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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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Emily Thomas is a graduate student in the General Psychology Program at Marshall University. She earned her B.S. in Psychology from the University of Charleston in 2024 and is excited to continue her education at Marshall by pursuing a Psy.D. with a focus on clinical practice. In the SMILE lab, Emily plans to study how people adapt their perception of facial expressions over time, exploring the idiosyncratic interpretation of facial queues.
Emily Thomas
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Research Assistant
Malaysia Morgan
Research Assistant
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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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!
