Samantha Mitsven, Ph.D. Email & Phone Number

La Mesa, Ca, Us

The Early Play and Development Laboratory• Study design, management, and quantitative data analysis for multiple research projects aimed at understanding how social interactions with peers and teachers in the preschool classroom promote language development in children with and without developmental delays and disabilities. • Collaborated with a large interdisciplinary team of researchers, school administrators, and speech language pathologists to effectively collect and manage longitudinal data of children’s social interactions, language input and production, friendships, and classroom engagement across upwards of 10 preschool classrooms per academic year. • Processed, synchronized, and analyzed high-density datasets derived from wearable radio-frequency identification (RFID) sensors and audio recorders using R and Python • Designed and implemented project database in Redcap. • Administered standardized language assessments to preschoolers with and without developmental disabilities.• Mentored two visiting undergraduate students through their completion of the National Science Foundation Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) summer research experience. One of the undergraduate students that I mentored was awarded first place for her poster presentation at the REU Summer Research Symposium (2019).• Wrote or contributed to grant proposals as well as annual progress reports to stakeholders.• Disseminated findings to academic and non-academic audiences through 26 conference presentations, 7 scientific publications, and interviews with global media outlets, including National Public Radio (NPR) and National Geographic.• Engaged in community outreach and dissemination by presenting research findings to and facilitating discussions about suggested best practices with school administrators, educators, and parents at school open houses.

Coral Gables, Florida, United States

• Created and delivered lectures on child and adolescent development twice per week to 31 undergraduates, provided foundational knowledge and taught scientific as well as research methods.• Translated topics to students using a combination of live-demonstrations, in-class activities, and a variety of multimedia sources, including educational videos and Powerpoint slides.• Developed exams and written assignments.• Met with students individually to discuss their progress, provide feedback, and answer questions.

• Conducted therapy as part of a curriculum-based social skills intervention program aimed at teaching children diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) age appropriate social skills using a combination of teaching methods, including didactics (i.e., direct instruction), visual supports, video modeling, role play/practice, and home activities.• Participated in weekly supervision, which included discussion of cases and review of videotaped sessions.

Palo Alto, California, United States

Stanford Cognitive & Systems Neuroscience Lab• Data collection and management for multiple studies examining the neural bases of mathematical processing in children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and math learning disabilities. • Involved in all aspects of study and experimental design for two types of math intervention programs (i.e., Speeded Practice Tutoring and Visuo-spatial Number Tutoring) targeted at remediating different areas of weakness in children with math learning disabilities. • Acquired functional MRI (fMRI), structural MRI (sMRI), and diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) data from a Discovery 750 (GE Medical Systems) 3T scanner. • Processed and analyzed large datasets of behavioral and brain imaging data using MATLAB and SPM. • Assisted in writing grant proposals. • Administered and scored neuropsychological assessments.• Data entry and management using Redcap and Excel. • Communicated findings to academic audiences through conference presentations and scientific publications. • Engaged in community outreach by visiting local elementary schools and giving presentations about the brain and its development.

Davis, California, United States

Infant Cognition Lab• Study design, management, and quantitative data analysis for multiple research projects examining infant attention and visual short term memory development.• Tested infants ranging in age from 4 to 12 months in a variety of looking time procedures including, visual paired comparison, preferential looking, habituation, and eye-tracking.• Conducted data analysis and organization in SPSS, MATLAB, and Excel. • Coded naturalistic observations and looking behaviors using Datavyu and Noldus.• Created stimuli using Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop. • Trained and managed undergraduate research assistants.• Managed IRB protocols and budgeting for multiple research grants. • Managed database of participant records in FileMaker Pro. • Disseminated findings to academic audiences through conference presentations and scientific publications.

San Diego, California, United States

The Infant and Child Development Lab• Completed an Undergraduate Honors Thesis aimed at elucidating the relationship between vision and action in infants in order to reconcile results obtained by tasks that differed in response modality.• Conducted frame-by-frame coding of visual and haptic behaviors using Eudico Linguistic Annotator (ELAN).• Trained new undergraduate research assistants in coding protocols.• Analyzed and organized data using SPSS and Excel.• Communicated findings to academic audiences through conference presentations and a scientific publication.

Doctor Of Philosophy - Phd, Developmental And Child Psychology

Activities and Societies: Completed a concentration in Quantitative Psychology

Master Of Science - Ms, Developmental And Child Psychology

Bachelor Of Arts - Ba, Psychology

Activities and Societies: University Honors Program, completed the Honors Minor in Interdisciplinary Studies