Name: Dr. Ryan Jessup

Department: Management Sciences

Research Interests:

My research uses psychological models of motivation and economic choice, combined with neuroimaging, to distill the computational properties and neural correlates of decision making and learning. Broadly speaking, my research fields include cognitive psychology, cognitive science, decision neuroscience, behavioral economics, and marketing.

Keywords: decision making; choice; reinforcement learning; cognitive modeling; mathematical modeling

Why are you involved in undergraduate research?

I envision undergraduate research as a symbiotic process, benefiting both parties. I obtain a research partner who is willing and eager to learn how to do research to gain valuable experience. This enables me to engage in and complete more research than I would otherwise accomplish without their aid. The student obtains authentic research experience, beginning by participating in readings and discussions on methodological design through collecting and analyzing the data and finally participating in manuscript preparation and presentation of the research findings.

Additionally, I also advise the student on what steps to take to increase their likelihood of getting into a top graduate school, as well as how to identify what field and graduate schools they should consider. Furthermore, I also provide students with a better knowledge of the peer review process so that they can understand the necessity of forecasting reviewer criticisms when designing research.

By the end of the project, I have completed more than I would on my own and the student will have gained valuable research experience as well as knowledge concerning how best to pursue a top graduate education. ”

Conferences Attended with Undergraduate Students: Student presented – Southwestern Psychological Association’ Professor Presented [Submitted] Society for Judgment and Decision Making

Awards:

2010 Travel Grant for Batsheva Symposium on Reward and Decision Making in the Brain, Jerusalem, Israel.

2009 Student Research Achievement Award, Cognitive Science Program, Indiana University.

2008 J. R. Kantor Award for Excellence in Graduate Research, Department of Psychological & Brain Sciences, Indiana University.

2008 Cognitive Science Program Summer Fellowship Award, Indiana University.

2006 Summer Institute on Bounded Rationality in Psychology and Economics participant, Max Planck Institute for Human Development, Berlin, Germany.

2004-2006 Clinical Science Research Training Grant, supported by National Institute of Mental Health, Indiana University.

2004 Cognitive Science Program Summer Fellowship Award, Indiana University.