Design

Neurocognition of designers and users

Current

1. Shealy, T. (PI), Gero, J. (UNC Charlotte) Collaborative Research: Novel neurocognitive assessment of engineering education interventions applied to systems thinking, National Science Foundation, Research in the Formation of Engineers, 2020-2023.

Completed

1. Shealy, T. (PI), Katz, B. RNS 18-11: Driver Response to Dynamic Message Sign Safety Campaign Messages, Virginia Transportation Research Council, 2018-2019.

2. Shealy, T. (PI), Barrella, E. (James Madison University), Systems versus Linear Thinking: Measuring Cognitive Network Coordination for Tasks about Sustainability, 4-VA, 2017-2018

3. Shealy, T. (PI), Grohs, J. (Dept. of Engineering Education), Panneton, R. (Dept. of Psychology), Measuring the Engineers’ Brain: Using Cognitive Neuroscience to Better Understand the Formation of Engineering Design and Problem-Solving Skills, Virginia Tech, Institute for Creativity, Arts and Technology, 2016-2017

4. Shealy, T. (PI), Advancing Construction Hazard Recognition through Neuroscience: Measuring Cognitive Response to Hazards Using Functional Near-Infrared Spectroscopy and Eye Tracking, Student Engineering Council, 2017

Decision Making 

Cognitive biases - loss aversion, temporal discounting, and sunk cost

Current ​

1. Klotz, L. (University of Virginia, Dept. of Civil and Environmental Engineering and Architecture), Johnson, E. (Columbia University, School of Business), Weber, E. (Princeton University, Dept. of Psychology) and Shealy, T. (Co-PI). INSPIRE - Intentional defaults for more sustainable infrastructure: Studying interventions to alleviate biases in upstream, multi-stakeholder decisions, National Science Foundation, 2015-2020.

   • Shealy, T. (PI), Non-Academic Research Internships for Graduate Students (INTERN), supplemental funding for INSPIRE - Intentional defaults for more sustainable infrastructure: Studying interventions to alleviate biases in upstream, multi-stakeholder decisions, National Science Foundation, 2019.

   • Shealy, T. (PI) INSPIRE - Intentional defaults for more sustainable infrastructure: Studying interventions to alleviate biases in upstream, multi-stakeholder decisions, National Science Foundation, Research Experience in Undergraduate Research (REU), 2018-2019.

2. ​Shealy, T. (PI), Skuzinski, T. (Virginia Tech, School of Planning and International Affairs), Collaborative Redevelopment, 4-VA, 2018-2020.

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Completed

1. Shealy, T. (PI), Skuzinski, T. Using vividness to improve and rethink long-term resilience of the built environment, Institute for Society, Culture and the Environment, Virginia Tech, 2018-2020.

2. Skuzinski, T., Shealy, T. (Co-PI), Panneton, R. Research Experience for Undergraduates in Decision Sciences for Resilient Communities, Institute for Critical Technology and Applied Science, 2018.

Engineering Education

Systems Thinking and Climate Change

Current​

1. Shealy, T. (PI), Gero, J. (UNC Charlotte) Collaborative Research: Novel neurocognitive assessment of engineering education interventions applied to systems thinking, National Science Foundation, Research in the Formation of Engineers, 2020-2023.

2. Shealy, T. (PI), Godwin, A. (Purdue University, Dept. of Engineering Education), Preparing engineers to address climate change and its implications: modeling impact of college experiences on students’ beliefs and agency, National Science Foundation, Research in the Formation of Engineers,  2016 – 2020.