Director of Undergraduate Research and Mentoring
Discipline-Based Educational Researcher (DBER)
Little Rock, AR
Past Members of the Moore Research Team
Baylor University
Sarah Holevinski
A native Texan, Sarah was a Vocal Performance Major (BM) and Pre-Medical student at Baylor University. She was actively involved in the Baylor Biology Learning Assistant Program where she was a Biochemistry Learning Assistant under Dr. Erika Abel. Currently, she worked in collaboration with Dr. Moore and the Baylor School of Music to implement the Learning Assistant program into freshman Music Theory classes. She was conducting student mindset research with Dr. Moore. In this research, they are investigating the effects of a short informational intervention on growth mindset in students. Sarah was also a Medical Mentor for the Baylor Pre-Health Department, where she mentored Pre-Health students to foster professional development. Sarah made it her goal to combine her two passions, science, and music, wherever applicable. This drive has given rise to multiple music volunteer programs at a local cancer center as well as a local memory care facility.
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Sarah is currently a medical student at McGovern Medical School
Ali Purtell
Rachel Ray
Taylor Nack
I was a biology major on the pre-med track at Baylor University. I was also in the Honors Program here at Baylor, beginning research to write my Honors Thesis. I first became interested in educational research while taking part in the Baylor Biology Learning Assistant Program as a Genetics Learning Assistant. I was interested in researching student metacognition and how developing metacognitive skills early on in a student’s academic career can positively impact student learning experiences, improve academic performance, and help prepare them for a challenging career in the sciences. I feel that this research could be very beneficial for students, especially for those students to which this type of thinking does not come naturally. I was very excited to be working with Dr. Moore and the fellow undergraduates of this lab and to see how this research project grows in the future!
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Taylor is currently a medical student at Baylor College of Medicine.
I was a pre-psychology major. I chose my major because I enjoy the human aspect of the psychology realm and it gives me a platform to delve into a world unknown. I approached Dr. Moore about research because I have an interest in how students learn and believe that research regarding mindset is a great way to explore the human intellect on a personal level. After helping Sarah out with her project, I took on my own project on challenging interactions learning assistants (LAs) face. I collaborated with Drs. Moore and Talbot (University of Colorado - Denver) on the project and we published our work in the Journal of College Science Teaching in 2020.
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Ali will be a medical student at NYIT College of Osteopathic Medicine-Arkansas this fall (2023).
I was a biology major on the pre-medical track at Baylor University. I also lead a weekly Bible study and play in the Sanctuary Orchestra at Columbus Avenue Baptist Church. Biology has always been a subject that interests me and I know that incorporating psychological research will only increase my appreciation and comprehension in my studies! I was fortunate enough to know Ali Purtell and Dr. Moore before joining them in research, and since doing so I have learned so much about students' growth and fixed mindsets. I look forward to exploring student motivation and mindset, as the findings of this research could positively impact students in learning and information retention. I am so thankful to have this opportunity to explore student motivation with Dr. Moore, Sarah Holevinski, and Ali Purtell.
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Rachel will be starting grad school at Rice University this fall (2023) in their Bioscience and Health Policy program.