Sidni A. Justus, Ph.D.
Principal Investigator
I am a lifelong Georgian - growing up in a small town in northwest GA before making my way down to Atlanta where I completed my undergraduate and doctoral degrees at Georgia Tech and eventually making my way to KSU! My research interests span cognition, memory, and attention in developmental disorders including Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). I have explored these from both early childhood and aging perspectives. I am currently investigating the role of emotion in memory and metamemory and the supporting neural activity in ASD adults across the lifespan. I am proud to work alongside my wonderful team of undergraduates as well as faculty and graduate student collaborators from KSU and other universities. When not teaching or in the lab, I love spending time with my husband, Connor, our daughter, Mila, and our two dogs, Yoshi and Peach.
Emily Hutson, B.S.
Research Coordinator
I received my bachelors of science in psychology with a minor in data science and analytics from KSU in 2024. During my time at Kennesaw, I spent two years as a research assistant in the Justus lab. After graduation, I joined Georgia Tech as a lab manager for a memory and aging lab that utilized VR to facilitate memory recollection. I am so excited to join the Justus lab again, this time as the lab manager! In my free time, I love to hang out with friends, go line dancing, and I am currently learning how to play the violin.
Current Lab Members:
Caroline Lawson
Undergraduate Research Assistant
Class of 2028- Majoring in Psychology on the Pre-Med track. I am interested in several different fields within psychology, including cognitive development in childhood and neuropsychology. Post-grad, I plan to attend medical school on the east coast, but do not currently have a specific field of interest or school in mind yet. Eventually I would like to use my education in medicine to help advocate for women around the world. Outside of school I enjoy running and finding new coffee shops to study with friends!
Allisa George
Undergraduate Research Assistant
Class of 2027- I’m currently a student at Kennesaw State University studying Biology and Public Health. I have been a part of undergraduate research since my freshman year. I am interested in neurodegenerative diseases and how built environments affect the underlying neural process. I am so excited to be able to join the Justus Lab to learn more about neurodiverse populations. In my free time, I love watching musical theaters!
Rachel Waanounou and Mojo
Undergraduate Research Assistant
Class of 2027 – I am majoring in Psychology and minoring in Data Science and Analytics. I have interest in emotional processing, memory, creativity, learning, attention and perception. I plan on pursuing a Ph.D. in Cognitive Psychology. I own and operate my own dog training business and love creating training videos with my two dogs, Mojo and Ember. In my free time I enjoy creative outlets like drawing and painting, spending time with my friends and family, and being out in nature.
Ishwar Naik
Graduate Research Assistant
I recently graduated from Kennesaw State University with a B.S. in Interactive Design and will begin pursuing my M.S. in Artificial Intelligence this fall. I'm interested in human-computer interaction, human cognition, and using research to better understand how people interact with technology. In my free time, I love playing poker, video games, and spending time with my friends and family!
Greyson Hilber
Undergraduate Research Assistant
Nia Johnson
Undergraduate Research Assistant
Class of 2027- I am an undergraduate Exercise Science student at Kennesaw State University. I am passionate about research and hope to become a physical therapist in the future. I’m excited to be a part of the lab, gain hands-on-research experience, and contribute to projects that make a positive impact. Outside of school, I enjoy volunteering, getting involved on campus, and spending time with family and friends.
Lab Alumni
Kennesaw State University:
Tiana Lawton
Michelle Khandadash
Caroline Hutcheson
Brooklyn Dean-Smith
Kenny Nichols
Emily Pogue
Victoria Simanovich
Pranitha Athukuri
Georgia Institute of Technology:
Sanya Khan
Amber Fischer
Mackenzie Pierce