The Study of Healthy Aging
& Applied Research Programs
Clemson University
Pennsylvania State University
Graduate Students and Post Docs
Post Doctoral Fellows
Dr. Abigail Stephan
I am a post doctoral fellow for the Institute for Engaged Aging. I received my Ph.D. in Learning Sciences with a concentration in Lifespan Development at Clemson University studying under the guidance of Dr. Faiza Jamil. Broadly, my research interests include intergenerational relationships and learning experiences in informal settings, such as the family and community. I am most interested in outcomes related to well-being and psychosocial development. In addition to my work with the SHAARP Lab, I am a member of the Contexts of Learning and Development (CLAD) Lab at Clemson.
Abigail Stephan
Clemson University Graduate Students
Ava McVey
I am a graduate student in the Human Factors Psychology program at Clemson University. While my research interests vary, some of my favorite areas of study include topics within neuropsychology, cognitive psychology, developmental psychology, and human factors psychology. Specifically, I am most excited to work with Dr. Ross and the SHAARP lab in studying cognitive interventions and healthy aging.
Ava McVey
Kalvry Cooper
I am an incoming Ph.D. Student in the Human Factors Psychology program here at Clemson University under the supervision of Dr. Ross. I received my Bachelor’s of Science in Psychology in December of 2021 from the University of Texas at Arlington. My research interest focuses heavily on human-robot interactions and how technology can be used to help older adults continue to age in place without many outside interferences. I’m also fascinated on learning more about how the lack of this technology can cause older adults to have to give up their freedoms prematurely.
Kalvry Cooper
Penn State Graduate Students
Joanne Tian
I am a graduate student in the Human Development and Family Studies program at Penn State working with Dr. Ross. My research interests focus on the cognitive functions in older adults, such as working memory and visual processing. Also, I am interested in how we can make interventions to help older adults improve their daily functions and slow down their cognitive decline.
Joanne Tian
Jordan D. Chamberlain
I graduated from the University of Michigan in 2016 (B.S. Biopsychology, Cognition, and Neuroscience) and again in 2017 (M.S. Psychology: Cognition and Cognitive Neuroscience). My undergraduate and Masters research focused largely on GABA concentrations and the discriminability of neural patterns in the visual cortex of younger and older adults. Currently, I am investigating age differences underlying neural patterns associated with true and false memories, and how white matter microstructural integrity relates to false memories in older adults. Through my collaborations across campus, I am exploring how subjective health factors become coupled with episodic memory in aging, as well as how we can improve older adults’ attentional processing through targeted cognitive interventions. In my spare time I enjoy reading, hiking, and exploring the local State College area.
