The recipient of a prestigious and competitive James. S. McDonnell award in support of her research, she emphasizes writing and research skills in her courses. She has been called the driving impetus for the founding of a Colby-Bates-Bowdoin conference called “Mainely Data,” held each year since 2010 and providing an opportunity for students and faculty to present research in progress. She earned a B.A. and an M.S. in psychology from Illinois State University and a Ph.D. in experimental psychology from Washington University in St. Louis.