the DAM lab. He earned his PhD in Engineering Psychology from Georgia Tech in 2019. David is interested in hypothesis testing and information foraging in the context of cognitive decision theory. David likes sunshine, In-N-Out, and southern California. David also enjoys being an obnoxious away fan when the Dodgers visit Nationals Park. In February 2020, David was named a University of Maryland Presidential Postdoctoral Fellow.  

 

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Serra Erbas (BA 2015; Faculty Research Assistant 2019-present)

Serra earned her BA in Psychology from St. Mary's College of Maryland. She initially joined the DAM lab as a volunteer research assistant before becoming a Faculty Assistant and DAM Lab Coordinator. For many months, Serra avoided fluorescent lights by hiding away in a back room of the DAM lab where she worked in complete darkness (after frightening a dozen innocent lab members, we are very relieved that she now has a lamp). Serra also enjoys cookie dough and loose leaf tea. 

Undergraduate Research Assistants:

  • Ivana Mayo
  • Aliyah Jackson
  • Chris Varano
  • Thuy (Minh) Vuong
  • Ashley Wagner
  • Naomi Choti
  • Kwansma Arku
  • Katherine Hillman '20 is earning a B.S. in Psychology and a double minor in International Development and Conflict Management and Rhetoric. Katherine enjoy's being a Research Assistant in the DAM lab where she is currently collaborating with two other students to design an independent study examining how students learn new categories. In the future, Katherine plans to attend a graduate program in Clinical Psychology. 
  • Emily Carletto '21 is a junior majoring in physiology and neurobiology, minoring in human development. She is on the pre-med track and is an aspiring physician. 

 

Lab Alumni: