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Grace Roessling (she/her)

Postdoctoral Fellow, Social and Decision Sciences, Dietrich College 

Hometown: Salisbury, New Hampshire

1. Briefly describe the work you're doing as a postdoc at ºÃÉ«ÏÈÉúTV. I am a cognitive scientist who is passionate about examining the underlying differences in cognition between natural (e.g. human) and artificial intelligence. I currently work in the Dynamic Decision Making (DDM) Lab with Dr. Coty Gonzalez, and my research is largely focused on human-AI complementarity: collaboration between humans and artificial intelligence that yields better performance than what either agent could achieve alone. By investigating the differences between how humans and AI "think" or "cognize," one can design synergistic human-AI teams whose members’ strengths complement one another. I am interested in determining the optimal team roles, configurations, and contexts for human-AI team systems, especially for tasks within the realm of behavioral cybersecurity/cyberpsychology. As a cognitive scientist, my tool suite includes building and simulating computational cognitive models to explain and predict human behavior, as well as building experimental tasks to explore how humans and AI collaborate in complex and dynamic contexts.
2. How did you develop an interest in this area? 

   I knew, from a relatively young age, that I would like to be a scientist of some sort when I grew up. Then, by the time I reached high school, my interests morphed and consolidated into the field of cognitive science. I liked cognitive science because it offered formalism and interdisciplinarity for studying the mind. I was unsatisfied by “squishy” behavioral psychology and “hard” neuroscience. Cognitive science offered what appeared to be something in between: a more virtual, latent space to explore how the mind works. Cognitive science appeared simultaneously squishy and concrete in different ways. The field’s formal methods of modeling thoughts as "computation" offered something quantifiable and concrete, while its topics of interest confronted deep philosophical questions that were both latent and intuitive, such as representations. Of course, I didn’t use all of those exact words or concepts at the time of choosing cognitive science. But, looking back, I have a feeling that this was why I was attracted to the field. 

    

   Given my excitement to deeply understand the inner workings and mysteries of the mind, I pursued a B.S. in Cognitive Science at SUNY Oswego, and then a PhD in Cognitive Science at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. Throughout all of these years studying and doing research in my field, I eventually realized that my core interests in cognitive science were not solely isolated to humans. Rather, I find it most compelling to understand what defines an intelligent system – whether it be an insect, hominin, or a machine.

3. What are your academic and/or professional goals?

   My ideal career trajectory would be to earn a tenure-track faculty position and lead a research lab in academia. However, given the competitive nature of tenure-track positions, I would not mind leading a research life in industry or the military as an alternative trajectory. Fundamentally, I would like to conduct research in a space that provides enough freedom and resources to pursue scientific questions that push the boundaries of my field.

4. Tell us about a significant moment in your journey at ºÃÉ«ÏÈÉúTV so far.

   I have only been at ºÃÉ«ÏÈÉúTV for six months, so it is difficult to find a single moment. However, I can say that I am generally impressed with how truly vibrant and interdisciplinary CMU is as an institution. The culture at ºÃÉ«ÏÈÉúTV supports rigor, collaboration, and innovation. I’m very excited to take part in this research community.

5. How do you spend your time beyond academic work? I like to bake treats, read, listen to jazz, and take care of my plants. Occasionally, I’ll write poetry or sketch…!