Leslie Rollins

Leslie Rollins is an Associate Professor in the Department of Psychology and the Neuroscience Program at Christopher Newport University (CNU), located in Forbes Hall 1051. She contributes significantly to both teaching and research in cognitive and developmental psychology.

Education:

• Ph.D. in Developmental Psychology, University of Maryland, College Park
• M.S. in Developmental Psychology, University of Maryland, College Park
• B.A. in Psychology and Philosophy, Randolph-Macon College

Her research centers on the neural and cognitive mechanisms underlying memory development in children. She employs advanced methodologies such as behavioral experiments, eye-tracking, and event-related potentials (ERPs) to investigate how recognition memory, autobiographical memory, and face processing evolve from childhood through adulthood. Her work bridges developmental psychology with cognitive neuroscience, focusing on both typical development and affective influences on memory.

Leslie Rollins's recent publications (2017–2023) reflect a consistent focus on memory development, with particular emphasis on recognition accuracy, false memory, mnemonic discrimination, and the emotional aspects of autobiographical recall. Her studies frequently compare children and adults, using neurocognitive tools like ERP to identify age-related differences in brain activity during encoding and retrieval. Key themes include the own-age bias in face recognition, the fading affect bias, and the impact of animacy on memory.

Scientific Grants:

• Leslie Rollins, Nicole Guajardo, Angela Spranger — "ADVANCE Catalyst: Self-assessment to Establish Equity Among STEM Faculty at a Public Liberal Arts Institution," sponsored by the National Science Foundation

She mentors students through research and teaches core courses such as Cognitive Psychology, Developmental Psychology, Neuroscience, and Research Methods. While no formal list of advisees is provided, her active research and grant involvement suggest engagement with undergraduate and possibly graduate-level research trainees. She also contributes to institutional efforts in promoting equity in STEM through her NSF-funded project.

Laboratory and Research Team: While not explicitly named, her use of ERP and eye-tracking suggests she leads or co-leads a developmental cognitive neuroscience lab at CNU, likely involving student researchers in data collection and analysis.