Sibley Lyndgaard is an Industrial-Organizational Psychology Ph.D. student at Georgia Tech and works closely with Dr. Ruth Kanfer as a member of the PARK Lab. Her work takes a person-centered approach to study lifelong learning processes, especially those related to work and career development. Previously held research positions in industry have spanned projects related to assessment, training, organizational culture, and the future of work.
What are your main research interests and how did you become interested in your field?
My primary research interests include equitable 21st century workforce development, impacts of technology on adult learning, and the dynamics of learning throughout the lifespan, including the impact of individual differences in ability and non-ability traits on learning processes and outcomes. Work is such a central part of our lives, and increasingly, having sustainable employment requires continuous learning- but getting access to these learning opportunities can be difficult. My research interests developed out of an appreciation for all the intersecting variablespsychological, interpersonal, environmental, contextual-that impact people’s ability to pursue meaningful and sustainable careers.
What exciting projects are you working on at AIALOE?
Currently, I am working on a project aimed at centralizing ALOE’s survey data collection. Our goal is to achieve a more systematic understanding of ALOE’s population of adult learners, including differences in their learning needs and challenges and how their learning experiences are shaped by interactions with ALOE technology. To date these questions have been explored separately across teams – centralizing measurement will help track the collective impact of ALOE research, and more easily synthesize findings across teams.
What skills or experiences from your time at AI-ALOE do you think will be most valuable for your future career?
After graduate school, I am interested in working in applied research related to workforce development. This is a highly interdisciplinary field, and so my experiences in ALOE working with experts in fields as wide ranging as computer science, ethics, policy, and technical/vocational education will be hugely valuable in helping me translate and apply psychological research to cross-cutting project areas.
What’s a hobby or activity you enjoy when you’re not immersed in research?
I am a big reader and love thrift stores, so I always enjoy finding secondhand book stores whenever I’m in a new city (or going back to my favorites in Atlanta!).
What’s something surprising or fun about you that most people wouldn’t know?
I attended the (at the time) only public high school in the U.S. that had a cirque performance troupe in its theatre department. I was a part of this group for three years, and specialized in aerial performance including silks and static trapeze!
