Principal Investigator
Jill Shelton, Ph.D.
Dr. Jill Shelton is a UC Foundation Professor of Psychology at the University of Tennessee at
Chattanooga (UTC) and was selected to join the UTC Council of Scholars in 2025. She is the
Director of their Psychological Science MS program, and the Director of the Cognitive Aging,
Learning, and Memory (CALM) lab. She earned her BS and MS degree in Psychology from U
TC and earned a Ph.D. in Experimental Psychology from Louisiana State University. Dr.
Shelton worked on the NIH Aging Training Grant during her post-doctoral fellowship at
Washington University in St. Louis, and her research focused on examining changes in memory
and attention in cognitively healthy older adults and individuals diagnosed with Alzheimer’s
disease. As a Cognitive Scientist, Dr. Shelton uses behavioral and eye-tracking methods to
investigate how individual differences in cognitive and motivational processes influence people’s
ability to complete their goals. She is particularly interested in maximizing success in college
students through experiential learning opportunities and encouraging effective behavioral
strategies. For example, Dr. Shelton’s research team has examined how the use of cognitive
offloading strategies, such as smart phone or other artificial intelligence technology, , can be
leveraged to improve performance outcomes. Additionally, Dr. Shelton has been a member of
the low vision/blind community since childhood, and she engages in scholarship and community
outreach that focuses on empowering disabled individuals. Her research has been funded by
various agencies and foundations, including the National Institutes of Health, the Center for
Medicare and Medicaid, and the Mental Research Institute. The CALM lab team consistently
presents their research at professional academic conferences, including the Psychonomic Society, Southeastern Psychological Association, and the Southern Society of Philosophy and
Psychology. Dr. Shelton served as President of the Southern Society of Philosophy and
Psychology in 2022 and is currently a member of the Psychonomic Society Governing Board.
Education & Degrees
Post-doctoral Fellow, Aging Training Grant, Washington University in St. Louis 2008-2011
Ph.D., Experimental Psychology (specialization in Cognitive/Developmental), Louisiana State University, 2008
M.S., Research Psychology, University of Tennessee, Chattanooga, 2003
B S., Psychology, University of Tennessee, Chattanooga, 2001
Teaching Interests
Cognitive Psychology
Psychology of aging
Experimental Psychology
Research Interests
Prospective memory
Individual differences in working memory and intelligence
Cognitive aging (both healthy aging and dementia)
Applying cognitive principles to the education setting
The distracting effects of cell phones
Consumer decision-making processes
Current Graduate Researchers
Luke Hicks
Brady Permenter
Brady is a first-year graduate student pursuing a Master’s in Psychological Sciences. His current research interests examine trust and mistrust that individuals have in Artificial Intelligence using electroencephalography (EEG). He collaborates in data collection, cleaning, and coding with other member of the lab.
Current Junior Undergraduate Researchers
Alexandra Dihonov
Alexandra Dihonov is an undergraduate research assistant in the CALM Lab at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. She is currently pursuing a B.S. in Psychology with a minor in Brocks Honors and Pre-Health, following the Occupational Therapy track. Her interests focus on advocacy and support for individuals with disabilities, particularly those who are neurodivergent. In the CALM Lab, Alex assists with data collection, coding, and collaborates with graduate students on ongoing research projects.
Edie Rust
Edie is a sophomore Brock Scholar majoring in Psychology with a concentration in Liberal Arts. She is an undergraduate research assistant in the CALM Lab, assisting with various research projects. Her research interests include Alzheimer’s disease, human cognition and behavior, and abnormal psychology. She is interested in pursuing graduate study in psychology and gaining hands-on research experience.
CALM Lab Alumni
Thomas Vorwerk
Thomas is recent graduate alumna of the Research Psychology program, after earning a BS in Psychology at UTC. Through his experiences in college, he acquired an interest in Geriatrics, and is pursuing further education in the study of aging. He works at an assisted/independent living facility, where he coordinates activities with the residents. He was a research assistant in the CALM lab for approximately 6 years, and the research projects he has worked on involved the influence of visual and auditory context on prospective memory using eye-tracking techniques. He conducted a thesis project with the goal of improving the memory self-confidence of elders in an continuing care retirement community through the use of an educational intervention which informed and taught elders memory strategies to improve everyday functioning.
Jessica Hacker
Eddie Christopher
