Meet our Team

JACL Leadership

Lab Director - Alyssa R. Jones, PhD

Dr. Alyssa Jones is the director, and lead principal investigator, of the Jones Applied Cognition Lab (JACL) at Tarleton State University. Dr. Jones is a experimental-cognitive psychologist, who earned her Ph.D. in August 2021 in Experimental-cognitive Psychology, and a M.S. in General Psychology in December 2018. She earned both graduate degrees from Texas A&M University–Commerce, where she trained under Dr. Curt Carlson and worked in the CRiMe Lab -

sites.google.com/site/carlsonappliedcognitionlab/.

Dr. Jones also earned her B.A. in Psychology from Texas Wesleyan University in May 2015.

During the past decade, Dr. Jones has focused her work on face processing, eyewitness identification, police lineup construction, and overall eyewitness ID decision-making. Her expertise, however, are system variables in eyewitness memory situations (e.g., lineup composition methods, lineup member similarity levels, and distinctive features influence on eyewitness accuracy and confidence for identification decisions.

In addition to directing JACL, Dr. Jones teaches courses in cognitive psychology, research methods, statistics, and the history and philosophy of science. She is deeply committed to student mentorship, helping students become confident researchers who can bridge rigorous cognitive theory with real-world legal applications. In the JACL, she works closely with students of all levels (i.e., undergraduates, master's students, and PhD Students).

Lab Coordinator - Alyssa Allen, MS (PhD Student)

Graduate Research Assistant

Fall 2025 - Present

Alyssa Allen joined the JACL in Fall 2025, when she stepped in as the lead coordinator and became one of our first doctoral students in the experimental psychology program. She has a strong track record of studying law enforcement, belief systems, and resilience. She earned a M.S. degree from New Mexico Highlands University, during which she completed a thesis on understanding trauma responses in law enforcement officers. However, she is now developing an emphasis and eventual expertise within the realm of eyewitness memory and investigative procedures like lineup formation. She is aiming to help fill gaps in the research by attempting to clarify how police investigators can use best practices to obtain eyewitness identifications that do not lead to wrongful convictions.

Her long-term goal is to earn a second M.S., followed by her Ph.D. in Experimental Psychology, with a concentration in eyewitness memory/identification so she can then translate that experience into applied forensic practice. She ultimately aims to collaborate with police departments and investigators to improve lineup procedures, strengthen officer training, and implement evidence-based practices that enhance investigative fairness and accuracy. Alyssa hopes to contribute to the scientific community and systems that protect both public safety and the integrity of the justice process.

Current JACL Members

Kira Goulette, BS (Thesis Student)

Graduate Research Assistant

Spring 2024 - Present

Kira Goulette joined the JACL as a student in the Applied Psychology Master's program at Tarleton during Spring 2024 to begin working on her thesis under Dr. Jones. She has been a vital member to the team, as she has never missed a research meeting, has attended and presented at multiple research conferences/symposiums (SWPA, A.R.M.A.D.I.L.L.O., and Tarleton's RIED Symposium).

Kira has been extremely helpful with helping the lab find databases of stimuli, and is currently finishing up her M.S. thesis under Dr. Jones's supervision and advisement. In her thesis experiment, she aimed to provide insight on how stress affects co-eyewitnesses’ (i.e., two eyewitnesses to the same crime) memory. She hopes to publish this work in the near future, and is set to graduate with her M.S. from Tarleton in Spring 2026. Kira plans to eventually go on to get her Ph.D. in a related field, but she may spend some time working in the field prior to returning to academia.

Anika Flippin, BS

Graduate Research Assistant

Fall 2023 - Present

Anika (Anna) Flippin graduated from Tarleton with her B.S. in Psychology in May 2025. However, Anna joined the JACL in Fall 2023 and was one of the original team members. When she joined the lab, she began a discussion with Dr. Jones about a potential research project that, since, has been presented at a handful of research conferences in various cities, to our own President Hurley's Cabinet Members, and became a main collaborative project across four other undergraduate JACL members.

Anna also served as co-coordinator of the lab as an undergraduate for 1.5 years. She and her co-coordinator heavily shaped and fueled the lab's culture, system, and productivity. Anna is now a Master's level student in the Applied Psychology M.S. program at Tarleton, and working on a thesis that is associated with Adverse Childhood Experiences as well as possible mechanisms/traits that may be associated with high degrees of academic success and grit. She plans to continue her studies in order to pursue a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology.

Lillian Snider, BS

Graduate Research Assistant

Fall 2024 - Present

Lillian (Lillie) Snider graduated from Tarleton with her B.S. in Psychology in May 2025. While working on her B.S., and still only an undergraduate, Lillie served as co-coordinator of the JACL. She and her co-coordinator heavily shaped and fueled the lab's culture, system, and productivity. She is now a Master's level student in Tarleton's Applied Psychology program, where she is working on a thesis and other studies regarding identity development in emerging adults, examining how higher education environments and interpersonal experiences influence self-concept, resilience, and mental health. Her work focuses on the role of coping strategies and relationships in promoting academic persistence and personal well-being.

