Industrial-Organizational Psychology Concentration

Hannah Markell, 2020

Hannah Markell

What led you to choose to major in psychology, specifically the PhD program in IO?

I was working as a clinical psychology research assistant, and part of my job was working with my boss to set up a new federally-funded HIV research center. There were a lot of issues with coordinating between professors across disciplines. I was interested in studying how organizations worked, but I didn’t know much about IO. When I looked into it, it felt like a new and exciting field with lots of opportunities and it pretty much drew me away from clinical.

What have you enjoyed so far about studying your program in psychology?

The classes are taught by phenomenal professors and the interactions between us students is very collaborative, so it’s a combination of liking the material and the way it’s taught. All of the projects the Ph.D. students work on for classes complement our goals, and [the faculty make sure] whatever you’re doing can be submitted to a journal or as a presentation, so it’s always part of a larger goal.

What kind of research are you currently working on?

I work with Dr. Seth Kaplan, so I do a mix of methodological stuff, looking at how certain statistical analyses are reported and if they’re reported correctly. My main project right now is looking at moderation in meta analyses, and the reporting of indirect conditional effects in structural equations models. I study discrimination in the workplace, right now we have a grant looking at age discrimination in mentoring pairs and finished data collection for a project examining discrimination against ex convicts. And for me, my “baby” right now is a project that is targeted at discerning the emotional roots of discrimination against mothers in the workplace.

 

What extracurricular or other exciting activities are you involved in?

I’m the president of IOPSA, which is the IO student association. That position involves putting together social and networking events, and coordinating essentially everything for the students within the program.

What are your career goals after graduation?

I would like to be a professor, where I can do research and teach.

What advice do you have for prospective students to your program?

Find a faculty member who’s doing research you’re really interested in and figure out how you can contribute to that program of research.