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
Jason is a doctoral candidate in the Applied Experimental and Human Factors Psychology PhD program at the University of Central Florida. Jason received an MA in Spanish and an MS in Experimental Psychology from Georgia Southern University. His interests are at the intersection of cognition, technology, and human decision-making. Jason’s current research examines the impact of descriptive influence on decision-making under uncertainty. The intention of such research is to explore aspects of perceptual threat detection and risk analysis as to improve adaptive cognitions and behaviors in response to emergency warnings (i.e., tornadoes, hurricanes, terrorist attacks).
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasonparker-research/
Briana is a doctoral candidate in the Human Factors and Cognitive Psychology PhD program. She received her Bachelor’s degree from Georgia Institute of Technology in 2018 with a major in Psychology and a minor in Industrial Design. Her research interests lie in cognitive mechanisms and dynamic coordination of teams, both Human-Human and Human-Technology.
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/briana-sobel-217743125/
Kristen is a fourth 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 third-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/
Undergraduate Members
Lauren Bergeron
Kayla Norman
Marina Rodriguez