B.A. University of California, Merced

M.A. California State University, San Marcos

PhD Georgia Institute of Technology

My research interests lie in the field of cognitive decision theory. Specifically, my program of work examines the cognitive processes that influence choices relevant to information foraging. I build and test theories that seek to explain how people perceive value in sources of information, collect information, and engage in everyday hypothesis testing. This work informs numerous lines of applied research relevant to the design and evaluation of decision support systems. These projects generally explore how modified or filtered information streams impact outcomes for decision-makers across various domains.  

Program: Master of Science in Human Factors

When you look at a door, how do you know to pull or push it? If you fail to open it, does the failure lie on you or on the tool? Neither. Rather, it is the gap in communication between people and machines that leads to mistakes as small as struggling to open a door to dire consequences such as plane crashes or nuclear meltdowns. If human factors is the application of psychology to engineering, then we can prevent harm by applying how people think to the tools that they use.

My research interests revolve around reducing harm and death. The tragedies that have and could have happened occur from decisions made based on one's current knowledge and understanding of the situation. By understanding the processes behind decision-making, I hope to close the gap in communication between people and machines.

Program: Master of Science in Human Factors

Program: Master of Science in Human Factors