Domain Expertise
Summary
​
I graduated from Stony Brook University (SUNY) with a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology. My primary interests were bio-psychology and cognition. During my time there I was fortunate to experience how a lot of experimental labs pursued their research interests. In one of those labs, I found a research topic that has gripped my attention ever since. The experience of Transporting into Narratives.
I have now moved on the University at Buffalo to continue studying narratives but as a Masters' student in the Communication Department. My experience with experimental methodology continues to grow. My interest in narratives has become more specialized with an emphasis on information warfare and the role of narrative persuasion within this new style of conflict.
Research
Experience​
Graduate Student (Dr. Woelfel)
​2018 - 2019
I was working with Dr. Joseph Woelfel to better understand Galileo Theory and how it may be used to complement narrative persuasion research.
​
Graduate Student (Dr. Green)
​2017 - 2019
Continuing my interest in the narrative research I gleaned from Dr. Gerrig's lab, I continue my academic pursuit .
​
Ways I've contributed to the Lab:
Publication: "Restorative Narratives for Health Fundraising" Kaitlin Fitzgerald, Elaine Paravati, Melanie C. Green, Melissa M. Moore, & Jeffrey L. Qian
​
Research Assistant (Dr. Luhmann)
​2010 - 2011
As a research assistant for Dr Christian Luhmann's lab, I was responsible for running experiments that involved decision making paradigms and game theory research questions. I directed participants to their computer terminals so that they fully understood what is asked of them and what they're expected to do. Finally, I contributed to their research efforts as a confederate for their experimental conditions.
​
Research Assistant (Dr. Powers)
​July 2013 - May 2014
As a research assistant for Dr. Alice Power's lab, I was ​responsible for caring for the turtle specimens in their turtle habitat. Regular feedings, check-ups, and experimentation were also performed by me. Experimental conditions requiring the injection of chemicals into the turtles involved the mixing of said chemicals and the handling of the turtles for direct injection post experimental exposure. Experienced with operating and navigating biological laboratory equipment.
​
The projects I've collected data for in this lab:
1) Stony Brook URECA Conference "Role of Acetylcholine in memory consolidation in adults" Investigators: Chao (Iven) Yu, Jeffrey Lin, and Cerise Carey.
2) Neuroscience Conference (San Diego, 2018) "The effect of discrimination on adult neurogenesis in turtles." Alice S. Powers, Stony Brook University.
Research Assistant (Dr. Gerrig)
​Jan 2013 -May 2014
As a research assistant for Dr. Richard J Gerrig's lab, I was responsible for processing human participants during their experience in the experiment. I learned about the process of studying narrative transportation and the methodology involved in the study of narratives and their impact on our psychology. The lab was focused on the cognitive components of narrative experience and during my time there, the research focus was on how creativity manifested during the experience of narratives. Notably, the creative suggestions the audience members had for the characters to solve their problems or creative solutions on how to solve the plot mysteries and issues.
​
The projects I've collected data for in this lab:
1) Bezdek, M. A., & Gerrig, R. J. (2017). When narrative transportation narrows attention: Changes in attentional focus during suspenseful film viewing. Media Psychology, 20(1), 60-89.
2) Wenzel, W. G., & Gerrig, R. J. (2015). Convergent and divergent thinking in the context of narrative mysteries. Discourse Processes, 52(5-6), 489-516.
Education
Stony Brook University (SUNY)
​2011 - 2015
​I attended Stony Brook University for my bachelor of arts in the study of psychology. During my time there I was able to obtain a lot of exposure to research methodology. I learned about how experiments are performed in the social science departments and how to process both human and animal subjects for experimentation. My specialties were bio-psychology and cognitive psychology.
University at Buffalo (SUNY)
​2017 - 2019
I was enrolled in the University at Buffalo Communication Department's Masters Program. I am focusing my studies on the effects narrative persuasion and how the enjoyment of narratives affect not only individuals, but also groups of people and by extension society as a whole. As a sub-specialization of narrative persuasion, I am primarily interested in how terrorist, state-agents, and military organizations use narratives to accomplish their strategic goals.