FACULTY
Susan Bluck, PhD (University of California, Irvine, 1997). Professor. Dr. Bluck’s research focuses on autobiographical memory and reasoning (how people remember and think about the events of their own lives) across the adult life span, and especially in later life. Her specific research interests include age differences and continuities in: (a) the everyday uses of autobiographical memory, reminiscence, and the life story, and (b) the relation of autobiographical memory to self-conceptions and well-being.
Faculty Page: https://people.clas.ufl.edu/bluck/
Lab: https://lifestorylab.psych.ufl.edu/
Shanting Chen, Ph.D. (University of Texas at Austin, 2021). Assistant Professor. Dr. Chen’s research interests have broadly centered on the intersection of stress, race/ethnicity, cultural contexts, and social inequality. Specifically, she explores how socio-cultural (e.g., ethnic/racial socialization, social support) and bio-behavioral (e.g., sleep, cortisol, allostatic load) factors that can be leveraged to promote adolescent development in the face of inequality. Her work integrates diverse methodologies such as longitudinal, daily diary designs, and ecological momentary assessments to understand both short-term and long-term developmental mechanisms. Her research is theoretically driven by ecological theory, the integrative model of minority child development, and the biopsychosocial models.
Faculty Page: https://people.clas.ufl.edu/chenshanting/
Lab: https://chenlab.psych.ufl.edu/
Natalie C. Ebner, PhD (Free University of Berlin, 2005). Professor. Dr. Ebner’s research adopts an aging perspective on emotion, motivation, and social cognition and thus is at the intersection of developmental, social, and cognitive psychology. Her research program focuses on examining the extent to which emotional and self-relevant information affect attention, decision making, and memory, how these effects change across the adult lifespan, and what the consequences are for emotion regulation, health, and well-being. She conducts experimental research using a multi-methods approach that combines convergent measures, including self-report, behavior observation, eye tracking, hormonal markers, and neuroimaging techniques. Some of Dr. Ebner’s recent work is interventional with a specific orientation towards improvement of functioning in aging such as via medicinal products (e.g., oxytocin administration) and neurofeedback training.
Faculty Page: https://people.clas.ufl.edu/natalieebner/
Lab: https://ebnerlab.psych.ufl.edu/
Julia A. Graber, PhD (Pennsylvania State University, 1991). Professor. Dr. Graber is currently serving as the Chair of the Department of Psychology and is not taking new graduate students. Dr. Graber’s research focuses on the transitional aspects of adolescence with particular interest in the entry into adolescence and young adulthood. Her research examines the development of psychopathology across the adolescent decade; the impact of pubertal timing on psychosocial functioning during adolescence and beyond; stress reactivity and psychosocial development in childhood and adolescence; and improving social competence among young adolescents.
Faculty Page: https://people.clas.ufl.edu/jagraber/
Darlene A. Kertes, PhD (University of Minnesota, 2005). Associate Professor. Dr. Kertes focuses on the antecedents and consequences of stress in health and development. Her research examines the role of biologically-based child factors and parenting on activity of a stress-sensitive neuroendocrine system. Dr. Kertes further studies the genetic and gene-environment interaction effects on stress-related emotional and health outcomes from childhood through adulthood, including effects on depression and alcohol dependence.
Faculty Page: https://people.clas.ufl.edu/dkertes/
Lisa Scott, PhD (University of Minnesota, 2004). Professor. The overarching goal of Dr. Scott’s research is to better understand the processes underlying human visual attention, perception and learning. She is particularly interested in the importance of experience in shaping how we learn to recognize people (i.e., faces) and objects as well as how language and visual perception interact and result in conceptual learning. She utilizes behavioral measures, eye-tracking, and brain recordings (Electroencephalogram (EEG); event-related potentials (ERPs); steady state Visual Evoked Potentials (ssVEPs) to better characterize how infants, children, and adults learn about the surrounding world. Dr. Scott’s work lies at the intersection of developmental psychology, adult cognitive psychology, social perception and cognitive neuroscience.
Faculty Page: https://people.clas.ufl.edu/lscott/
Lab: https://bcdlab.psych.ufl.edu/
AFFILIATED INSTRUCTIONAL FACULTY
Marina A. Klimenko, Ph.D (University of Georgia, 2013). Full Instructional Professor. Dr. Klimenko teaches regularly Developmental Psychology, Research Methods lab, and Psychology and Public Policy. Dr. Klimenko’s developmental research focuses on moral development and intersubjectivity. In addition, Dr. Klimenko is interested in effects of media and video games.
Feihong Wang, Ph.D (University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, 2011). Associate Instructional Professor. Dr Wang regularly teaches General Psychology, Abnormal Psychology and Developmental Psychology. Her research focuses on infant attachment, family processes, and school dynamics as they relate to the mental and behavioral health of children at risk, using diverse samples of children and advanced statistical modeling. Another line of her research examines how child and family factors influence children’s task engagement in challenging puzzle tasks, and how task engagement in early childhood predicts children’s academic and social outcomes during elementary school years.
Shani Kerr, Ph.D (University of Alabama, 2018).
