People

Graduate Students

W. Braxton Hicks

Braxton graduated from The College of William and Mary 2015 with a B.S in Human Factor Physics, and again in 2016 with a M.S. in Financial Accounting. Braxton is currently pursuing his Ph.D. in Human Factors and Applied Cognition and is primarily interested in cognitive development within the areas of training and feedback.

Emily Jackson – CV

Emily graduated from the University of Iowa with a BA in psychology, human relations, and studio arts. She is pursuing a Ph.D. in Human Factors and Applied Cognition. Emily is primarily interested in individual differences in learning complex tasks, particularly the contribution of working memory capacity..

Laura Matalenas – CV

Laura graduated from Georgia Tech in 2014, and is pursuing her Ph.D. in Human Factors and Applied Cognition. She is interested in data visualization in older adults, specifically to support learning and skill acquisition for healthy aging.

Mak Pryor

Mak graduated from New College of Florida in 2013 and is pursuing a Ph.D. in Human Factors and Applied Cognition. Mak is interested in visual perception and aging, and how older adults interact with the world.

Brad Rikard

Brad graduated from Clemson University with a BS in psychology in 2017 and is currently pursuing his PhD in Human Factors and Applied Cognition.Brad is primarily interested in accessibility and universal design, as well as how auditory and haptic feedback can be used to assist low-vision users in tasks of daily living.

Alex Trowbridge – CV

Alex graduated from Lander University in 2012, and is pursuing his Ph.D. in Human Factors and Ergonomics. Alex is studying perceptual training, and is also broadly interested in the effects of movement and spatial information, real and simulated, on learning and cognition.

Emily Wright

Emily graduated from the University of Dayton with an M.A. in 2017 and is pursuing a Ph.D. in Human Factors and Applied Cognition. Emily is primarily interested in cognitive and perceptual changes with expertise in both real-world and virtual environments, and the use of interactive technology in education.

Lab Director

Anne Collins McLaughlin – CV

Education

Ph.D., Psychology, Georgia Institute of Technology, 2007

M.S., Psychology, Georgia Institute of Technology, 2003

B.A., Double major:Psychology & English, Trinity University, 1998

Dr. McLaughlin also Co-Directs the Gains Through Gaming Lab with Dr. Jason Allaire.

Research Interests

Motivation for cognitively complex activities
Age-related changes in cognitive abilities
Learning at older ages
Training to use technology
Cognitive ergonomics
Training for maintenance of cognitive ability