Alumnae Spotlight

Laura Schaeffer is a 2012 graduate of Agnes Scott with a BS in Neuroscience.  She is originally from Beloit, Ohio and currently lives in Atlanta.  She is a PhD student in Engineering Psychology at Georgia Tech.  Her research focuses on deriving and applying principles from human factors and cognitive psychology to instructional design and STEM education.  She recently came back and taught two psychology courses at Agnes Scott.  For her the best thing about attending Agnes Scott was the number of opportunities available.  She was able to be a starter and captain on the softball team with a great group of women.  The faculty were knowledgeable and always willing to talk with and help students.  The faculty, students, and alumnae were also well connected, which gave her the opportunity to find internships and a graduate school that fit her interests.  While at Agnes Scott she always enjoyed the psychology “coffee and doughnuts” event before finals.  She wrote: “spending time relaxing with students and faculty during a stressful part of the semester was a much needed refresher.”  Since graduation, she has started practicing jiu jitsu and learning the circus arts of silks and static trapeze. I am now living in Ohio and am the Integrated Library System Administrator for the Public Library of Youngstown & Mahoning County. Her photo is from a presentation she gave at a recent research conference.