Risk and Decision Making Lab

Louisiana State University

Lab PI


Don Zhang, Ph.D., is an Associate Professor of Industrial and Organizational Psychology at Louisiana State University, and the director of the Risk and Decision Making Lab. Don received his PhD from Bowling Green State University. His research interests are in risk taking at work, decision making, and employee selection. His research has been published in peer-reviewed journals in psychology, decision making, and organizational behavior. His work has also been covered by The Guardian, New York Magazine, Wall Street Journal, and other outlets. He is an Associate Editor for Applied Psychology: An International Review and serves on the editorial board for Journal of Behavioral Decision Making, International Journal of Selection and Assessment, and Journal of Business and Psychology. He has received over $2.9 million in federal funding from the National Science Foundation, and is the recipient of the CAREER Award. During his free time, Don enjoys tennis, chess, traveling, cooking, gaming, his dog, and photography.

Graduate Students

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2nd year doctoral student

Katelyn Reeves is a second year in the I/O Psychology Ph.D. Program. She graduated with her undergraduate degree from California State University - Fresno. Her research interests include employee interviews, selection tests, work-life balance, and mental health at work. She loves walking in nature, gaming, watching shows, and spending time with her family and friends.

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4th year doctoral student

Tyler Cowley is a fourth year Industrial/Organizational Psychology student working. He received his undergraduate degree in Psychology from Brigham Young University. His research interests include Loss aversion/risk-taking at work, mental health in work/burnout, and employment interviews. He enjoys playing golf in his spare time, hiking, exploring the city, and watching sporting events.

Niloufar (Nilou) Dodangeh is a first-year student in the I/O Psychology Ph.D. Program. Her research interests include employee selection, job interviews, personality, well-being, leadership, harassment, and psychometrics. She enjoys spending time in nature, listening to music, dancing, weightlifting, and reading about psychoanalysis and astronomy.

Undergraduate Research Assistants

Gabrielle Mellor is a senior at LSU majoring in Psychology and English. Her research interests include organizational equity and leadership, with a focus on how power and status dynamics shape access to opportunities. In her free time, she enjoys watching movies, participating in service activities, and reading.

David Cannon David Cannon is a senior psychology major. His potential research interests include gamification in employee selection, stress and mental health, and the effects of emotion on decision making. He loves playing board games, watching baseball, and birdwatching.

Maria Gordon is a fourth year student in the undergraduate Psychology program. Her research interests include "imposter syndrome" among the generations known as "Millennials" and "Generation Z", workplace dynamics across age groups, and the effects of gamification in performance of tasks. She enjoys reading, spending time with friends and family, watching shows, and playing board and card games

Madison Nguyen

Mascot

Agnes

Alumni

Undergraduate Alum

  • Sarah Graff, B.A. (2017 – 2018) –Masters student at I/O Psychology at Middle Tennessee State University, Now HR Specialist at Ochsner Health
  • Paige Resnick, B.A. (2017 – 2018) – Masters student in I/O Psychology at University of Texas Arlington, Now HR Program Manager at Hilltop Holdings
  • Sidney Thomas, B.A. (2017 – 2019) – PhD student in I/O Psychology at Louisiana Tech University, Now at AllState
  • Gabi Danna, B.A. (2017 – 2019) – PhD student in I/O Psychology at University at Albany, SUNY, Now at Google
  • Elizabeth Joseph, B.A. (2018 – 2019) – PhD student in Experimental Psychology at Texas Christian University
  • Kevin Sullivan, B.A. (2019) – PhD student in I/O Psychology at Louisiana Tech University
  • Olivia Kjellsten, B.A. (2019-2020) – Masters student in I/O Psychology at Vrije University, now Deloitte
  • Gaurangi Das, B.A. (2018-2021) – PhD student in I/O Psychology at Bowling Green State University
  • Brynne Babin, B.A. (2020-2021) – Masters student in Social Work at Louisiana State University

Graduate Alum

  • John-Luke McCord, Ph.D. (2016 – 2022) – Associate Consultant at Xecutive Metrix
  • Gino Howard, Ph.D. (2020 - 2023) - Assistant Professor, UC San Bernardino