Lillie joined JACL as an undergraduate to gain advanced statistical research experience and to mentor other undergraduate students, reflecting her commitment to both scholarship and student development. While at JACL, she played a substantial and important role in co-authoring a collaborative project with other lab members. Ultimately, she plans to pursue a doctorate in developmental or clinical psychology and a career as a university faculty member to advance research and shape future educators and practitioners in collegiate settings.

Caitlyn Morgan, BS

Graduate Research Assistant

Spring 2024 - Present

Caitlyn Morgan joined the lab initially via working on an Honor's College project under Dr. Jones. She then continued in the lab to gain experience in the research side of human/social science and to make lifelong connection in her chosen field of study. Caitlyn graduated with her B.S. in Psychology from Tarleton in May 2025, and she is currently working on her Master's degree in child development and family studies at Tarleton. Caitlyn's goal in the future is to get a child life specialist license.

Aaron Kirby, BS

Graduate Research Assistant

Fall 2024 - Present

Aaron Kirby joined the lab in Fall 2024 after discovering a passion for collaborative research and theory-driven discussion. He quickly found that scientific inquiry fits his long-term academic goals.

Aaron earned his B.S. in Psychology from Tarleton State University in Spring 2025 and is now pursuing his M.S. while serving as a graduate research assistant. His thesis focuses on psychology and the law, examining how people evaluate evidence, form judgments under uncertainty, and rely on moral or intuitive frameworks in legal contexts. He is additionally interested in the psychology of religion, morality, and AI in psychology. These interests contribute to his developing theoretical perspective, Collective Tethering, which considers how individuals sense connection to broader moral or spiritual structures.

After completing his M.S., Aaron plans to pursue a Ph.D. in experimental psychology and build a research program at the intersection of legal reasoning, moral cognition, and religious thought.

Reygen Rice

Undergraduate Research Assistant

Fall 2025 - Present

Reygan Rice is a nursing major with aspirations to become an aesthetic nurse and later pursue further education as a psychiatric nurse practitioner. She joined this lab to gain knowledge, hands-on experience in a psychology-based environment, and to develop skills to support her future work.

Sydney Beyer

Undergraduate Research Assistant

Fall 2025 - Present

Sydney Beyer is an international undergraduate transfer student from Cape Town, South Africa, completing her B.S. in Psychology with a minor in Neuroscience. She plans to pursue a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology with a concentration in Neuropsychology. Her research interests focus on the prevention and intervention of Alzheimer’s disease. Sydney joined the lab to gain practical research experience, enhance her preparation for graduate school, and receive mentorship from Dr. Jones, a memory specialist, as well as from graduate students in the lab.

Marissa Aguirre

Undergraduate Research Assistant

Spring 2025 - Present

Marissa Aguirre joined the lab after meeting Dr. Jones in her Statistics course. She joined to learn more about research and this side of academia, but she also says that she enjoyed the interactions she was able to have as a lab member, joining many meetings and attending many events with fellow lab members on a regular basis.

Although a distance student from FTW campus (compared to the lab's location), Marissa joined the team as an active contributor. She held a monthly lab shift once a month, provided insightful questions and thoughts at all research meetings, and attended multiple research conferences/symposiums.

PAST JACL MEMBERS

Baylee Lawdermilk, BS

Undergraduate Research Assistant

Fall 2023 - Fall 2025

Baylee Lawdermilk joined Jones Applied Cognition Lab during her sophomore year of college. She is one of the original members that helped build and kick off the lab. She served as our first lab coordinator in 2023-2024, and was chosen to work on a grant funded project with Dr. Jones and fellow lab mate, Anna Flippin, during Summer 2024.

Baylee joined the lab because she had just switched majors to psychology, and did not really know where she wanted to go from there. Getting involved in research, she feels, has made her a better critical thinker, strengthened her ability to understand a psychological theories, and connect these theories to real-world scenarios.

Baylee feels being a part of this lab has opened up many doors and given her ample amounts of experience. She attended research conferences and she co-authored a poster at the 2025 RIED Sympoisum at Tarleton. Baylee graduated from Tarleton with her B.S. in psychology in December 2025, and hopes to pursue a M.S. degree in Tarleton's Mental Health program.

Alex McGaughey, BS

Undergraduate Research Assistant

Fall 2023 - Spring 2025

U.S. Airman, Alexis McGaughey, graduated with too many Honor's College credits to count on both hands when he walked the stage with his B.S. in psychology from Tarleton in May 2025.

As another original lab member, Alex has played a vital role in the development of the lab over the years, including helping build lab equipment with Dr. Jones. He spearheaded making stimuli for his own project proposal, which he is still working on with Kira Goulette, as she uses components for her thesis project. Alex presented his proposal at one research conference, and spent time there networking with other academics in the field.

