Lab Director

Dr. Colleen Ganley

Professor
Department of Psychology & Learning Systems Institute
Florida State University

My research centers on the social, cognitive, and affective factors related to mathematical thinking and learning with a specific focus on gender and income-level differences. 
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​Download my CV here.
​Follow me on Google Scholar, ResearchGate, or Twitter.​

Graduate Students

Josie Puleo​

I am fascinated by the impact of students’ emotions on their levels of motivation, and my research focuses on this concept in relation to student anxiety in the field of mathematics. I aim to understand how different intervention tools are able to impact students in three target areas: self-regulation, motivation, and academic achievement.  

Zahra Sharif

My academic journey revolves around the fascinating field of Developmental Psychology with a special focus on understanding and addressing Math Anxiety among children.  
My work aims to : (1) Reducing math anxiety with Cognitive Behavioral interventions (2) Understanding and addressing math anxiety through Virtual  Reality (3) Unravel the complex relationship between math anxiety, math attitudes, and performance

Federica Granello 

Department of Life Sciences | University of Trieste | Italy

My research explores the motivational and affective developmental factors that influence math achievement. I am particularly interested in how motivational processes shape STEM success in both primary and secondary school students. My work focuses on: (1) Investigating the connection between motivation and math achievement, with a special emphasis on math self-efficacy; (2) Developing interventions and programs to enhance students’ confidence, motivation and engagement in mathematics; (3) Exploring the relationship between motivation and students' career choices in STEM. By bridging motivation research with practical applications, my goal is to develop effective strategies that empower all students to reach their full potential in STEM disciplines.

Postdoctoral Scholar  

Olivia Cook 


​My research is focused on understanding children’s cognitive development as a function of informal and formal learning environments using a social constructivist approach. Specifically, I am interested in the roles that parents and teachers play in supporting the development of domain-general skills (e.g., self-regulation, metacognition, memory) and domain-specific skills (e.g., STEM learning, mathematics) throughout early childhood (PreK – 3rd Grade).

Lab Staff

Christy Allen 
Program Coordinator

​I am a graduate of Florida State University, receiving my BS in Psychology! After spending my undergraduates years as a member of the Math Thinking and Learning Lab, I was given the opportunity to continue gaining research experience through the lab. I currently serve as the program coordinator to this amazing team as we work on our current project, developing a math intervention for math anxious students. 

Avery Redlich
Assistant Researcher

Hey there! I’m an FSU graduate with a BS in psychology. I’m currently a volunteer for the Math Thinking and Learning Lab. I have hopes of attending graduate school in the future to further my career in psychosocial development.

Kaylie Washington 
Assistant Researcher

I am a senior majoring in psychology and criminology with minors in crime scene investigation and emergency management. After graduation, I plan on attending graduate school for higher education.​

Undergraduate Research Students

Lillian Van Sleen 

Majoring in psychology and criminology, my main focus is on evaluations and evidence-based interventions. I will be pursuing a Ph.D. to become a forensic psychologist. I firmly believe the course of one's life is greatly influenced at a young age, thus the great importance of early interventions -- to give children the tools they need to thrive.

Hanah Niazi 

Hi! I am a sophomore majoring in Behavioral Neuroscience and minoring in Business. After I graduate, I plan on pursuing my MD-PhD to become a Neuroscientist.

Madeline Bramson 

​Hi I am a sophomore majoring in Psychology and Computer Science. After I graduate from FSU, I plan on either going to grad school for developmental psychology or going into the workforce for UX.  

Annie McIlroy

Hi! I am currently a junior majoring in behavioral neuroscience with minors in child development, chemistry, and international affairs. After graduating, I plan to attend either medical school or optometry school. 

Lindsey Wagner

Hi! I am a junior here at Florida State, majoring in Psychology with a minor in English. After graduating from FSU, I plan to continue my education by pursuing a Ph.D. in clinical neuropsychology. I aspire to make diagnoses and treatment interventions for developmental and learning disabilities more effective and accessible for children. I believe that early diagnoses of developmental and learning disabilities is paramount to a child’s success in education, and every child deserves the accommodations necessary for academic accomplishment. 

Tyler Moreno 

Hi, I am a junior majoring in cell and molecular neuroscience. After I graduate, I intend on going to medical school and pursuing a career in psychiatry.