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Meet The Team
Principal Investigator
Dr. Sarah D. McCrackin
Dr. McCrackin is an Assistant Professor in the Marshall University Psychology Department and the head of the SMILE lab. Originally from Ontario, Canada, she completed her Ph.D. in Cognitive Neuroscience at the University of Waterloo before finishing a Postdoctoral Fellowship at McGill University.
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Research Assistant
Alison Roberts
Alison Roberts is a graduate student in the General Psychology Program at Marshall University. She earned her B.S. in Psychology along with minoring in Criminal Justice and History in 2025 from Marshall University. She plans to pursue her education at Marshall University through their PsyD program to further her practice in clinical settings. In the SMILE lab, Alison is studying how photo editing on social media can change our perception of the pictured individuals.
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Zoe is currently a graduate student in the General Psychology program. She obtained a B.A. in Psychology with a minor in Criminal Justice from Marshall in 2025. She plans to continue her education at Marshall through the PsyD program, and eventually do clinical work in a prison or mental health hospital. In the SMILE lab, Zoe is exploring how we compare ourselves to AI generated images of others.
Zoe Green
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Research Assistant
Research Assistant
Emily Thomas
(PSY 656/657, Winter 2025)
Research Assistant
Malaysia Morgan
Allyson Elkins
Malaysia is a senior undergraduate student in the Psychology program at Marshall University. Her research interests include clinical and forensic psychology, with a particular focus on trauma, personality disorders, and criminal behavior. In the SMILE Lab, she assists with research examining the psychological impact of digital technology on perception and emotion. After completing her degree, she plans to pursue a doctorate in Clinical Psychology and apply her expertise in forensic settings, with the long-term goal of working alongside the FBI to advance the understanding of criminal behavior and mental health
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Ally currently works as a therapist at a psychiatric hospital. She graduated from West Virginia University in 2021 with a bachelor's degree in psychology and two minors in child development and creative writing. In 2023, she earned her master’s degree in psychology from the University of New Orleans. Ally plans to continue her education by pursuing a doctorate in clinical psychology, with a research focus on serious mental illness, and ultimately becoming a licensed
clinical psychologist. In the SMILE Lab, she is investigating how the context of self-relevant emotional cues affect gaze-cuing.
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Adjunct Purr-sonnel
Professional Menace
Mia (Miette)
Sweet angel who loves to cuddle and has only been shamed by the cat sitter for toe-biting once.
Pawject Manager
Eddie
As handsome as he is filled with rage and purs. National record holder for fastest time to catch a laser pointer dot.
Pawfessor Emeritus
Ellie
World-class temptation thief. Unsure what a real cat sounds like but does her best imitation.
Labs We Love
So much of the work we do wouldn't be possible without our wonderful collaborators. Check out some of the amazing work from our past and present collaborators!
