members

The BRAINS Lab team

Principal investigator

Abdulaziz Abubshait, PhD

Aziz is an Assistant Professor of Psychology at Wichita State University. He received a Ph.D. in Human Factors and Applied Cognition from George Mason University and completed a postdoctoral fellowship at the Italian Institute of Technology. Aziz was also awarded the AAAS-STPF fellowship where he worked at the National Institute on Aging on AI related initiatives for Alzheimer's Disease and Related Dementia. His research investigates human interactions with robots and artificial agents to improve people’s lives. By focusing on the human side of human–machine interaction, he identifies the robot features that most effectively support and enhance human performance as defined by the human user. His approach integrate neuroscientific, explicit and implicit methods to give us a perspective that allows us to translate fundamental science into practical designs that improve the way humans and machines engage with one another.

Contact: Abdulaziz.Abubshait@wichita.edu

PhD students

Lily Shaw

Lily Shaw is a Human Factors Psychology PhD student at Wichita State University. Her research investigates how cognition is impacted by the interactions humans have with robots and artificial intelligence. In studying these relationships, she hopes to help ensure that future applications of advanced technology center the needs of people. Additionally, she is passionate about how robots and AI can be used as assistive tools for individuals with cognitive impairments.

Contact: loshaw@shockers.wichita.edu

A posy of sunflowers and lavender tied to the end of a pew

Anika Tasnim

Coming soon

Affiliated Students

Carsen Steele

Carsen Steele is a Human Factors Psychology PhD Student at Wichita State University. Her independent work is the investigation of the impact of instructional framing of auditory stimuli (binaural beats, specifically) on working memory and perceptions of self-efficacy. In addition, she also collaborates with the Autonomous Integrated Systems Research Branch (AISRB) at NASA Langley Research Center investigating flight deck automation and aviation safety.

Contact: cmsteele@shockers.wichita.edu

undergraduate researchers

Sonnia Evbota-Momodu

Sonnia Evbota-Momodu is a McNair Scholar and Psychology major at Wichita State University, with minors in Marketing and American Sign Language. She is passionate about understanding how people interact with technology and one another. Her research interests include human-computer interaction, social media, consumer behavior, and trust in automation. Following graduation, she plans to pursue a Ph.D. in Human Factors and Human-Computer Interaction, focusing on human-AI interaction and automation.

Contact: sxevbota-momodu@shockers.wichita.edu

James Ukoha

James is a Biomedical Engineering student and a McNair Scholar interested in the psychological interactions and processes that underly human and robot interactions, especially through EEG analysis. In the future, I hope to obtain a PhD related to Pharmaceutical Sciences potentially connecting it to Human Factors.

Contact: jxukoha@shockers.wichita.edu

Eli Jenkins

Eli Jenkins is a Psychology and Philosophy double major at Wichita State University, with a minor in University Honors. His research interests include human-robot interaction and improving psychotherapy for neurodivergent individuals. His current research explores how avatar characteristics and perceived audience affect self-disclosure. After graduation, he plans to pursue master's degrees in counseling psychology and neurophilosophy, followed by a PhD encompassing both fields. He hopes to combine his interests in psychology and philosophy to help make mental health care more effective and accessible.

Contact: exjenkins@shockers.wichita.edu