Math Thinking and Learning Lab Fall 2019
Lab Director
Dr. Colleen Ganley
Associate Professor
Developmental Psychology
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.
Download my CV here.
Follow me on Google Scholar, ResearchGate, or twitter.
Associate Professor
Developmental Psychology
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.
Download my CV here.
Follow me on Google Scholar, ResearchGate, or twitter.
Graduate Students
Connie Barroso
My research interests include studying students’ math- and science-related interest and achievement from elementary school to college. I’m interested in investigating the roles that different cognitive and socio-cognitive, and affective factors play in student achievement and interest in math and science. I would like to further explore how these mechanisms relate to student participation and career interest in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields, along with looking to see if there are different effects or interactions of these factors for less-represented groups in STEM fields.
My research interests include studying students’ math- and science-related interest and achievement from elementary school to college. I’m interested in investigating the roles that different cognitive and socio-cognitive, and affective factors play in student achievement and interest in math and science. I would like to further explore how these mechanisms relate to student participation and career interest in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields, along with looking to see if there are different effects or interactions of these factors for less-represented groups in STEM fields.
Rachel Conlon
My research interests include exploring the relationship between gender and academic self-concept in math, particularly in middle and high-schoolers. I’m interested in understanding and addressing the gap between girls’ actual math abilities and their perceptions of those abilities, with the ultimate aim of tackling the underrepresentation of women in the STEM community.
My research interests include exploring the relationship between gender and academic self-concept in math, particularly in middle and high-schoolers. I’m interested in understanding and addressing the gap between girls’ actual math abilities and their perceptions of those abilities, with the ultimate aim of tackling the underrepresentation of women in the STEM community.
Elyssa Geer
My research interests include studying children's spatial reasoning skills in relation to their math- and science-performance and achievement. I am interested in looking at the way in which different external factors (such as gender, socio-economic status, etc.) impact this relationship. One of my goals is to further knowledge in this area in the hopes of discerning new interventions that may be applicable in an educational setting.
My research interests include studying children's spatial reasoning skills in relation to their math- and science-performance and achievement. I am interested in looking at the way in which different external factors (such as gender, socio-economic status, etc.) impact this relationship. One of my goals is to further knowledge in this area in the hopes of discerning new interventions that may be applicable in an educational setting.
Undergraduate Research Assistants
Mathew Balette
I am a senior majoring in psychology and minoring in biology and chemistry. My goal is to attend medical school to hopefully one day become an Internal Medicine resident. 
Beatriz Chong
I am a junior majoring in psychology and family and child sciences. After I graduate, I plan to either pursue family law or get a masters to become a counselor. I love working with children and have a special interest in helping low-income families. |
Sasha Campbell
I am a second year Psychology major minoring in Spanish. My interests include abnormal psychology and neuropsychology. I aspire to attend graduate school for my PHD in clinical psychology. 
Bri'Anna Collins
I am a senior majoring in psychology with a minor in statistics. I will attend graduate school in the fall of 2019 for a doctoral degree in school psychology. |
Jamie Dasher
I am a senior majoring in psychology with a minor in chemistry. After graduation, I plan to attend medical school and specialize in pediatric psychiatry. |
Arya Khalesi
I am a senior studying psychology with a minor in biology. I intend on continuing my education through grad school with a focus on neuroscience |
Rebecca Nadler
I'm a junior majoring in psychology. After graduation, I want to get my Ph.D in clinical psychology and continue to do research in the psychology field. |
Chaveli Palau
I am a sophomore studying exercise physiology with a minor in psychology. After graduating, I plan on continuing my education through medical school. I aspire to become a neurologist. |
Itzel Pallares
I am a sophomore majoring in psychology. I plan to start my minor in biology and continue my education by attending medical school. In the long term, I want to become a psychiatrist or a neurologist. |
Mason Rahman
I am a senior studying psychology with a minor in sociology. After graduating, I plan on getting a masters in social work and becoming a counselor. |
Kate Winegardner
I am a sophomore at FSU from Tallahassee, Florida. I am a psychology major. I love working with children, and I hope to attend graduate school after graduation.
I am a sophomore at FSU from Tallahassee, Florida. I am a psychology major. I love working with children, and I hope to attend graduate school after graduation.
Past Graduate Students
Dr. Amanda McGraw
Dr. McGraw is now Assistant Professor of Psychology at Jacksonville University!
The goal of her research is to better understand malleable factors related to mathematical learning in children and adults. To date, her research has examined both cognitive and affective variables that may relate to mathematics performance that can also be potential targets for intervention. This includes typically studied affective and cognitive factors identified as sources of variability in math performance (e.g. math anxiety, working memory), as well as embodied aspects (e.g. finger counting, gesture) of mathematical performance.
Dr. McGraw is now Assistant Professor of Psychology at Jacksonville University!
The goal of her research is to better understand malleable factors related to mathematical learning in children and adults. To date, her research has examined both cognitive and affective variables that may relate to mathematics performance that can also be potential targets for intervention. This includes typically studied affective and cognitive factors identified as sources of variability in math performance (e.g. math anxiety, working memory), as well as embodied aspects (e.g. finger counting, gesture) of mathematical performance.
