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318 Weiss Hall Nora S. Newcombe, Ph.D, is a Professor of Psychology at Temple University. Her research centers on cognition, development, spatial thinking, memory, and STEM education. Honors include the William James Fellow Award from APS and the George Miller Award and the G. Stanley Hall Awards from APA, the Award for Distinguished Service to Psychological Science, also from APA, and the Women in Cognitive Science Mentor Award. She is a fellow of four divisions of the American Psychological Association (General, Experimental, Developmental, and Psychology of Women), of the American Psychological Society, of the Cognitive Science Society, and of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, and has been a Visiting Professor at the University of Pennsylvania, Princeton, and the Wissenschaftskolleg in Berlin.<\/p>\n Website: https:\/\/sites.temple.edu\/newcombe\/<\/a><\/p>\n Thomas F. Shipley<\/strong><\/p>\n 317 Weiss Hall Thomas F. Shipley\u2019s research focuses on spatial cognition and learning. He applies formal methods from previous research to understand the perceptual and cognitive processes subserving navigation and visualization. His recent work aims to support undergraduate geology education with a longer term goal of understanding the cognitive processes that are critical for spatial reasoning and thus support STEM education in general for both K-12 and undergraduate students.<\/p>\n Website: https:\/\/sites.temple.edu\/shipley\/<\/a><\/p>\n 337 Weiss Hall Ingrid Olson’s cognitive neuroscience laboratory studies memory, decision-making, social cognition, and the intersection of these processes. She is currently collaborating with Dr. Newcombe on several projects related to Memory Development, including the Temple Tour and Marvelous Moments studies.<\/p>\n Website: https:\/\/sites.temple.edu\/cnltu\/<\/a><\/p>\n Naoya Tani<\/a> Naoya is a graduate student in the Developmental Psychology area and is mentored by Drs. Nora Newcombe and Ingrid Olson. He received his B.S. in Human Development and B.A. in Psychology, with a minor in Education, from University of California, Davis, in 2017. He is interested in episodic memory development with using both the behavioral and neuroimaging approach, such as fMRI.<\/p>\n Stephanie is a Cognition and Neuroscience graduate student mentored by Dr. Nora Newcombe and Dr. Ingrid Olson. She received her B.S. in Psychological Science from the University of Arizona in 2020. She is interested in investigating spatial navigation, cognition, episodic memory across development. She is interested in doing this by observing behavior in virtual environments, and linking this with cognition and memory by using fMRI techniques.<\/span><\/p>\n Samantha S. Cohen, PhD, is a postdoctoral scholar working with Dr. Nora Newcombe and Dr. Ingrid Olson. She completed her PhD. in psychology at the Graduate Center at the City University of New York with Dr. Lucas Parra. During her PhD, she examined how engagement with videos is tied to memory, attention, and educational outcomes. Following her PhD, she completed a postdoctoral fellowship at Columbia University under the mentorship of Dr. Christopher Baldassano. During this postdoc she studied how brain responses to movies change during child development. At Temple, she is focusing on the development of episodic memory in early childhood.<\/p>\n There are no current visiting scholars.<\/p>\n Olivia Biggs<\/strong> olivia.biggs@temple.edu<\/a><\/p>\n Olivia graduated with a B.A. in Psychology and minors in Neuroscience and Business from Gettysburg College in 2024. Her undergraduate research included working under Dr. Kevin Wilson in the Cognitive Neuroscience Lab, focusing on how tDCS stimulation \u00a0affects behavioral and emotional responses. She is interested in how neurodegenerative diseases and aging modulate behavior and memory consolidation.<\/p>\n lily.steele@temple.edu<\/a><\/p>\n Lily graduated with a B.A. in Applied Psychology and Human Development and a minor in Management for Social Impact from Boston College’s Lynch School of Education. Her undergrad research included working under Drs. Marina Vasilyeva and Elida Laski in the Math Learning Lab, as well as other work in STEM learning and predictors of achievement. She is interested in studying knowledge acquisition and factors that influence educational outcomes.