I am the primary investigator leading the research and the Director of the Math and Numeracy Lab.
Rachel Olson
I am a graduate student in school psychology and a graduate research assistant in the Math and Numeracy Lab.
Megan Schmitt
Megan is a Graduate Research Assistant in the Early Math and Numeracy Lab, and is involved in studies of early math learning opportunities in PreK classrooms and through shared reading. Megan is a graduate student in the department of Educational Psychology, where she is pursuing a Master’s degree and Specialist Certificate in School Psychology with hopes to become a practicing school psychologist for elementary and early childhood students. Megan graduated from the University of Wisconsin – Madison in 2018 with degrees in Psychology and Human Development and Family Studies. She was previously a preschool teacher and is passionate about early childhood learning.
Jasmine Ernst
Jasmine Ernst is a doctoral student at the Institute of Child Development. Additionally, she is a Graduate Research Assistant in the Math and Numeracy Lab, and is primarily involved in the Family Math and Math+ projects for the Development and Research in Early Math Education (DREME) Network.
Sarah Pan
I am a first-year graduate student at the Institute of Child Development, and a graduate research assistant in the Math and Numeracy Lab. I graduated from the University of Chicago in 2020 with bachelor’s degrees in psychology and neuroscience. I’m especially interested in cognitive development and how children learn from others and their environment.
Lab Alumni and Former Graduate Research Assistants
Sarah Lukowski
Sarah was a postdoctoral fellow primarily interested in math and science development and principally involved in Turner syndrome and early childhood math research. She is now a Lecturer in the Institute of Child Development.
Emily Padrutt
Emily graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison with a Bachelor’s in Psychology and Spanish. She was a research assistant in the Math and Numeracy Lab and was the primary coordinator for our Turner syndrome research. Emily is now a doctoral student in the Institute of Child Development.
Jenny Yun-Chen Chan was a graduate student in the Institute of Child Development and was involved in studies of child and adult numerical cognition. She is now a postdoctoral fellow at Worcester Polytechnic Institute.
Taylor Praus-Singh
Taylor Praus-Singh was a research assistant in the Math and Numeracy Lab and graduated with a Bachelor’s in child psychology from the University of Minnesota (UMN). She was the primary project coordinator for several studies.
Allison Bock
Allison Bock was a postdoctoral fellow and was principally involved in preschool early mathematics research. She is now a program evaluation specialist at Virginia Beach City Public Schools.
Rachel Voit
Rachel Voit was a graduate research assistant in the Math and Numeracy Lab, involved with multiple projects. She graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in psychology and educational studies from Macalester College and completed her Masters of Social Work at the University of Minnesota.
Jenna Ward
Jenna Ward worked as a former doctoral student in educational psychology. She was the project coordinator for a critical analysis of children’s counting book features that has since been published (Ward, Mazzocco, Bock, & Prokes, 2016). Jenna is now a school psychologist in Colorado Springs, Colorado.
Ethan Brown
Ethan Brown was a graduate student in educational psychology. He was involved in studies of adult numerical cognition.
Gena Nelson
Gena Nelson was a graduate student in educational psychology-special education. She was involved in studies of early numeracy and executive functioning. Gena is now Assistant Professor in the Department of Early and Special Education at Boise State University.
Kate Herold
Kate Herold was a postdoctoral associate in the Math and Numeracy Lab. Kate is now a Psychology faculty member at Century College.
Tara Kulkarni
Tara Kulkarni is a doctoral student in School Psychology. She was involved in data management and analysis for the GopherMath study focusing on the influence of whole number knowledge on fractions knowledge in 3rd to 5th graders.
Stacey Brandjord
Stacey Brandjord is a doctoral student in School Psychology. She was involved in data management and collection for the GopherMath study in Fall 2016 and Spring 2017, focusing on the influence of whole number knowledge on fractions knowledge in 3rd to 5th graders.
Katherine Lewis
Katherine Lewis was a postdoctoral associate in the Math and Numeracy Lab. Katherine is now an Associate Professor at the University of Washington.
People Events and Updates
2019 MNLab Team
2019 Society for Research in Child Development Biennial Meeting in Baltimore, Maryland
Halloween 2018
Math on a Stick at 2018 Minnesota State Fair
(left to right)
Taylor Praus-Singh, Emily Padrutt, and Rachel Olson volunteering at Math on a Stick at the Minnesota State Fair in 2018.
Rachael St. Clair, an undergraduate student at Middlebury College, worked as a Summer Intern on the early math and language project, in Summer 2018.
Summer 2018 Math and Numeracy Lab Team
SRCD 2017 MNLab and friends at the 2017 Society for Research in Child Development Biennial Meeting in Austin, Texas.
The 2016 Math and Numeracy Lab Team
(left to right)
Nicole, Taylor, Allison, Jenny, Michele, Gena, Emily, and Noah
The 2016 Math and Numeracy Lab Team
(left to right)
Noah, Nicole, Jenny, Taylor, Allison, Gena, and Emily
Math on a Stick at 2016 Minnesota State Fair
Allison Bock (Left) and Taylor Praus (Right) volunteering at Math on a Stick at Minnesota State Fair in 2016.
Collecting Data at the 2015 Minnesota State Fair
(left to right)
Taylor Praus, Gena Nelson, President Kaler of the University of Minnesota, and Nicole Prokes
Wrapping up data collection at the State Fair, Labor Day, 2015
(left to right)
Jenny Yun-Chen Chan, Taylor Praus, and collaborator Hoa Nha Nguyen from Boston College
Michele Mazzocco, Allison Bock, Nicole Prokes, and Taylor Praus at a fall outing at Northrop Auditorium.
Ethan Brown presenting a poster at the Third Annual Midwest Meeting of Mathematical Thinking in 2015 (Brown et al., 2016, Journal of Numerical Cognition).
Jenny Yen-Chen Chan presenting a paper at the Third Annual Midwest Meeting of Mathematical Thinking in 2015.
Taylor Praus presenting a poster at the National Conference on Undergraduate Research in 2015.
The 2014 Math and Numeracy Lab at the Minnesota State Fair: Driven to Discover!
(left to right:)
Taylor, Ella, Ethan, Jenny, Michele, and Jenny
2015 Choices Study Team:
(left to right:)
Taylor Praus, Ethan Brown, Franky Chun Hei Li, and Noah Scanlon
The Summer 2014 Math and Numeracy Lab team:
(left to right:)
Janhawi, Ella, Ethan, Jenny, Taylor, Anastasia, and Sabine
Summer 2013 undergraduate team of research assistants:
Taylor Praus, Bryanna Sowers, and Fatima Fareed, Ella Coben (not pictured).