[et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ admin_label=”section” _builder_version=”4.27.4″ global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_row admin_label=”row” _builder_version=”4.27.4″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_padding=”|||” global_colors_info=”{}” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_heading title=”Lab Director” _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” title_font_size=”40px” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_heading][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_team_member name=”Dr. Mary Whatley” position=”Assistant Professor” image_url=”https:\/\/affiliate.wcu.edu\/memorylab\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/407\/2025\/08\/20240821-Mary-Whatley-244-copy-1-232×300.jpg” _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” body_text_color=”#000000″ position_text_color=”#7F65A0″ position_font_size=”22px” position_line_height=”1.8em” border_radii_image=”off||||” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n
Dr. Whatley is an Assistant Professor of Psychology at Western Carolina University and the director of the Motivated Memory and Successful Aging Lab at WCU. Her research focuses on how memory and metacognition change and adapt as we age. More recently, she has been interested in the role of curiosity in learning and memory processes, and how this changes in older adulthood.<\/span><\/p>\n She completed her\u00a0undergraduate degree in Psychology at UNC-Chapel Hill and her PhD at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). She is a native of Asheville, NC and loves the Western North Carolina Region. In her free time, she likes hiking and being outside with her husband and two dogs.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_team_member][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” custom_padding=”0px|||||” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_heading title=”Graduate Students” _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” title_font_size=”40px” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_heading][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_team_member name=”Ryan Springs” position=”Clinical M.A. Program” image_url=”https:\/\/affiliate.wcu.edu\/memorylab\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/407\/2025\/08\/ryan-photo.jpg” _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” body_font=”–et_global_body_font||||||||” body_text_color=”#000000″ position_text_color=”#7F65A0″ position_line_height=”2em” global_colors_info=”{}” position__hover_enabled=”off|desktop”]<\/p>\n Ryan is a second-year student in the Clinical Psychology M.A. program at WCU who is interested in how semantic knowledge contributes to memory. He was originally born in Houston, TX but has moved across different states his whole life, finding North Carolina to be one of the friendliest places to reside in. His future plans are to prepare for a doctoral program in clinical psychology, with the eventual goal of teaching as a professor.<\/span><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_team_member][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” custom_padding=”0px|||||” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_heading title=”Undergraduate Students” _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” title_font_size=”40px” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_heading][et_pb_team_member name=”Rachel Trantham” image_url=”https:\/\/affiliate.wcu.edu\/memorylab\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/407\/2025\/08\/rachel-photo.jpg” _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” body_text_color=”#000000″ global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n Rachel is an undergraduate student\u00a0pursuing a B.S. in Psychology and a B.A. in English Studies. Her research interests focus on memory and cognition, with a particular passion for understanding how these processes impact mental health. She plans to pursue graduate studies in social work or clinical psychology, aiming to advocate for and improve mental health care in the geriatric population. Through her work, she hopes to raise awareness about the unique psychological needs of older adults and contribute to better support systems for aging individuals.<\/span><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_team_member][et_pb_team_member name=”Joseph Vernelson” image_url=”https:\/\/affiliate.wcu.edu\/memorylab\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/407\/2025\/08\/Joseph-Photo-232×300.jpg” _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” body_text_color=”#000000″ global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n Joseph is a fourth-year undergraduate psychology major at WCU. His research interests are adolescent memory development and how addiction\/abuse can affect memory. He was born in Dallas, TX but moved to Western North Carolina shortly after. His future goals include attending grad school to pursue a master\u2019s in clinical psychology and to own his own private practice. In his free time, he loves to hike and spend time with his family, girlfriend, and friends.<\/span><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_team_member][et_pb_team_member name=”Natalie Stepp” image_url=”https:\/\/affiliate.wcu.edu\/memorylab\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/407\/2025\/09\/Natalie-photo-e1757425178400-227×300.jpg” _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” body_text_color=”#000000″ hover_enabled=”0″ global_colors_info=”{}” title_text=”Natalie photo” sticky_enabled=”0″ image_url__hover_enabled=”on|desktop” image_url__hover=”https:\/\/affiliate.wcu.edu\/memorylab\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/407\/2025\/09\/Natalie-photo-e1757425178400-227×300.jpg”]<\/p>\n Natalie is a third-year undergraduate psychology major at Western Carolina University. Her research interests focus on age-related factors affecting curiosity. She is a native to Western North Carolina. She plans on getting her master\u2019s degree and eventually pursuing a career in art therapy.<\/span><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_team_member][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_section]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Dr. Whatley is an Assistant Professor of Psychology at Western Carolina University and the director of the Motivated Memory and Successful Aging Lab at WCU. Her research focuses on how memory and metacognition change and adapt as we age. 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