What are you currently working on that excites you?

I am excited for the pandemic-catalyzed opportunities in education. At a deep level, I had to re-think why, how, and what I teach, and re-prioritize learning outcomes. As a result, my blended learning pedagogy was re-energized. I have adopted digital technologies that help me connect with students. And, I have upgraded my in-class activities according to outcomes from cognitive science. I anticipate coming out of the pandemic with a re-invigorated teaching toolbox to reach out to students in their differences and scaffold their personalized growth. At the time of this writing, I am super excited to put together the posters my undergraduate students and I will be presenting at the BPS Annual Meeting. Although we had to adjust our research projects and means of communication as a result of the pandemic, my students moved forward with their projects. The students presenting have experienced the delightfulness of scientific discovery; they have generated their own sound interpretation of data.

Who would you like to sit next to at a dinner party? (Scientist or not)

Since my high-school years, I have been fascinated with Ada Lovelace. I would love to ask her how she imagined the analytical engine (precursor of computers) would be used for purposes other than number crunching.

How do you stay on top of all the latest developments in your field?

One of the most positive outcomes of the pandemic is the series of free and virtual seminars organized by a number of groups. The seminars have helped me tremendously to be up to date with the developments in my disciplinary community. I feel I am more informed on latest developments than before the pandemic. Due to my teaching load (three courses per semester) and family logistics, attending frequent in-person scientific conferences is challenging.