THE KASPIR LAB
What is the KASPIR Lab?
Kentucky
Academic and behavioral
School-based
Prevention and
Intervention
Research
The KASPIR lab, led by Dr. Kathleen Aspiranti, focuses on developing, implementing, and validating academic and behavioral interventions. Our studies are usually conducted within the public school system with students either at risk for academic or behavioral problems, English Language Learners, or students with disabilities. We primarily use single-case design research methodologies within our analyses.
The KASPIR lab meets weekly to discuss current research projects, brainstorm study ideas, troubleshoot methodology questions, and coordinate tasks for lab members. Upper level doctoral students are principal investigators on several research projects at any given time, while also serving as co-investigators on the projects of other students. First and second-year doctoral students and serve as co-investigators to several projects as they determine the trajectory they wish to lead their own personal research.
EdS/masters level students serve as co-investigators to projects and are encouraged to identify areas of interest, particularly those that lead to knowledge of evidence-based practices while working as a professional. Undergraduate students are assigned to a specific project and are mentored by a doctoral student throughout the research process. Undergraduate lab members may complete tasks such as literature searches and reviews, data collection, or spreadsheet/data organization and cleaning.
Members in the KASPIR lab are encouraged to present at state and national conferences such as the Kentucky Psychological Association, National Association of School Psychologists, Trainers of School Psychologists, and American Psychological Association.
If you are interested in joining the KASPIR lab, please email Dr. Kathleen Aspiranti for opportunities.
KASPIR Lab Members
Sara Ebner
Sara Ebner is a doctoral student in the School Psychology PhD program. She graduated with her B.A. in Neuroscience and Neuropsychology from the University of Cincinnati in 2016 and her M.A. in Applied Psychology from the University of Cincinnati in 2017. During her graduate career, she worked in the Laboratory for Cognitive and Affective Neuropsychology researching the neuropsychology of cognitive-emotion interactions and learning across the lifespan. Through this research she completed her thesis examining affective contributions to key reading skills in learning-disabled adults. After graduating she worked as a School Psychologist Assistant from 2017 to 2019 at various Cincinnati charter schools. Her current research interests include exploring the scope of why minority and underprivileged students develop learning disorders from a physiological, emotional, and environmental perspective, examining the impact that emotions and behavioral disturbances have on learning disabilities, and developing targeted interventions to remedy these difficulties when given limited resources. Email: saraebner@uky.edu
Jessica Blake
Jessica Blake is a doctoral student in the School Psychology program. She graduated from the University of Kentucky in 2020 with a B.A. in Psychology. During her undergraduate career, she worked in Dr. Peggy Keller’s Family and Child Development Lab. Additionally she worked in Dr. Pooja Sidney’s Cognition and Development Lab, where she completed a senior honors thesis examining the effects of different problem contexts on children’s understanding of division. She also interned for the Cats Care Outreach Program where she aided elementary-school-aged children and their teachers within the classroom. As a graduate student, she is interested in ability grouping within the classroom and how this can affect children’s self-efficacy. Email: jessica.blake@uky.edu
Ella Schoenen
Ella Schoenen (she/her/hers) is a doctoral student in the School Psychology program. She graduated from Macalester College in Saint Paul, MN in 2018 with a B.A. in Educational Studies and a B.A. in Geography. Through Macalester, Ella conducted research concerning migrant education in Morocco and teaching sustainability. Her favorite assignments dealt with educational systems and reform. After graduating she joined Minneapolis Public Schools and did a year of Americorps national service as an academic coach for a caseload of ten seventh-grade long term English language learners. She then transitioned within the district to work in pre-k through third-grade classrooms at a public Montessori charter. Her research interests include classroom management, prevention/intervention for students struggling with aggression, and early academic intervention.
Destiny Coleman
Destiny Coleman is a doctoral student in the School Psychology program. She graduated in 2021 from the University of Kentucky with a B.A in Psychology and Family Sciences. During her undergraduate career, she was involved in Dr. Christia Brown’s social and developmental psychology research lab. She was also a mentor for youth in the Lexington community. She is interested in behavioral disorders, more specifically ASD, and how race and ethnic discrimination impacts students’ academics and engagement in the classroom. Destiny is also a recipient of the Lyman T. Johnson Fellowship for the 2021 -22 academic year.
Julie (Coy) Martinez
Julie (Coy) Martinez (she/her/hers) is a doctoral student in the School Psychology program. She graduated in 2022 from the University of Kentucky with a B.A. in Psychology and minor in English. During her undergraduate career she became a University of Kentucky Women’s Club Scholarship recipient and was a research assistant in Dr. Christia Spears Brown Social Inequality in Development Research lab exploring Latino Students perception of teacher discrimination and its relationship with academic belonging and achievement. Email: julie.martinez@uky.edu
Lauren Zahrn
Lauren Zahrn is a doctoral student in the School Psychology program. She graduated from the University of Kentucky in 2020 with a B.A. in Psychology and Spanish, and a Certificate in Social Science Research. During her undergraduate career, she was a research assistant in Dr. Ellen Usher’s P20 Motivation and Learning Lab. Additionally, she served as the Lab Manager for Dr. Pooja Sidney’s Cognition and Development Lab. During her time working with Dr. Sidney, Lauren completed a senior honors thesis exploring brief interventions for math anxiety in undergraduates. Current research and learning interests include neurodevelopmental conditions, specifically autism, and how to best support learning and behavioral differences across the lifespan. Email: lauren.zahrn@uky.edu
Mary MacDonald
Mary MacDonald is a doctoral student in the School Psychology program. She graduated from The Ohio State University in 2019 with an MA in Slavic and East European Studies and from Capital University in 2016 with a Bachelor of Music in Vocal Performance. While at Capital, she was admitted to an honors study abroad at The Kodály Pedagogical Institute of the Liszt Ferenc Academy of Music in Kesckemét, Hungary. At Ohio State, her research focused on propaganda music in WWII and Znameny Liturgical Chant in Old Church Slavonic. After graduating from undergrad and while working on her MA, she spent several years teaching music to children under five years old, which led her to pursue education and eventually School Psychology. Her current research interests are classroom interventions for students with ADHD and mental health education in Appalachia.