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Welcome to the Motivation and Instruction Lab!

Meet the Team!

Xiaodong Lin-Siegler

Associate Professor and Primary Investigator

 

xlin@tc.columbia.edu

 

  • Associate professor, Teachers College, Columbia University (Link)

  • Dr. Lin's work focuses on exposing students to the struggles and persistent strategies of great scientists. She has found that students who are exposed to such narratives are more likely to increase their motivation and effort in school.

  • Dr. Lin collaborates with Dr. Carol S. Dweck through conducting motivation interventions with minority students in Harlem schools in New York City. Similar work is also carried out in China and other countries.

  • Dr. Lin has received a number of awards during her academic career, including Carnegie Scholar; AERA Early Career Award and AERA outstanding research award. Last year, she was appointed by the Trustee of Beijing Normal University as the Director of the Advisory Board for China National Minority Education. She also serves as a senior government adviser to the Dept. of Minority Education of the Chinese Ministry of Education.

 

 

 

Janet Naju Ahn

Postdoctoral Scholar

 

janet.ahn@tc.columbia.edu

 

  • Ph.D. in Social Psychology, New York University;

  • B.A. in psychology, religion, and political science, Barnard College, Columbia University;

  • Research Interests:

      - motivation and goal pursuit
      - projection of goals and intentions
      - marginalization of women, minorities, and the poor

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Danfei Hu

Ph.D. Student and Research Assistant

 

dh2644@tc.columbia.edu

 

  • Ph.D. student in Cognitive Studies in Education, Teachers College, Columbia University;

  • M.A. Cognitive Studies in Education, Teachers College, Columbia University;

  • B.A. in Political Science, minor in Journalism, Wuhan University (China)

  • Research Interests:

    - Math Anxiety

      - Achivememnt and Motivation in STEM education

      - Instructional Design

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Marianna Lamnina

Ph.D. Student and Research Assistant

 

marianna.Lamnina@tc.columbia.edu

 

  • Ph. D Student in Cognitive Studies in Education, Teachers College, Columbia University

  • B.A. in Psychology, Macaulay Honors College, City University of New York

  • Marianna's research interests include how instructional technology facilitates transfer and mastery in the STEM fields, as well as what motivates students to pursue college majors and career goals in STEM.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Melissa Vega

Lab Manager and Research Assistant

 

mv2619@tc.columbia.edu

 

  • B.A. in Psychology and Gender Studies, Northwestern University;

  • Research Interests:

      - Gender perceptions in STEM learning

      - Socio-cultural perspectives on gender

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Zhongqi Shi

Ph.D. Student and Research Assistant

 

zs2132@columbia.edu

 

  • Lecturer in Chinese, Department of East Asian Languages and Cultures, Columbia University;

  • Ph.D. student in Cognitive Studies in Education, Teachers College, Columbia University;

  • M.A. in Applied Linguistics, Beijing Language and Culture University;

  • B.A. in Teaching Chinese as a Foreign Language, Beijing Language and Culture University;

  • Research Interests:

      - Goal and Motivation

      - Instructional Technology in Education

      - Second language acquisition 

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