JUSTICE Lab

The JUSTICE (Just Undergraduate Students Thoroughly Investigating Crime Ethically) Lab consists of several undergraduates students who are interested in conducting research investigating psychology and law related issues. Topics that we investigate include false confessions, perceptions of exonerees, jury decision-making, and more. 


As a member of the JUSTICE Lab, students learn how to design research studies from the bottom up. This includes reading journal articles, generating new ideas, developing materials, collecting data, and analyzing data. Students also have the opportunity to present research at national and regional psychology conferences.


Note: Professor Normile always recruits students to join the lab at the end of every semester during course registration. If you are an undergraduate student at Allegheny College interested in joining the JUSTICE Lab, please reach out to Professor Normile and schedule an appointment.

Current Members

Meghan Boudreau

Meghan is a Junior Psychology major with a minor in Community and Justice Studies. Meghan wanted to join the JUSTICE lab because, "I wanted to combine my community justice background with research opportunities."

After graduating, Meghan hopes to study for her LCSW.

Emma Chow

Emma is a Junior Psychology major with a minor in history. Emma wanted to join the JUSTICE lab because, "I enjoyed Professor Normile's class on Wrongful Convictions and Exonerations and thought the lab would be interesting. I've always been interested in psychology and crime/law and thought this lab would be a great place to study both."

After graduating, Emma hopes to go to graduate school and study criminal/forensic psychology. 

Emily Eshleman

Emily is a Senior Psychology major with a minor in Spanish. Emily wanted to join the JUSTICE lab because, "I went back and forth a lot between whether I wanted to study political science/law/public policy or psychology/sociology. When Dr. Normile first introduced me to the lab, I joined because it seemed like the perfect intersection between these different topics that I had a lot of interest in."

After graduating, Emily hopes to attend graduate school.

Hannah Hinterleiter

Hannah is a Senior Psychology major with minors in Community and Justice Studies and Political Science. Hannah wanted to study psychology and law because "I have always had an interest in the criminal justice system and my major and minor combination allows me to have a psychology background along with a political science/community organizing background."

After graduating, Hannah hops to go to graduate school for psychology and help with mental health initiatives in and outside of the criminal justice system.

Colin Jimerson

Colin Jimerson is a Junior Psychology major with a minor in Film and Digital Storytelling. Colin wanted to join the JUSTICE lab because, "I have always had an interest in psychology, and I have always been intrigued by law. I joined because I wanted to see how the two intermingle. I am most interested in studying how jury members view defendants and how that can affect trial outcomes."

After graduating, Colin hopes to go to graduate school for psychology, although he is still deciding on what area will be best.

Will Lowthert

Will is a Senior Political Science major with minors in Economics and Community and Justice Studies. Will joined the JUSTICE lab because, "I am passionate about criminal justice reform."

Carolyn McAndrews

Carolyn is a Senior English (Creative Writing) and Psychology double major with minors in History and Spanish. Carolyn joined the JUSTICE lab because, "I have always been interested in trying to learn the why and I've always been fascinated with the law and our legal systems. I wanted to learn more about how they connected and what different studies say about people and their connection with law and psychology."


After graduating from Allegheny, Carolyn hopes to move to Boston and go to grad school for creative writing or criminology. 

Mycah Quevillon

Mycah is a Junior Psychology major with a minor in Classical Studies. Mycah joined the JUSTICE Lab, "For a few different reasons. I mainly joined in order to get experience for the research and experimentation process. I also am very interested in law psychology, particularly regarding memory and eyewitness reports."

After graduating, Mycah plans to go to graduate school to earn a Master's or a PhD in clinical or forensic psychology.

Sarah Thorman

Sarah is a Senior Psychology major with minors in Community and Justice Studies and Political Science. Sarah joined the JUSTICE lab because, "I wanted to learn more about issues in the criminal justice system, and how psychology research can be applied to improve it. I am most interested in jurors' perceptions of defendants, and how different races, genders, and in general, people of marginalized communities are perceived by jurors.

After graduating, Sarah hopes to attend a graduate program in forensic or clinical psychology.

Former Lab Members

Kyle Stallard '22

Alexa Whyte '23

Carolyn Sidell '23

Will Kabazie '23

Ella Lunney '23

Zoe Romanowski '24

Malia Guillory '25