Lab

Welcome to the Learning and Individual Differences Lab led by Dr. Dana Miller-Cotto. Our lab takes an interdisciplinary approach to understanding individual differences in academic outcomes. Using methods from cognitive psychology, applied development, and education, we seek to understand learning and development for underserved students. These insights can help improve instruction and educational contexts for all students.

The bios below introduce our current lab members and collaborators. Want to join us? Send the lab director, Dr. Miller-Cotto, and email at dmillerc@kent.edu.

Lab Director

My name is Dr. Dana Miller-Cotto and I am the the director of the Learning and Individual Differences Lab at Kent State University. I aim to understand the role of executive functions in mathematics learning and reasoning, as well as what explains development in each of these respective areas for minoritized students. My hobbies include trying new recipes, reading anything written by Paule Marshall, puzzles, and running after my 1 year old.

Lab Manager

Hello! My name is Morgan Shingledecker and I am the lab manager for the Miller-Cotto lab. I am a senior Psychology major with an Italian Studies minor, and that was added recently because I was fortunate enough to study abroad this past spring in Florence, Italy. After graduation, I plan on going to grad school, and I’m currently in the process at looking at which program would best fit my interests. In my free time, you can find me reading, working out, napping, watching Netflix, or doing something outside.

Undergraduate Research Assistants

Meet Clare Lavelle

My Name is Clare. I am a psychology major with a business minor with an expected graduation date of May 2024. My long term and short-term goals with research is to see how research is directly correlated to various environments in our society. In other words, I think having this first-hand experience would give me a better idea of the importance and structure of research itself while learning along the way. I love to swim, and I am left handed.

Meet Simone Gest

My name is Simone Gest. I graduate Spring 2023 with a major in Child Psychology and a minor in Sports, exercise and performance Psychology. My long-term goals are to become a school psychologist and coach high school volleyball. My hobbies include cooking, reading, and shopping.

Meet Tierra McClary

My name is Tierra. I am a senior majoring in psychology with a minor in criminology. I expect to graduate in May of 2023. My short-term goal is to get into a graduate program to study developmental psychology. My long-term goals are to attain my Ph.D. and eventually lead my own lab with research involving and expanding on my interests. Broadly speaking, those interests are currently: adverse childhood experiences + socioeconomic status and their impact on psychological development into adulthood, especially concerning crime and deviant behavior. In my spare time, I enjoy rock climbing, birding, and hiking.

Meet Rhomie Stewart

Hi, my name is Rhomie (she/her), I'm a senior at Kent majoring in Psychology Bachelor of Science. This is my last semester in undergraduate studies, so I am expected to complete the degree by December 2022. From there I plan to attend graduate school for either clinical counseling or neuroscience research. Both fields are equally interesting to me so I hope to decide on a focus through experience and further learning in the next few months. In my spare time, I enjoy cooking, reading, and hanging out with friends and family.

Meet Naseem Mirhaidari

Hi everyone! My name is Naseem I am a senior here at Kent State University majoring in child psychology with a minor in HDFS. My expected graduation will be this spring 2023. After graduation I hope to go to a PsyD program for clinical child psychology, I really want to focus on kids with developmental disabilities such ASD as well as more and also focus on mental health illnesses as those would be my main research interests. In my spare time, I love to spend time with my family and friends and I also love to travel and go on adventures such as hiking and taking road trips!

Meet Natalia Frost

Amanda “Natalia” Frost, Bachelor of Science Psychology, expected graduation in December of 2022, my research interests involve studying what the effects illegal substances have on the human brain over time. My long-term goals are to graduate this December of 2022 then begin a accelerated nursing program in January receiving my Bachelor of Science in Nursing in May of 2024. I enjoy taking my dog on walks and reading in my spare time

Meet Alexandra Flowers

I am a current senior psychology major at Kent State University.
After graduating from Kent in Spring in 2023, I plan on continuing my education and attending graduate school the following Spring. I am hoping to make a positive impact, help, and reach the struggling kids I work with. In my free time, I love being outdoors and enjoy activities such as hiking, camping, and paddle boarding. I also enjoy working out, playing intramural sports and reading.