Students gain valuable research experience in Cognition Lab
Lab helps students build skills wanted in the job market
By Laura Pohl, Contributing Writer
Recent grad Rebecca “Becca” Fassbender ('26) can envision a future as a clinical psychologist with an advanced degree. And she knows achieving her career goal is possible thanks to her academic experience with hands-on research at Governors State University (GovState).
Becca (pictured left) presented research at GovState's Research Days Conference last spring. She shared her research on "The Impact of Low-Income Status on Co-Curricular Engagement in First-Generation Students" alongside her mentor, Dr. Sasha Cervantes, Associate Professor in the Division of Psychology and Counseling.
“I chose this topic because it mirrors my own journey as a first-generation student,” said Becca. “I wanted to contribute my perspective to Dr. Cervantes’ project to help highlight the unique barriers faced by low-income, first-generation students. And it was Dr. Cervantes’ belief in me that gave me confidence to pursue this.”
Dr. Cervantes oversees GovState’s Cognition Lab, which examines human cognition, perception, memory, creativity and learning. Students further develop their abilities to seek, identify, understand, and communicate information.
“Engaging in research is an excellent way for students to explore interests in depth, or more generally, if research is something they want to pursue for a career,” said Dr. Cervantes, who mentors three student-researchers. “There are also concrete outcomes, such as letters of recommendation or references from a faculty supervisor, that explain a student’s work ethic, diligence, initiative, and follow-through. Those qualities are transferrable regardless of future career goals.”
Another student in the Cognition Lab, Laretta Graves, helped conduct research on cued memory, events that are triggered by environmental cues. Laretta co-authored a poster on the topic which was presented at the Association for Psychological Science conference in Barcelona in May.
Dr. Cervantes' Cognition Lab is one of many research labs on GovState's campus. Each lab encourages students to pursue their interests and to be active collaborators throughout the entire research process from the very beginning when forming research questions to designing the studies, collecting data, and sharing the results in presentations and publications.
Not only do the labs offer students an opportunity to conduct research in an area of their choosing, the labs also provide students with real-world skills that they can apply to their career field.
“Collaborating in a research team to analyze and interpret data, to trouble-shoot issues that arise mid-experiment, and to present findings, directly builds the skills employers value, and can provide a competitive edge for those looking to pursue graduate education,” said Dr. Cervantes. "If you look at the desired traits listed in job ads, you will frequently find problem-solving, analytical skills, teamwork, and communication skills listed."
Dr. Cervantes added that while her Cognition Lab addresses topics in psychology, students do not have to be in the Psychology degree program to join the lab.
Students interested in joining Dr. Cervantes' research lab can reach out to her at scervantes2@govst.edu.