My writing is rusty, but I wanted to share this story (my story) regardless. It’s on the longer side, so please open it when you have a few minutes to spare.
Content Warning: Graphic Sexual Violence.
Graduate School
Psychology, UC San Diego, Wixted LabUC San Diego
Wixted Lab
I’ve officially committed to the University of California, San Diego in the fall for a doctoral program in experimental cognitive psychology.
Excited, grateful and incredibly inspired are only a few of the many emotions I’m feeling at this moment in time. Thank you SO much to Dr. John Wixted who offered me a position in his memory laboratory. Every time I step on the UCSD campus, I feel like I’m at home. I know this is the place I am meant to be and that I will produce excellent work in this program. Even though I didn’t verbalize this during my interviews: I have been eyeing this program at UCSD since 2013.
Furthermore, thank you so much to UC Santa Cruz and UC Riverside for extending admission offers as well. As a first-generation college student, the privilege of being offered the opportunity to earn a Ph.D at such prestigious research programs is not lost on me.
Once again, thank you. I’m humbled, but ready to put in the work.
Joining the Wixted Lab at UCSD
Psychology, UC San Diego, Wixted Lab
I am immensely happy to report that this month I will be joining the Wixted Lab as a post-baccalaureate research assistant! Even though this is a volunteer position, I am thrilled to continue studying eyewitness memory. My undergraduate thesis only scratched the surface; now it’s time to reexamine the same material through the lens of basic recognition memory science and the theories popularized within that field.
Thank you, Dr. John Wixted for this opportunity!
Eyewitness Memory: How Stress and Situational Factors Affect Eyewitness Recall
Psychology, University of Oregon, UO PsychologyI successfully defended my undergraduate thesis!
The thesis was presented to the Department of Psychology and the Clark Honors College of the University of Oregon in partial fulfillment of the requirements for degree of Bachelor of Science, Fall 2016.
Defended with Honors.
Adviser: Dr. Robert Mauro.
Abstract: As eyewitness memory and its current admissibility as evidence in courts have come under scrutiny, numerous studies have examined variables that affect eyewitness memory. These variables are divided into system and estimator variables. System variables are factors that can be controlled by the criminal justice system; estimator variables are those which cannot be controlled by the justice system. Considerable research has demonstrated that stress can either inhibit or enhance memory depending on the level of arousal. This literature review will examine the role and effect of stress in general and in regard to other estimator variables (e.g., seriousness, weapons focus, and victim vs. bystander). Both field and laboratory studies will be examined. General trends, important caveats, and limitations will be reported. Despite the breadth of research in both eyewitness research and stress and memory, there is no recent comprehensive review of the effect of stress on eyewitness memory. This literature review will serve to bridge that gap and provide resources for those looking to continue research in the area of stress and eyewitness memory.
Link to download the paper (PDF). Link to the UO Scholars’ Bank where it is originally hosted.
Presenting: Stanford Undergraduate Psychology Conference
Psychology, University of Oregon, UO Psychology
A day after presenting my research at the University of Oregon’s Undergraduate Research Symposium, I’m heading off to Stanford to present my honors thesis research. I’m exhausted, but excited to share what I’ve learned over the past year. Unlike yesterday’s presentation, this will be a poster presentation! Stop by the main amphitheater at 1pm to chat with me about sequential vs. simultaneous lineups!
Presenting: Oregon Undergraduate Research Symposium
Psychology, University of Oregon, UO Psychology
I’ll be presenting a my honors thesis work at the Oregon Undergraduate Research Symposium! Come by to hear about stress and eyewitness recall, as well as specific phenomena such as the weapon focus effect.
Link to the Undergraduate Research Symposium webpage.
Recognition by Poynter
Daily Emerald, Hockey, Personal Blog, Stories & Features, University of OregonEarlier in the year, I wrote the story, “Into Battle: The Bruises and Bonds of Brotherhood.” The story profiled members of the University of Oregon’s club hockey team and the culture surrounding injuries. It went on to win 5th place in the Associated Collegiate Press’ (ACP) Best of Show competition as well as being a finalist for the ACP Pacemaker Award (the highest national award in collegiate journalism).
In an exciting development, Poynter, a highly-regarded resource for journalists, recognized my feature! Their organization promotes data-driven journalism and ethical conduct. It’s an organization that was formative to me when I started out. It’s an honor to see them linking out to my work.
Also, I want to thank Sierra Morgan for her kind words within the Poynter interview. She programmed the interactive elements on the story’s treatment package and, more importantly, she was an absolute pleasure to have as a collaborator on this project.
Quoted from the interview, Morgan said:
“As for the hockey story, we debated covering another sports story right after the Heisman piece and the hockey story needed coverage. These boys were breaking their bodies and still playing, and this story needed to be reported on for the sake of injury awareness. The reporter, Anne Yilmaz, had great rapport with the team and she pitched and delivered a phenomenal story we couldn’t ignore.”
Sometimes it feels a little silly celebrating a story when writing is my job, but these milestones are important and meaningful. I highly respect Poynter. They recognizing my work signifies that I’m growing in the right direction.
Thank you for reading.
-A.Y.
No. 60 Oregon edges out No. 56 Colorado, 4-3
Daily Emerald, Recaps, Tennis, University of OregonIt came down to the final match to determine who would win the meet in Boulder, Colorado between the No. 60 Oregon Ducks and No. 56 Colorado Buffaloes.
Tommy Yang enters club wushu with performance background
Daily Emerald, Stories & Features, University of Oregon, WushuOregon club wushu newcomers usually fit into two categories: They either come in with a martial arts background or they join with no relevant experience whatsoever.
Freshman Tommy Yang doesn’t quite fit the mold of either. He has experience—in dance.
Women’s tennis: No. 67 Oregon falls to No. 52 BYU, 4-3.
Daily Emerald, Recaps, Tennis, University of OregonFollowing yesterday’s 5-2 win over Utah State, Oregon (7-4, 1-0 Pac-12) took on BYU (7-6, 1-2 WCC) and ultimately lost 4-3 in a meet that came down to the final match. It was Oregon’s second game in the Beehive State this weekend.