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Graduate Research Assistants
Graduate Research Assistants are a vital part of the TRIP Lab, as they provide leadership and guidance to undergraduates, high school interns and volunteers.
Haley Johnson
After graduating from Briarwood Christian High School, Haley attended Birmingham Southern College where she played colligate volleyball and expanded her interest in Psychology. Here she was involved in research on social cognition and perception, while her senior research project examined the effects of auditory priming on motor behavior. It was during her undergraduate tenure that she designed and conducted her first research study. She is currently a member of the Psi Chi Psychology Honors Society and the Delta Epsilon Iota Honors Society. She was always been passionate about helping those with disabilities gain independence which she believes is the key to improving their quality of life and overall happiness. Haley is currently planning and developing a thesis study that will examine Autism Spectrum Disorder and driving. After receiving her PhD, Haley plans on either becoming a professor at an academic institution or working at a facility that teaches daily and vocational skills to those with Developmental Disabilities.
"The TRIP Lab provided me with the opportunity to be a coauthor on a paper being submitted. As a second year student in the UAB Lifespan Developmental Psychology graduate program, this is a huge privilege as I will hopefully have a publication to add to my resume, and also have an idea of how to write for a journal."
Peyton graduated from Samford University with a B.S. in Biology, and received an M.A. in Anatomy and Physiology from the University of Alabama at Birmingham. He is a Teaching Assistant for UAB's Advanced Anatomy course, and volunteers as a physician's assistant at the Shelby County Health Department's Community of Hope Health Clinic. He has also helped establish health clinics in six different countries. Peyton is interested in being a reconstructive plastic surgeon; because he believes that when tragic accidents in life happen, we sometimes need someone to help us feel normal again.
"The TRIP Lab provided me with my first experience in a research laboratory. I didn't come in with any expectations for what I wanted to accomplish. That perspective is probably why I ended up learning a lot."
Shannon Wittig
Shannon went to Henderson State University where she doubled majored in Psychology and History with French and International Relations double minor. She was the principal student investigator for two independent research studies as an undergraduate student ("Working Memory, Distraction, and Recall" and "Working Memory: A Comparison of Different Irrelevant Background Sounds"). Both projects resulted in podium presentations at the Southwest Psychological Association (SWPA). Shannon is planning and developing a thesis study that will examine the relationship between parent and teen driving styles. She is currently a graduate student at the University of Alabama at Birmingham in Lifespan Developmental Psychology Program. Her future career goal is to be a college professor and researcher.
"In just one semester of working with the TRIP Lab, I have gained many valuable lessons that I will be able to apply in both research and working with other members of the lab."