简介

I received my Ph.D. in Cognitive and Developmental Psychology from Emory University in 2000, and at once joined the faculty in the Psychology Department at Seton Hall University. I am deeply involved in teaching, research, and academic collaboratives and truly enjoy my relationships with colleagues and students I have come to know through class, research supervision, Honors projects, and everyday conversations. I particularly enjoy teaching Psychology of Gender, Senior Seminar, and developmental courses such as Adolescent Psychology; I am pleased that I have opportunities to interact with all sorts of majors in my courses. In the last few years I have served as Northeastern Regional Co-Representative for the Council of Undergraduate Psychology Programs (CUPP). I am also liaison for this body to the Board of Educational Affairs (BEA) of the American Psychological Association. In 2004 our department began a Master of Science (M.S.) program in Experimental Psychology, and in 2008 I was appointed as Director of Graduate Studies. I enjoy mentoring students through their progression in their rigorous research training, and look forward to building our program towards national recognition as a program of excellence. I have two research specialties in which I am keenly engrossed. My long-standing program, which represents an intersection of cognitive, developmental, and social psychology, relates to my expertise in Autobiographical memory, the personally-relevant memories each of us holds about our own experiences in the past. How we create, maintain, and share these memories with others essentially forms the foundation of our self - both our own sense of identity and the person that we present to other people, as well. To boot, the self about which we have these memories also shapes this process. So memory and self have a bi-directional relationship, and it is fascinating to look at both sides of the proverbial fence. I am engaged in examining in the factors that influence the contents and structures of memory stories ("narratives"), and how the specific audience(s) that receive our stories mediate this content, ultimately shaping the selves we project to the world. Family background, gender stereotypes, even present-day opinions of ourselves can influence who, why, and what we think about these experiences, our selves. In a related, but more focused vein, my second line of work centers upon the specific role of gender in the development and career choices of women and men seeking professions in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields. This research is conducted in collaboration with Dr. Susan Nolan (Psychology) and Dr. Cecilia Marzabadi (Chemistry and Biochemistry), each of whom are also at Seton Hall University. We are currently designing research which will enable us to explore the types of personal variables (e.g., self-beliefs, motivation) and social factors (e.g., kinds of mentoring, support) that aid (or impede) the identities and paths of rising scientists through all levels of training and career advances. In all of these endeavors, I welcome and encourage students at all stages (undergraduates and graduate students) to come aboard and get involved in my research! Education Ph.D., Emory University, 2000 M.A., Emory University, 1996 B.A., Skidmore College, 1993