<\/p>\n courtney.sheckler@temple.edu<\/a><\/p>\n Courtney graduated with a B.A. in Psychology from Muhlenberg College in 2024. Her undergraduate research consisted of working with Dr. Kenneth Michniewicz to study social perceptions of underdog musicians as well as an honors senior thesis with Dr. Alexandra Frazer focusing on memory reconsolidation\u2019s effect on eyewitness identifications in lineups. She is interested in understanding different aspects of cognition in applied settings.<\/p>\n jordan.denaver@temple.edu<\/a><\/p>\n Jordan graduated with a B.S. in Psychology and a minor in Neuroscience from Haverford College. Her undergraduate research included working under Dr. Ryan Lei in the Intersectionality of the Social Mind Lab, focusing on how children think and learn about the social world. She is interested in studying developmental disorders and adjustment outcomes.<\/p>\n abigail.losey@temple.edu<\/a><\/p>\n Abby graduated with a B.A. in Psychology and a certificate in Spanish from Temple University. She is currently continuing her work with Dr. Newcombe, as she worked in the lab during her undergraduate as well. She is interested in investigating how children develop moral reasoning, judgment, and decision-making, and how these processes are shaped by environmental contexts across development.<\/p>\n Spring 2026<\/strong><\/p>\n Diversity Statement:<\/em><\/p>\n The Research in Spatial Cognition lab is dedicated to creating a lab culture and research operations that welcome and celebrate diversity of all kinds. We are committed to fostering an inclusive and integrated environment for all students and participants, aiming to support those from marginalized and underrepresented backgrounds and identities, including race, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, gender identification, ability, socioeconomic status, immigration status, and more. We encourage applicants of all identities to apply for volunteer and graduate student positions, as we strive to uphold a welcoming and supportive community for all students.<\/p>\n To learn more about diversity at Temple, visit our institutional diversity website:\u00a0https:\/\/diversity.temple.edu\/<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Faculty\u00a0 Nora S. Newcombe 318 Weiss HallTelephone: 215-204-6944newcombe@temple.edu Nora S. Newcombe, Ph.D, is a Professor of Psychology at Temple University. Her research centers on cognition, development, spatial thinking, memory, and STEM education. Honors include the William James Fellow Award from APS and the George Miller Award and the G. Stanley Hall Awards from APA, the … <\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/sites.temple.edu\/risc\/files\/2020\/07\/Newcombe-2016-scaled.jpg\")
<\/a>Nora S. Newcombe<\/strong><\/p>\n
Telephone: 215-204-6944
<\/a>newcombe@temple.edu<\/a><\/p>\n
\n<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n
Telephone: 215-204-7890
<\/a>tshipley@temple.edu<\/a><\/p>\n
\n<\/a>Ingrid Olson\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n
Telephone: 215-204-1708
ingrid.olson@temple.edu<\/a><\/p>\n
\nGraduate Students<\/strong><\/h3>\n
\n<\/a><\/p>\n
naoya.tani@temple.edu<\/a><\/p>\n
\n<\/a><\/span>Stephanie Doner<\/div>\n
\nPost-Docs<\/strong><\/h3>\n
\n<\/a>Samantha Cohen
<\/strong>samantha.cohen0008@temple.edu<\/a>
Website<\/a><\/p>\n
\nVisiting Scholars<\/strong><\/h3>\n
\n
\nStaff<\/strong><\/h3>\n
\n<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n
Research Assistant<\/em><\/p>\n
\n<\/a>Lily Steele\u00a0<\/strong>
Research Assistant<\/em><\/p>\n
\n<\/a>Courtney Sheckler<\/strong>
Research Assistant<\/em><\/p>\n
\n<\/a>Jordan Denaver<\/strong>
Research Assistant<\/em><\/p>\n
\n <\/a>Abby Losey<\/b>
Research Assistant<\/em><\/p>\nUndergraduate Interns<\/strong><\/h3>\n
\n\n
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![<\/a>](\"https:\/\/sites.temple.edu\/risc\/files\/2013\/11\/051508_Nora_Newcome_003-200x300-e1385489394495.jpg\"){kind=link}
![<\/a>](\"https:\/\/sites.temple.edu\/risc\/files\/2013\/11\/041408_Thomas_Shipley_018-200x300-e1385489503548.jpg\"){kind=link}