Director
Chris Wahlheim
Dr. Wahlheim is a first generation college graduate who earned an A. A. degree at Black Hawk College, and B.S. and M.S. degrees at Illinois State University. He completed his Ph.D. training and two Postdoctoral Fellowships at Washington University in St. Louis.
He is an Associate Professor of Psychology and the director of the Memory and Cognition Lab at UNC Greensboro. His primary research interests are in memory, misinformation, beliefs, cognitive aging, and metacognition. He is pursuing projects in all of these areas and would be delighted to talk with bright motivated students about research opportunities in his lab.
His email address is: cnwahlhe@uncg.edu.
Graduate Students
Samuel Cox
Samuel is a first-year PhD student who is excited to begin working in the Memory and Cognition Lab at UNC Greensboro. He received his B.A. in Cognitive and Behavioral Science with a minor in Philosophy from Washington and Lee University in Lexington, Virginia. His interests include the link between sustained attention and subsequent memory performance, memory deficits associated with various mental disorders, as well as the relationships between self-reported, behavioral, and physiological measures of cognition. If Samuel finds himself needing a brief break from science, he's likely fishing, playing his guitar, or rock climbing.
Aaron Goldman
Aaron is a Master's student in the Memory and Cognition Lab. He completed a B.S. in Psychology with a minor in Political Science from UNCG. His primary research interests are memory and belief updating as they relate to the processing of misinformation and corrections, and how factors such as partisanship and source credibility can further influence these processes. In his free time, he enjoys playing cello and ukulele, watching movies, and playing video games with his friends.
Bayley Wellons
Bayley is a first-year PhD student in the Memory and Cognition Lab. She completed her B.A. in psychology and minor in computer science at UNCG and is excited to continue her studies. She is interested in individual differences in memory and attention and using eye tracking to study these processes. In her free time, Bayley enjoys playing video games and watching her favorite shows.
Megan Wetterau
Megan is a Master's student working in the Memory and Cognition Lab. She has received a B.S. in psychology from the Ohio State University with a minor in history and is thrilled to join UNCG. Megan is excited to explore attention and mind-wandering in regards to forming memories. Out of the lab she enjoys trying out local hiking trails and exploring Greensboro.
Post-Baccalaureate Research Assistant
Aniya Taylor
Aniya is a recent graduate from North Carolina A&T State University. She has a B.A in psychology and a minor in biology and is excited to join the Memory and Cognition Lab at UNCG. She is interested in pursuing her Master's in clinical psychology and learning about how anxiety impacts the brain and how memory is related to different changes in the brain throughout age. In her free time, Aniya likes to crochet, spending time with her dog, Midnight, spending time with friends, or watching television.
Undergraduate Research Assistants
Safa Choudry
Safa is a junior pursuing a B.S. in psychology. She is interested in clinical and cognitive psychology and plans to conduct research in both fields in the future. In her free time, she enjoys painting, practicing Arabic calligraphy, reading fantasy books, and writing short stories.
Melissa Hooper
Melissa is a junior premed student pursuing a B.S. in Psychology and a B.S. Biology. She is interested in cognitive and clinical psychology and is working toward a career in psychiatry. Outside of school, her interests are snowboarding, back packing, drawing and fencing.
Ashley Leonard
Ashley is a junior transfer student pursuing a B.S. in psychology and a minor in nutrition. She is interested in the applications of cognitive and social psychology to public and community health. In her free time, you can find Ashley hiking, dancing, or baking.
Isaiah Melvin
Isaiah is a senior pursuing a B.S. in Social Work with a focus on Addiction Studies. He is an Air Force Veteran that has taken an interest in clinical psychology, personality disorders, PTSD, and learning more about the addictive brain. In his free time he enjoys marathon training, lifting weights, growing his spiritual relationship with his God, spending time with family, and hiking with his dog Jack.
Jonathan Ortiz-Paredes
Jonathan is a junior pre-med student pursuing a B.S. in Psychology. He is interested in cognitive psychology, how our brain works, how we perceive things, and how we think, and he wants to pursue a career in psychiatry. In his free time, he enjoys doing photography, listening to music, and watching movies, and television.
Najéa Parker
Najéa is a junior transfer student from Howard University currently pursuing a B.S. in Psychology at UNC Greensboro. She is interested in studying how brain disorders and traumatic events impact our inner workings. In her free time, she enjoys writing poetry, bible study, listening to jazz, and working out.
Cleveland Thomas
Cleveland is a senior set to graduate with a B.A. in Psychology and a minor in Sociology in May 2025. He is enthusiastic about participating in this lab to deepen his understanding of memory, cognition, and the reasons behind human thought processes. Cleveland plans to leverage his education and experience to pursue a career in therapy and clinical psychology, with the ultimate goal of becoming a therapist.
Graduate Student Alumni
Paige Kemp
Paige earned her PhD in 2024. She is currently a Data Analyst at the Baltic Exchange, a key player in the international freight shipping industry, based in London. In this role, she develops indices and benchmarks that are essential for global maritime trading and decision-making.
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Sydney Garlitch
Sydney earned her PhD in 2022. She is currently an Affiliate Professor in the Psychology Department at Grand Valley State University.
Jong Won Lee
Jong Won earned his Master's degree in 2021. He is currently a PhD student in the Biostatistics department at Medical College of Wisconsin.
Sydney Smith
Sydney earned her Master's degree in 2021. She is currently a brand strategist and social listening expert at CR legal team.