Assistant Instructional Professor. Dr. Kerr regularly teaches General Psychology and Developmental Psychology. She is skilled in instructional design, curriculum development, team building, public speaking, and program development.
EMERITUS FACULTY
W. Keith Berg, PhD (University of Wisconsin, 1973). Professor. Dr. Berg’s primary research is on executive functioning processes, especially planning, problem solving, strategy use and working memory in childhood through later life. Brain, behavior and body processes related to executive functioning are assessed with psychophysiological measures including event related potentials, functional MRI, and heart rate changes as well as task performance.
Scott Miller, PhD (University of Minnesota, 1971). Professor. Dr. Scott Miller’s research examined various aspects of children’s cognitive development including theory of mind, children’s understanding of false beliefs and the origins of knowledge.
Robin Lea West, PhD (Vanderbilt University, 1980). Professor. Dr. West’s research focused on practical aspects of memory and self-regulatory factors that affect memory. This included: a) the relationship between test performance and self-evaluation of memory (especially self-efficacy), b) techniques for improving the everyday memory skills of older adults, and c) goal-setting and beliefs about memory.
Jeff Farrar, Ph.D. (in Memoria). Dr. Farrar joined the Developmental Area of the Psychology Department at the University of Florida (UF) in 1987. Throughout his career, Jeff and his graduate students explored the interrelations between language and cognitive development. Beginning in the mid-1990s, his attention increasingly turned to the complicated relation between language and theory of mind. In addition to his many empirical and theoretical contributions to the field of cognitive development, Jeff was an outstanding teacher, mentor, advisor and friend to so many of the students who have walked the halls of the psychology building at the University of Florida since 1987. He was respected and valued by all who worked with him. He served as the primary research advisor to 18 Ph.D. students, many of whom continue his legacy by making important contributions to our understanding of, and support of, child development through their own research, teaching, outreach and engagement in public policy.
AFFILIATE FACULTY
Michael Marsiske, PhD (Pennsylvania State University, 1992). Professor of Clinical and Health Psychology. Cognitive aging, measurement of everyday/functional cognition in older adults, interventions to enhance elders’ cognitive performance; collaborative cognition; sensorimotor-cognition relations.
Elenora Rossi, PhD (University of Groningen, The Netherlands, 2003) Assistant Professor in Linguistics. Language processing, bilingualism, second language learning, neuroimaging (ERP, fMRI)
Current Graduate Students in Developmental Psychology (Graduate Advisor listed in parentheses)
Ariana Burga (Chen): investigates how adverse life events during critical developmental periods—from prenatal stages to adulthood—become biologically embedded in underserved and underrepresented communities
Cherita Clendinen (Chen): examines how stressful life experiences and protective factors shape adolescent development in underserved and underrepresented communities.
Kiana Cogdill-Richardson (Bluck): Social cognition across the lifespan with emphasis on the end of life. Qualitative and quantitative approaches to analysis of autobiographical memory and life story narratives.
Niti Contractor (Kertes): Examines the effects of maternal stress and trauma and children’s health, with a special focus on health disparities.
Chun-Che Hung (Ebner): Exploring the gut dysbiosis in older adults with Alzheimer’s disease continuum and its relationship with structural and functional brain changes using different neuroimaging techniques.
Jamie Newland (Scott): Perceptual narrowing, facial perception, the interaction of language and visual perception, and the effects of early book reading in infant development.
Sanghee Park (Ebner): Focuses on the impact of aging on social decision-making, including risky financial strategies in investment scams and trust-related social judgments
Alayna Schoenfelt: (Ebner): Understanding the underlying cognitive and socioemotional processes used by individuals to perceive and interact with their social environments, and how they change with aging.
Stephanie Washburn (Ebner): Examines how personality traits influence cognitive functions in older adults, particularly in relation to deception, by examining the intersections of cognitive, socioemotional, and neurobiological changes.
Kylie Wright: (Ebner): investigating the cognitive, neurological and health impacts of stress at the psychological and biological level and how this process changes with age.
Yongyong Xu: (Chen): Focuses on understanding family holism, dynamics, and their influence on adolescent development.
Initial Job Placements of Developmental Psychology Ph.D Graduates (Developmental or Dual BCN, regardless of home)
Farrell, Julia: Society for Research in Child Development (SRCD) Policy Fellowship, Portland, Oregon, (pending, 2024)
Zoe Cheung, Post-doctoral Fellow, UC Santa Barbara, 2024
Liu, Peiwei: Post-doctoral Fellow, UC Berkeley, 2024
Polk, Becca: Post-doctoral Fellow, Washington University, 2024
Leri, John: Post-doctoral Fellow, University of Texas, Austin, 2023
Daniels, Jaxenne: Lecturer, University of Houston Clear Lake, 2022
Sudo, Mioko: Postdoctoral Fellow, School of Social Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, 2021.
Mroz, Emily: Postdoctoral Fellow, Department of Internal Medicine, Geriatrics, Yale University, 2021.
Sharma, Shubam, Assistant Professor, Kennesaw State University, Georgia, 2021.
Erhardt, Katie: Visiting Assistant Professor, University of North Florida, August 2020
Iyer Arjun: Adjunct Assistant Professor, Catholic University, August 2020.
