Amanda McCarthy

Background

About Amanda McCarthy

PhD studying how children and adults think and learn. Narrowly, my research focuses on how we generate, judge, and learn from different types of scientific explanations. More broadly, I am interested in how both adults and children are best able to learn new things. 9+ years of research experience investigating various educational interventions, learning outcomes, and cognitive structures. I enjoy talking about research findings in a way that is accessible to people both within and beyond the field. 6+ years of teaching undergraduates, pre-schoolers, and coaching at various levels. Taught undergraduate students different areas of psychology and cognitive science, including statistics. Led Summer Statistics courses for visiting interns (2019, 2020). Taught in a special education pre-school (2018) working predominantly with students with delays in speech production and/or behavioral issues. Also worked in an office for a Home Therapies association, reading Individualized Education Plans and monthly reports and translating communications for Spanish-speaking families (2013-2018). I have had the privilege of coaching with the Yale Varsity Softball team for the last 6 years while in my program. It has been a place of great community, but also a place of inspiration of what sorts of (research-backed) teaching practices work in various environments.