Past Lab Members
Katie Blunt
Katie graduated from FSU with a Psychology major and a minor in child development. She plans to take some time off and then work towards getting a PhD in Clinical or Counseling psychology. |
Brianna Bosch
Brianna graduated from FSU in 2018 with a degree in Communication Science and Disorders. She is now a doctoral student in Audiology at Northwestern University. |
Aejona Chambers
Aejona graduated from FSU in 2018 with a degree in Psychology and is currently getting her master's degree in Clinical/Counseling Psychology at Clayton State University. |
Marissa Connell
Marissa is a biology and chemistry major. She hopes to attend veterinary school after graduation and become a large mammal vet. |
Alyssa Cox
Alyssa is a senior majoring in psychology with a minor in statistics. After graduating, she plans to go to graduate school for cognitive or clinical psychology. |
Brittany Cunnien
Brittany graduated from FSU in 2016 and is now a masters student in Mental Health Counseling and University of Central Florida. |
Kayla Dixon
Kayla is a Psychology major with a minor in Biology. After graduating, she plans on going to grad school for a PhD in Clinical Psychology. |
Savannah Faircloth
Savannah graduated with a Psychology degree from FSU in 2017. She is currently a behavior therapist and plans to attend graduate school and work with kids in the future. |
Kahiya Fairclough
Kahiya graduated from FSU with a psychology major and a minor in family and child sciences. She is now a masters student in the FSU ABA program. |
Nicole Ferretti
Nicole graduated with a Psychology degree from FSU in 2015, was a lab manager in Dr. Kofler's lab at FSU for 2 years, and is now a Clinical Psychology PhD student at the University of Alabama. |
Thomas Frey
Thomas graduated from FSU in 2015 and is now a graduate student in the Department of Economics at FSU. |
Laicelis Haro
Lacy graduated from FSU in 2015 and is now a graduate student in Communications at FSU. |
Emma Herbach
Emma graduated in 2017 with majors in statistics and psychology. She is now a masters student at FSU in biostatistics. |
Ashlyn Hicks
Ashlyn graduated from FSU in 2018 with majors in Psychology and Sociology. She is getting research experience before going to graduate school for a PhD in cognitive psychology. |
Caroline Hughes
Caroline is a senior majoring in psychology with a Pre-Physician Assistant track. She plans to attend graduate school to become a Physician's Assistant followed by a master's program for clinical psychology. |
Alexander Kallen
Alex graduated from FSU in 2016 with a psychology major and a minor in statistics. He now works as a lab coordinator in Dr. Hajcak's lab at FSU. |
Katelynn Kolb
Katelynn graduated from FSU in 2014 with a Bachelor's degree in Psychology and was the MTL lab manager for a year. She now lives in Washington State and works with children as a behavior technician. |
Holly Larkin
Holly graduated from FSU in 2017 with a degree in psychology and a minor in geology. She is now a masters student in School Psychology at UCF. |
Claudia López
Claudia graduated with degrees in Psychology and Spanish in 2018. She is now a graduate student in School Psychology at FSU. |
Samantha Markey
Samantha graduated from FSU in 2015 and is now a graduate student in Media Production at Emerson College in Boston. |
George McGuire
George is a Psychology major and biology minor at FSU. After he graduates he plans to attend graduate school to study Neuroscience and to work in a career that focuses on research. |
Rachel McKay
Rachel graduated from FSU in 2016 and is now a PhD student in Industrial Organizational Psychology at North Carolina State University. |
Ivana Perez
Ivana is a junior majoring in Psychology with a minor in Biology and Chemistry. After earning my Bachelor's Degree, she plans to go to medical school and become an adolescent psychiatrist. |
Valeria Rigobon
Valeria graduated from FSU in 2018 with a psychology degree and a Spanish minor. She is now getting her PhD in Developmental Psychology with Dr. Don Compton at FSU. |
Andres (AJ) Rodriguez
AJ is a senior at FSU, studying psychology with a minor in business. After earning his bachelor's degree, he plans to go to graduate school and receive a master's degree in I/O psychology. |
Ashley Saint-Cyr
Ashley is an Exercise Science major. When she graduates she wants to go to medical school to become a pediatrician. |
Jacqueline Scherr
Jackie completed a co-op in the MTL Lab in 2014 and graduated from Northeastern University in 2015. She completed a master's degree at Harvard University in Human Development and Psychology and is now a PhD student at the University of Arizona. |
Madeline Scribner
Madeline graduated from Florida State in 2016. She double majored in Psychology and Sociology and minored in statistics. She plans on furthering her education by getting a masters degree in Psychology. |
Courtney Shorter
Courtney graduated from FSU in 2018 with a major in psychology and a minor in child development. She is working at Macy's corporate office before applying to graduate school for developmental psychology. |
Ryan Smith Ryan graduated from Florida State in 2016 with a degree in Psychology. He is now a graduate student at FSU in public health. |
Alan Soroka
Alan is a senior majoring in biology and psychology with a minor in chemistry. He plans on continuing his education through graduate school and obtaining a master’s degree in neuroscience or genetics. |
Tyler Stepnoski
Tyler is a senior psychology major minoring in statistics. After he graduates from FSU, he plans on continuing to go into a doctorate program to further pursue his research interests. |
Madison Stinson
Madison got her nursing degree at Kaiser University in 2017 and is now a nurse at Tallahassee Memorial Healthcare. |
