Faculty
Dr. Valerie Sims
Research interests: human-computer interaction, human-animal interaction, and individual differences in spatial ability
Dr. Matthew Chin
Research interests: intergroup discrimination, social identity, human-animal interaction, and human-robot interaction
Graduate Students
Kristen is a fifth-year student in the Human Factors and Cognitive Psychology PhD program at University of Central Florida. She received her Bachelor’s in 2019 with a dual major in Psychology and English/Creative Writing at SUNY Binghamton. Her research interests include UI and UX design, game and simulation design, game learning, the relationship between video games and cognition, and how technology influences human communication and relationships. Kristen serves as the lab manager of the ACAT lab.
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristen-schmidt-017336185/
Gabby is a fourth-year student in the Human Factors and Cognitive Psychology Doctoral program at the University of Central Florida (UCF). She received her Bachelor’s in Fall 2019 from UCF in Psychology with a minor in Cognitive Sciences. Her primary research interests are risk perception and visual attention. Her most recent work explores (1) people’s knowledge and risk perception of indoor and ambient sources of air pollution and (2) whether self-view in video conference platforms behaves as an attentional capturer distracting users from their primary task.
Lizzie is a doctoral candidate in the Human Factors and Cognitive Psychology PhD program at the University of Central Florida. She received her Associate’s degree in Applied Computer Technology (2018), Bachelor’s in Human-Centered Computing (2020), and Master’s degree in Human-Computer Interaction (2022) at the Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT). Her research interests include UI and UX design, humans’ behavior with technology as individuals within their many and varied social contexts, and accessibility/inclusive designs. Lizzie has a background in front-end development and has worked on research projects as both a researcher and developer.
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/elizabeth-codick10298/
Sahara Brodsky is a doctoral candidate in the Human Factors and Cognitive Psychology PhD progrm at the University of Central Florida. She received her Master’s degree in Religious Studies from the University of South Florida in 2024, her Master’s degree in Experimental Psychology from The Catholic University of America in 2020, and her Bachelor’s degree in Psychology from The University of North Carolina at Pembroke in 2017. Her research interests include how individual differences affect how people interact with technology.
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sahara-brodsky-8b96291aa
Undergraduate Members
Camille Allie
Claudia Allocca
Hannah Bishop
Megan Daza
Daniel Garzon
Parker Long
Deanna Mcintyre
Mackenzie Miller
Paige Mills
Koko Moore
Kayla Norman
Crystal Thai
Evan Rivas
Laura Valdes-Vega
Olivia Young