Conferences and Awards

Every semester, the lab is buzzing with research activity. This spring we gave a total of 14 presentations at four conferences across the country. We gave two presentations at EPA in Boston, two at RMPA in Albuquerque, and eight at WPA in Riverside, and two additional teams presented at SPSP virtually. Moreover, two lab members were awarded the Southwest Airlines Travel Support Funding Award to attend EPA. Congratulations all!

The Next Step in Your Journey

This fall, eight of our lab members are starting graduate school. Their hard work and dedication during their undergraduate journeys have earned them places in graduate programs in psychology, education, library science, and public health. Join us in congratulating Fits, Grace, Ishrat, Jae, Josh, Mia, Victoria, and Zihan for their great accomplishments!

Let’s Connect on LinkedIn

In the Interactive Measurement Group, we strive to build a sense of community among our members – both past and present. LinkedIn is one of many ways we can stay connected. In this spotlight, we share why it is beneficial to connect on LinkedIn and how you connect with current lab members.

Truly Try
by Kimberly A. Barchard

To accomplish difficult goals, we must put substantial energy and effort into them. Whether you want to go to graduate school, learn a new skill, or build healthy habits, you must first determine what you need to do and then truly try to do it. Kim learned this lesson when she was rock climbing but has now applied it to all aspects of her life.

Talking: A Skill Anyone Can Improve
by Fred Vincent Margallo

Have you ever struggled to have a good conversation? Being a good talker is valuable: It helps with friendships, class discussions, and workplace conversations. However, talking is not always easy, especially when you are meeting new people. Thankfully, talking can be improved with a few simple adjustments to the way we view conversations. Fred shares tips from Larry King and Bill Gilbert’s book, How to Talk to Anyone, Anytime, Anywhere, that helped him refine the skill of talking.

Climate Change: Spread Hope Not Fear
by Jaedyn Billerbeck

News framing by the media can influence our perception of what is happening around us – and more often than not, it elicits negative emotions. Negative news framing is common in the dissemination of climate change information and this can make people feel scared and hopeless for the future of our planet, discouraging people from taking action. Jae encourages us to talk positively about climate change by sharing innovations, solutions, and paths to success, so that we can instead spread hope and energy.

Prioritizing Helps Time Management
by Zihan Gong

With new tasks coming at us from all directions, it can be difficult to know where to start. Zihan shared two methods she uses to prioritize her tasks and organize her time.

The Unexpected Challenges I Faced in College as a First-Generation Student
by Daniela Alvarez

First-generation students face a unique set of challenges as they adjust to college life and culture. From experiencing sudden freedom and new responsibilities to feeling lonely and misunderstood, Daniela details her transition from being a high schooler to a first-generation student at UNLV and shares advice for other first-gen students.

Nothing is Wasted
by Kimberly A. Barchard

Sometimes students stay in majors they do not like out of fear of wasting the courses they took. However, this might do students more harm than good. We should all refrain from seeing things as a waste – all of our experiences matter because they give us unique perspectives and approaches to life. Kim explains how the things we learn and do become a part of us, even if we have moved on to other pursuits.

A Walk a Day to Stay Awake
by Jelsy Cadenas-Santos

Have you ever felt sleepy after your lunch break? When this happens, it might affect your productivity and quality of work. Thankfully, there are many simple ways to fight that drowsiness. Jelsy shares her favorite way to stay alert and productive after eating: Taking a walk.

Being Present
by Susan Gutierrez

When you are stressed, do you sometimes catch yourself thinking so much about the future that you forget about living in the present? Read how yoga has helped Susan live in the present.