After graduation, Alex began his active tour overseas in the Air Force. He plans to one day potentially go back to school to pursue becoming a professor/academic, or other form of an educator.

Gabriela Bobadilla, MS (Thesis Student)

Graduate Research Assistant

Spring 2024 - Fall 2025

Gabriela Bobadilla was the first official Master's level student who joined the JACL, when she began working on her MS thesis under Dr. Jones as her advisor. Gabriela has presented her work and was attended as an attached co-author for numerous presentations at various research conferences over the years.

Gabriela graduated with her M.S. degree in Tarleton's Applied Psychology program in December 2025. She is currently working for a law firm, and plans to continue pursuing a future in the criminal justice field.

Her thesis project was developed with her goal being to provide insight into how jury members potentially evaluate reflector variables, such as verbal versus numeric response time information, along with statements that include a featural justification (i.e., "I remember his nose) with or without distinctive features.

Trinity Liverpool, BS

Undergraduate Research Assistant

Fall 2025

Trinity Liverpool graduated from Tarleton in Dec. 2025 with her B.S. in Psychology. She is a first-generation student who loves art, writing stories, analyzing movies and listening to music in my free time. She also served as President for Tarleton's chapter of the Psi Chi Honor's Society.

Trinity joined the lab because she wanted to learn more about the research process and figure out which direction in psychology fit her in the future. She has said that her time in JACL has given her confidence, helped her connect with others, and made her realize she enjoys research.

Trinity is currently applying for Ph.D. programs with the hope of becoming a clinical psychologist who advocates for individuals with chronic pain, stress, & neurodivergence. She is also interested in research concerning eldest siblings, particularly eldest daughters.

Grace Duff, BS

Undergraduate Research Assistant

Fall 2024 - Spring 2025

Grace Duff joined the JACL lab to gain more familiarity around research and gained valuable knowledge and experience during that time. She says she also got to be a part of a collaborative project with other members of the lab, where she got to serve as a co-author and learn about many components of the research process.

Grace graduated from Tarleton Cum Laude with a B.S. in psychology and a minor in neuroscience. Currently, Grace is a student in the Clinical Mental Health Counseling Master’s program at Tarleton. She is working towards becoming a licensed profession counselor, with her interests and intended area of speciality being - grief, trauma, and mental disorders.

Jennifer Lopez-Hidalgo, BS

Undergraduate Research Assistant

Fall 2024 - Spring 2025

Jennifer Lopez-Hidalgo joined the JACL in the fall semester of her senior year. Originally, she was seeking to further her knowledge in research. However, she says that becoming a part of the lab gave her much more than that alone.

Throughout her time as a member of JACL, Jennifer was able to build lasting relationships and be a part of various studies, with her main involvement and contributions during her time in the lab being that she co-authored a collaborative project, which has successfully been accepted and presented as a poster presentation at various conferences.

Jennifer graduated from Tarleton with her B.S. and Cum Laude honors as a Psychology major and a Criminal Justice minor in May 2025. Currently, Jennifer is focused on applying to law school and hoping to become a criminal defense attorney in the future.

Jasmine Ortiz, BS

Undergraduate Research Assistant

Fall 2023 - Spring 2024

Jasmine Ortiz joined the JACL as a way to gain research experience that she can use toward gaining her Master's. She was one of the original JACL members, when she started during the first semester of the lab's existence and was able to attend the SWPA research conference in San Antonio during Spring 2024.

Jasmine graduated as a first-generation student from Tarleton in May 2024, with a B.S. in Psychology. Currently, she is working as a Case Manager, but she plans on continuing her education within the next year for a Master's degree.

Kylie Barrows, BS

Undergraduate Research Assistant

Spring 2024 - Spring 2025

Kylie Barrows joined the JACL shortly after it had been created, jumping head first into the world of research. Kylie graduated from Tarleton with her B.S. in Psychology in May 2025. During her time in the JACL, she co-authored a project with fellow team members, helped with lab leadership responsibilities, and attended multiple research conferences.

Addison Viola, BS

Graduate Research Assistant

Spring 2024 - Fall 2025

Addison Viola joined the lab in Spring 2024, as a Master's student at Tarleton. She, Gabriela, and Kira were attached as co-authors to numerous conference presentations. Addison attended multiple conferences, brought insightful thoughts to research meetings, and is currently still in the M.S. Applied Psychology program at Tarleton.

Kimi Miller, BS

Undergraduate Research Assistant

Fall 2023 - Spring 2024

Kimi Miller joined the JACL as one of the original founding members, after she took a cognitive psychology course with Dr. Jones. Kimi graduated from Tarleton with her B.S. in Psychology during May 2024, and then moved to Colorado to pursue future endeavors.

Kimi joined the JACL during her senior year at Tarleton in order to further my knowledge and understanding of research studies. She is currently a registered behavioral technician working with children on the spectrum, but will be working towards her Master's in Social Work in the upcoming year.

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