OUR TEAM

Jump to: Principal Investigators | Research Staff | Undergraduate Research Assistants

Principal Investigators (PIs)

Ana Stephens

Ana is a researcher at UW-Madison’s Wisconsin Center for Education Research. Her research interests include studying the development of elementary and middle school students’ algebraic reasoning and supporting teachers in developing this thinking in their students.

Percival Matthews

Percival is the associate dean in the office of Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion and an associate professor in the educational psychology department at UW-Madison. He is the lab director of the Mathematics Education Learning & Development Lab. His research is organized around two primary goals: 1) to understand some basic underpinnings of human mathematical cognition, and 2) to find ways to leverage this understanding into effective educational techniques that can be used to impact the life chances of everyday people. His research has spanned all stages development and has included work both in K-12 schools and in the laboratory.

Martha Alibali

Martha is a professor in the psychology department at UW-Madison. She is the lab director of the Cognitive Development & Communication Lab. She conducts research at the interface of developmental psychology, cognitive psychology, and mathematics education. Her primary line of research investigates mathematics learning and development, with a special focus on the role of gesture in mathematical thinking and knowledge change. She is also interested in the role of gesture in thinking and communication, particularly in educational settings.

Alexandria Viegut

Alex is an assistant professor in the psychology department at UW-Eau Claire. Her current research focus is measuring and supporting students’ understanding of fractions, especially through visual models. She earned Ph.D. (2022) and M.S. (2019) degrees in Educational Psychology at UW-Madison, and she holds a B.A. in Psychology from the University of Notre Dame. After completing her Ph.D., she worked as a postdoctoral researcher in Learning Sciences at the University of Delaware. Her work draws from both psychology and math education research.

Daniel Bolt

Dan is a professor in the Educational Psychology department and the chair of the Quantitative Methods area at UW-Madison. His research interests are in the theory and application of psychometric methods in education and psychology. He is especially interested in the application of latent variable models for purposes of test validation, assessment of individual differences, and the modeling of student growth. In addition to his own research, he collaborates on various projects, especially as related to the development and statistical analysis of educational and psychological tests.

Research Staff

Sangmi Park, Postdoctoral Researcher

Sangmi is a postdoctoral researcher at UW-Madison. She earned her B.A. in Psychology and M.A. in Child Psychology and Education from Sungkyunkwan University in South Korea, and she earned a Ph.D. in Psychology at Clark University. Her broad research interests include children’s learning in mathematics. Her most recent research explores how children understand rational numbers and how this relates to their mathematics achievement. Her research interest also includes identifying linguistic and cultural factors that impacts children’s math comprehension. Her work aims to provide insights that can help improve children’s math performance.

Jennifer Murray, Graduate Student

Jennifer is a second-year graduate student in the Cognitive Development & Communications lab, and she is advised by Martha Alibali. She completed her bachelor’s degree in Psychology at the University of Montana. After graduating, she taught high school math for five years before coming to UW-Madison. Her research interests are at the intersection of developmental psychology, cognitive psychology, and education. In particular, she is interested in conceptual understanding of mathematics, especially fractions and division.

Valerie Buroker, Project Manager

Valerie is a project manager for the Fractions & Algebra Project. She graduated from UW-Madison in 2022, where she earned a B.S. in Psychology and Neurobiology. As a previous undergraduate research assistant in the MELD Lab, she was excited for the opportunity to return to research. In her free time, Valerie enjoys traveling, reading, painting, being outdoors, and spending time with friends and family.

Undergraduate Research Assistants

Kathleen Gibson-Hutto

Katie is a fourth-year student at UW-Madison originally from Davison, Michigan. This is her second semester in the lab. She will be receiving her B.S. in Psychology and a certificate in Public Health Policy this May of 2024. She is in pursuit of a graduate program in clinical or counseling psychology. Outside of the lab, Katie enjoys exercising, reading, spending time with loved ones, and learning new things!

Madeline Hyland

Maddie is a senior from Stevens Point, Wisconsin. This is her first year in the CD&C Lab. Maddie is majoring in Psychology and will be continuing her studies in Occupational Therapy here at UW. She has worked as a respite provider for some kids with various special abilities, and she was a volunteer at Unity Point Meriter’s outpatient pediatric therapy clinic. Outside of school, Maddie enjoys traveling, snuggling her dog, Ollie, and attending Badger sporting events.

Ashlie Hewett

Ashlie is a third-year undergraduate student at UW-Madison. She is a Madison local, graduating from Madison East High School in 2021. This is her first year in the CD&C Lab. She is a PEOPLE Scholar majoring in Psychology with a TESOL certificate. She hopes to go to graduate school and pursue a career in counseling and/or teaching English abroad. Outside of academics, she teaches high school students from all four Madison high schools technology skills at a pre-college program called Information Technology Academy. She enjoys watching movies, reading, spending time with her friends and family, and traveling.

Devon Adams

Devon is a first-year undergraduate majoring in Neurobiology on a pre-physician assistant track. She is also working towards a certificate in either Global Health or Gender & Women’s Studies. This is her first year in the MELD Lab. Her hometown is Onalaska, WI, and some of her hobbies include reading, baking, and spending time with friends and family.

Catherine Axness

Catherine is a third-year undergraduate student from La Crosse, Wisconsin. She’s majoring in Psychology and this is her first year in the CD&C Lab. She hopes to go on to graduate school to study Clinical Psychology. Outside of the lab she enjoys reading, hiking, and spending time with friends.

Madilyn Kaiser

Madilyn is a junior at UW-Madison from Pulaski, Wisconsin. This is her first semester working in the MELD Lab. She is majoring in Psychology, and hopes to go to graduate school to become a Physician’s Assistant. Outside of school, work, and the lab, Madilyn enjoys traveling, movies, and spending time with friends and family.

Isabel Rojas

Isabel is a second-year student from Cincinnati, Ohio. This is her first year working in the CD&C Lab. She is majoring in Psychology and looking to receive a certificate in Global Health. After graduation, Isabel hopes to attend medical school as an aspiring a physician and work in the field of physical medicine and rehabilitation. In her free time, Isabel enjoys running, cooking, and making time for friends and family.

Maddie Pritz

Maddie is a first-year undergraduate student at UW-Madison from Grayslake, IL. She is majoring in Psychology and this is her first year working in the MELD lab. After finishing her undergraduate degree, she aspires to go to graduate school on the Cognitive Psychology track. Outside of school and the lab, she finds joy in playing the guitar, creating art, and eating good food.