Lussier-Lévesque, Désirée: Postdoctoral Fellow, SIMEXP Laboratory for Brain Stimulation and Exploration, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Québec, 2019
Daniel Fisher: Assistant Professor, Gulf Coast State College, 2018
Metz, Allison: Research Project Coordinator, Department of Family, Youth, and Community Sciences, IFAS/University of Florida, 2018
Kamin, Hayley: Content Development Manager, American Psychological Association, 2018
Guan, Yao: Postdoctoral Fellow, Department of Psychology and Brain Sciences, University of Iowa, 2018
Strickland-Hughes, Carla: Assistant Professor, University of the Pacific, California, 2017
Lin, Tian: Post-doctoral Fellow, Department of Psychology, University of Florida, 2017
Liu, Jingwen: Research Analyst for T1DExchange, Boston, Mass., 2017
Liao, Hsiao-wen: Postdoctoral Fellow, Life-span Development Lab, Stanford University, California, 2017.
Tasdemir-Ozdes, Aylin: Assistant Professor, Abant Izzet Baysal University, Turkey, 2017
Saczawa, Mary: Visiting Instructor, Gustavus Adolphus College, 2016
Diaz, Vanessa: Research Assistant Professor, Virginia Tech University, 2016
Hill, Julie: Assistant Professor of Psychology, University of Wisconsin Platteville, 2015
Tamargo, Jennifer: Adjunct Research Associate, RAND Corporation, 2013
McKay-Easters, Molly: Adjunct Instructor, Florida State College at Jacksonville, 2013
Baron, Jacqueline: Research Coordinator, Institute for Child Health Policy, University of Florida, 2011.
Hastings, Erin: Clinical Trials Research Coordinator, The Center for Movement Disorders and Neurorestoration, College of Medicine, University of Florida, 2011.
DeLucca, Teri: Research Scientist, Nemours BrightStart Initiative, 2010.
Marshik, Tesia: (graduate of Co-Major program) Assistant Professor of Psychology, University of Wisconsin La Crosse, 2010
Demiray, Burcu: Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Koc University, Istanbul, 2010
Clemans, Katherine: NIMH Postdoctoral Fellow, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, 2010
Anderson, Kim: Study Coordinator with the Institute on Aging, University of Florida, 2010
Cordell-McNulty, Kristi: (graduate of Co-Major program) Assistant Professor of Psychology, Angelo State University, 2009
Tompkins, Virginia: Visiting Assistant Professor, Ohio State University at Lima, 2009
Sontag, Lisa: NRSA Research Fellow, Division of Adolescent Medicine, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, 2009
Dark-Freudeman, Alissa: Assistant Professor, University of North Carolina at Wilmington, 2009
Ahn, Sung-hee: On Leave, 2009
McNamara, Joe: Fellow, Department of Psychiatry, University of Florida, 2008
Lynne, Sarah: NIMH Postdoctoral Fellow, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, 2008
Maag, Lisa: Assistant Professor, East Carolina University, 2007
Semegon, Angi: Clinical Research Coordinator, Gutstein Shelley and Associates, 2006
Byrd, Dana: Postdoctoral Fellow, Weill Medical College of Cornell University, 2004
Benigno, Joann: Postdoctoral Fellow, Institute of Child Development, University of Minnesota, 2004
Curry, Laura: Postdoctoral Fellow, Institute of Child Health Policy, University of Florida, 2004
Alea, Nicole: Assistant Professor, University of North Carolina, Wilmington, 2004
Abraham, Sara: Assistant Professor, St. Edward’s University
Sabatinelli, Dean: Postdoctoral Fellow, University of Florida, 2001
VanVoorhis, Frances: Network Facilitator and TIPS Coordinator, National Network of Partnership Schools, Johns Hopkins University, 2000
Brown, Veda: Assistant Professor, Prairie View College, Texas, 2000
Yassuda, Monica: Grant Project Manager, Georgia State University, 1999
Welch, Duana: Assistant Professor, California State University, Fullerton 1998
Slawinski, Jennifer: NICHD Postdoctoral Fellow, University of Pittsburgh/Penn State & Adjunct Instructor Carnegie Mellon University, 1998
Fasig, Lauren: APA Policy Fellow, APA, Washington, D.C.,1998
Garner, Elizabeth: Visiting Assistant Professor, University of North Florida, 1997
Coyle, Tom: Assistant Professor, University of Texas, San Antonio, 1997
Welch-Ross, Melissa: Assistant Professor, Georgia State University, 1996
McManis, Mark: Postdoctoral Fellow, Harvard University, 1996
Holmes, Heather: Assistant Professor, Southeastern Louisiana State University, 1996
Boyer, Michelle: Assistant Professor, Middle Tennessee State University, 1995
Friend, Margaret: Postdoctoral Fellow, University of California, Berkeley, 1994
Baron, Kristina: Assistant Professor, St. Michael College, 1994
Seier, Wendy: Assistant Professor, Georgia Southern University, 1993
Forbes, James: Postdoctoral Fellow, Concordia University, 1993
Montgomery, Derek: Assistant Professor, Bradley University, 1993