James Wilmott

Graduation Year: 2016

Major(s) and Minor: Major = Psychology, Minor = Cognitive Science

 Why did you choose Psychology as your major?

I have always found the mind and brain fascinating. I chose to major in psychology because I was interested in research and the degree allowed me the flexibility to learn a breadth of topics related to psychology while developing a strong set of skills.

What did you like most about it?

Faculty- student interactions. As a graduate of the department’s Honors program, I collaborated on a research project with a professor that was an expert in my research interests (Dr. Melchi Michel). His mentorship was vital to my development as a student and researcher.

What is your current position, what do you, and what do you enjoy most about it?

I am a PhD student in the Cognitive, Linguistic, and Psychological Sciences department at Brown University. I study how humans can selectively process information when presented with many competing and distracting sources (e.g., attending to a single item among many). To do so, I employ behavioral and imaging techniques. I really enjoy getting better as a researcher every day: developing new skills, learning new ideas, and interacting with other leading researchers studying related questions.

What was your first job after Rutgers and how did you get it?

After graduation I went straight into my PhD studies at Brown. I earned this opportunity through my efforts developing research-related skills as an undergraduate at Rutgers.

Looking back, what classes or experiences at Rutgers would you point to as contributing to your successes?

The Honors program in Psychology was influential in providing me the opportunities to learn and develop the skills necessary to succeed as a graduate student. Additionally, attending the department colloquia, presenting at departmental events (e.g., the Perceptual Science forum), and interacting with graduate students and faculty were foundational in shaping my undergraduate education.

What advice do you have for our current Arts and Sciences students?

Focus your undergraduate studies on skill development, specifically statistics and computer science related skills (coding). These are in high demand in all fields (including psychology!). Also, learn to think deeply about problems: there is often much more to understand about a topic than meets the eye.