The CDR's staff is pivotal to advancing groundbreaking behavioral science research. Meet our directors and staff members below.
Faculty Director View Profile
Nicholas Epley conducts research on the experimental study of social cognition, perspective taking, and intuitive human judgment. His research has appeared in more than two dozen journals and popular publications like the Wall Street Journal, CNN, and Wired. He is the author of Mindwise: How We Understand What Others Think, Believe, Feel, and Want.
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Executive Director Email (773) 702-7307
Amy Boonstra is executive director of the CDR and oversees programming and initiatives. With her team, she leads the center’s infrastructure, program development, fundraising, and partnerships. Amy has a PhD in sociology from the University of Michigan and an AB from the University of Chicago.
Director, CDR Labs Services Email (773) 702-2621
Rebecca (Becky) oversees the operations of the CDR research labs and partnership data collection sites. Becky has a PhD in quantitative psychology from the Ohio State University, with focus in the study of judgment and decision making, and she is also an Adjunct Professor of Behavioral Science at Booth.
Communications Director Email (773) 834-5284
Mark is responsible for the center’s overall strategic communications, sharing the work of CDR’s faculty and researchers with a broad and diverse audience. He helps tell the story of behavioral science, including its profound ability to provide wisdom and improve lives.
Research Application Developer Email
As the CDR Programmer, Kaushal assists faculty by developing, programming, and troubleshooting computer-based study materials. He focuses on web-based programming and provides support for studies on Qualtrics using Javascript, PHP, and other relevant languages. Kaushal received his BA in Psychology and MS in Computer Science from the University of Chicago.
Assistant Director, Campus Lab Services Email
Bryan manages the Hyde Park Lab, working with Booth faculty, PhDs, and post-docs to support their research endeavors. He has previously worked for the CDR as a research assistant and as the Pop-Up Labs Manager, where he coordinated external research and spearheaded our Call for Studies program.
Assistant Lab Manager, Hyde Park Email
Kylie serves as Assistant Lab Manager in the Hyde Park Lab and manages the lab of George Wu. Kylie completed her undergraduate studies at the University of Colorado Boulder, graduating with a BA in Sociology and a BS in Marketing.
Mindworks Chief Scientist Email
James is responsible for translating behavioral science research into interactive, engaging, and accessible experiences for the community at Mindworks. As a principal researcher, he also conducts research on moral courage and the psychological barriers that keep people from acting on their convictions.
Labs Outreach Manager Email
Margaret is a post-doctoral principal researcher and Labs Outreach Manager at the CDR. Her research is in the areas of consumer behavior and prosociality. She is especially interested in promoting happiness and (financial) well-being across the lifespan, among children and adults alike.
Associate Director, CDR Labs & Programs Email
Jasmine Kwong helps oversee the CDR’s research operations on campus, online, and in partnership with other organizations, and she leads the CDR’s engagement strategy and programming for students, alumni, and the general public. Jasmine has an MBA and AB from the University of Chicago.
Solomon Lister serves as the Assistant Lab Manager in the Hyde Park Lab and manages the labs of Drs. Emma Levine and Jane Risen. Prior to joining the CDR, Solomon completed his undergraduate studies at UChicago, graduating with a BA in Psychology.
Assistant Director, Epley Lab & CDR Programs Email
Don oversees and facilitates the research done by CDR Faculty Director Nicholas Epley and his associated lab group. He also manages the execution of CDR activities, including behavioral science workshops & brownbags, conference travel, accounting, and related logistics.
Assistant Director, Mindworks Email
Ayarri manages daily lab operations by overseeing procedures, project designs, and managing recruitment methods needed for study participation. She reviews and helps optimize and troubleshoot research studies. Ayarri earned a bachelor's in Psychology and a master's in Public Affairs from Xavier University.
Lab Manager, Mindworks Email
Valerie facilitates faculty and student research and helps to disseminate behavioral science insights to visitors at Mindworks. She also implements social and research programming for CDR labs research assistants.
Zen serves as a research project manager for studies conducted by faculty, graduate students, and postdocs at the CDR. She is also responsible for managing inventory and accounting records at Mindworks. Her research interests are quantitative methodologies for social sciences and game theory.
Assistant Director, Operations Email
Tricia Nicholson helps organize and oversee workshops, talks, and other events happening at the CDR. She is also responsible for contracts accounting and other day-to-day managerial tasks. Tricia received a BS in Neuroscience from the University of Chicago.
Assistant Director, Communications Email
Chris implements the CDR's communications strategy to attract new research participants and amplify the innovative work of our faculty, labs, and researchers. He manages the center’s social media, email marketing, event promotions and other communications efforts.
Lab Research Assistant, Mindworks Email
Andrea supports operations and research projects conducted at Mindworks. She also assists in communication and recruitment efforts for the CDR's labs. Andrea joined the CDR as a research assistant through the HBCU & HSI Bridge Scholarship Program at the Graham School after graduating from the University of Puerto Rico with a BA in Psychology.
Assistant Director, Virtual and Pop-Up Labs Email
Erin is the lead project manager for studies conducted in the Virtual and Pop-Up Labs. Working with faculty, PhD students, and principal researchers, she executes research online, in labs, and with partner organizations across Chicago. Erin was previously a research assistant for the CDR and has an MA from the University of Chicago.
Lab Manager, Mindworks Operations & Outreach Email
Katerina helps manage the day-to-day operations at Mindworks as well as the research projects that come through the lab. She also manages outreach and communications efforts for the CDR labs. Katerina previously worked for the CDR as a research assistant while completing her MA at the University of Chicago.
Web-Based Research Programmer Email
As the CDR's Web-Based Research Programmer, Adam assists Mindworks by developing, programming, and troubleshooting computer-based study materials. He focuses on modern web application frameworks and provides support for studies on Qualtrics using JavaScript. Adam received his BA in Psychology from the University of Notre Dame and is a certified professional programmer.