Current Members
Brad joined the WAVE lab in 2018. He grew up in the suburbs of New York City before receiving his Bachelor’s degree in Psychology from Wheaton College in Illinois. The summer following his junior year, Brad had a Human Resources/Organizational Development internship with Make-A-Wish America, which was the experience that drew him to the field of I-O. Here he gained an interest in topics like occupational health psychology, organizational citizenship behavior, occupational stress, and employee motivation and satisfaction. Currently, Brad’s research interests involve new technologies like virtual reality as training media and other questions related to the future of work. In his free time Brad loves being outdoors, specifically skiing and hiking. He also loves reading history, watching sports, and attending concerts.
Brad Pitcher
Ahleah joined the WAVE lab in 2019. She grew up in York, PA and received a bachelor’s degree in psychology from West Chester University of Pennsylvania. Ahleah’s interest in I/O psychology began shortly after graduating from high school, and she pursued research in workplace incivility while attending WCUPA. Her research interests have extended to high potential leadership and nontraditional or insecure work. Additionally, Ahleah enjoys trying new recipes and meal-prepping in her free time as well as the occasional game night with friends.
Dr. Ahleah Miles
Dr. Layla Dang
Ben joined the WAVE lab in 2022 as an RA, and is now the WAVE lab manager. He is taking a gap year after finishing his bachelor’s degree in psychology at Purdue to gain research experience. He is broadly interested in mental health and wellness, as well as educational and developmental psychology. He plans to pursue a PhD in counseling psychology starting in Fall of 2025. In his free time, Ben enjoys playing tennis and making music with his band.
Ben Blachly
Daphne joined the WAVE lab in 2023. She grew up in Kaifeng, China and received a Master's degree in Human Resources from Purdue University. After receiving her MS degree, Daphne worked in the industry for 3+ years in the space of talent management and HR business partnering, where she grew strong interests in I-O psychology. Her research interests extend to vocational interests, career choice and development, cultural comparisons, and technology-based assessment (i.e., video interviews). Outside of work, Daphne enjoys hiking, playing tennis, exploring new restaurants/places, and playing with her first cat, Bagel.
Daphne Hou
Christine joined the WAVE lab in 2023. She earned a B.S. in Applied Mathematics from the United States Naval Academy and holds a M.S. in Operations Analysis from the Naval Postgraduate School. Her research interests include people analytics, training and development, talent optimization, and technology in the workplace. In her personal time, she enjoys gymnastics, reading, volunteering, and traveling.
Layla joined the WAVE lab in 2024 as a postdoctoral research associate at Michigan State University, funded by the Strada Education Foundation. She earned her PhD in social psychology from Purdue University in 2024, where her research broadly examined psychological processes that hinder social change and social equity. During her doctoral studies, Layla worked as a graduate research assistant at Purdue’s Office of Undergraduate Research. There, she evaluated undergraduate research programs and studied how research teams adapted to virtual and hybrid environments. This work fueled her current interest in conducting research with tangible impacts on educational and work policies and programs, with an emphasis on questions relevant to the future of work. Originally from Chennai, India, Layla enjoys singing, playing tennis, and reading fiction in her free time.
Meaghan joined the WAVE lab in 2023. She grew up in Northern Virginia before receiving her B.S. in psychological sciences at Purdue University where her interest in I-O psychology sparked. Her research interests surround areas in selection, training and development, and sustainable job performance. In her free time, Meaghan enjoys trying new food and watching documentaries.
Meaghan Tracy
Christine Cairoli
Mauren Wolff
Mauren joined the WAVE Lab in spring 2023. Originally from Bavaria, Germany, she now works as a research assistant and PhD student at the Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nuremberg (DE). Her academic background includes a Master’s degree in Psychology from the University of Salzburg (AT), with a specialization in social interactions in business and society. Mauren’s current research focuses on employees’ perceptions of privacy and the use of electronic performance monitoring in the workplace. A particular focus of her research is to examine the social influences that shape these dynamics. In her spare time, Mauren is a dancer in the styles of voguing, waacking and jazz dance, with a love for choreography. She enjoys attending comedy shows and traveling to explore the world.
Leland Huey
Leland joined the WAVE Lab as an RA in 2022. He grew up in the Detroit area before becoming an undergraduate student at Purdue University. He is currently working towards a bachelor's degree in Psychological Science and Microbiology from Purdue and his current research interests involve better understanding the differences in how people learn using newer technologies, like AI and VR, compared to more traditional teaching methods. In his free time, Leland also helps run a robotics club and is active in the Purdue campus community.
Sanket Ramchandra Patole
Sanket joined the WAVE Lab in 2024. He is a Senior Consultant HR Analytics at a leading non-profit healthcare organization in the US and a Ph.D. HRD Candidate at The University of Texas at Tyler. Sanket's research interests are Technology (AI), Ethics & HRD. Sanket has pursued a Bachelor of Engineering and Master of Management Studies from the University of Mumbai followed by MS in Business Analytics from The University of Texas at Dallas. Sanket recently served as an Associate Track Chair Editor for Academy of Human Resource Development (AHRD) 2024 international conference for the Technology and AI in HRD Track. Sanket enjoys learning Indian Classical Music focusing on impact on human moods and emotions.
Christopher Wilson
Christopher joined WAVE lab in 2024. He grew up in Detroit, MI, and received a bachelor's degree in Ethnic Studies from Bowling Green State University. After graduating, he spent time in the workforce, finding his home temporary home in the City of Detroit Police Department as a payroll clerk. He is currently working towards a master's degree in Human Resources and Labor Relations. In his free time, he enjoys watching the Real Housewives franchise and is an avid concertgoer. He has recently picked up painting as a hobby (but don't worry, Picasso is safe for now).
Lauren Koleda
Lauren joined the WAVE lab in 2024. Since growing up in mid-Michigan, she received her B.S. from the University of Michigan-Flint in economics. She recently received her M.A. in economics from Michigan State University. Today, she is pursuing a PhD in Labor Relations at MSU, taking a more interdisciplinary path while continuing her career in research. Her primary research areas of interest are labor economics, the future of work, technological change, trade work, education, and interdisciplinary research incorporating insights and methods from economics.