Brief Overview of NSF-REU: The Effects of Fatigue on
Performance in Military, Law Enforcement, and Medical Personnel
This NSF-REU has been offered since 2005 and has funded 32 students to study the effects of fatigue on performance in military, law enforcement, and medical personnel. As a part of this program, students work closely with their mentors to design and carry out an experiment, analyze their data, and then present the results of their research to members of the community. In addition, students and their mentors are strongly encouraged to present their research at a national conference. This is an in-depth, fast-paced research program that requires students to immerse themselves in the research experience. Students spend 10 weeks learning more about their topic, designing their research, and then working in the community to carry out the research. Students live together on campus, participate in weekly group meetings, and students also have social events scheduled on a regular basis to help them learn more about each other, their mentors, and the community in which they are collecting data. Examples of research conducted in previous years are offered below. Students (authors) and their mentors are listed below, along with the titles of their research project. A listing of the home institutions of past REU participants is listed at the bottom of the page.
Examples of Past Research:
“The Effects of Melatonin Supplementation on Central Executive Function and Physiological
Stress of Law Enforcement Workers”
Authors: Shaina Short (St. Olaf) and Steve Walsh (Cooper Union)
Mentors: Dr. Joan Thompson and Dr. Rod Hansen, Department of Health Promotion and Human
Performance
“The Effects of Acute Fatigue on the Quality of Interviews in Alleged Child Sexual Abuse Cases”
Author: Erin Swedish (University of Toledo)
Mentor: Dr. Julie, Department of Criminal Justice
“The Impact of Chronic Fatigue on the Quality of Forensic Interviews with Children "
Author: Christine DiEleuterio (Washington College)
Mentor: Dr. Julie Buck. Department of Criminal Justice
“The Effect of Light Therapy on Cognition and Sleep Quality of Medical Laboratory Grave Shift
Workers”
Author: Nate Hadley (Weber State University)
Mentor: Dr. Lauren Fowler, Department of Psychology
"The Effects of Fatigue on Communication, Situational Awareness, and Ocular Response in Air
Traffic Controllers"
Author: Donielle Gustafson (University of South Dakota)
Mentor: Dr. Lauren Fowler, Department of Psychology
“An Investigation of the Effects of Fatigue on Cognitive Inhibition, Susceptibility to Affective
Conditioning and Implicit Racial Bias on Correction Officers”
Author: Jenna Pajak (St. Anselm) and Chris Petersen (Weber State University)
Mentor: Dr. Azenett Garza, Department of Psychology
"The Effect of Melatonin Supplementation on Law Enforcement Shift-Workers"
Author: Stephanie Tilley and Charla Mosier
Mentor: Dr. Joan Thompson, Department of Health Promotion and Human Performance
"The Effect of Light Therapy on Cognition and Sympathetic Stress Response in Medical Lab Shift Workers"
Author: Nate Hadley
Mentor: Dr. Lauren Fowler, Department of Psychology
“It’s About Time: An Evaluation of Shiftworkers’ Time Management”
Author: Lori Lundell
Mentor: Dr. Autumn Behringer, Department of Sociology
"Fatigue Countermeasure Policies within City, County and State Law Enforcement in Four
Western States: An Analysis and Policy Proposal"
Author: Karla Dhungana
Mentors: Dr. Michelle Heward and Dr. Scott Senjo, Department of Criminal Justice
“Racial bias and circadian rhythms: The effects of shift work on weapon identification”
Author: Emily Good
Mentor: Dr. Azenett Garza, Department of Psychology
“Circadian Rhythms and Law Enforcement: The Effects of Racial Ambiguity and Practice on
Weapon Identification”
Author: Jill Lybarger
Mentor: Dr. Azenett Garza, Department of Psychology
"The Effects of Light Therapy on Perceived and Cognitive Fatigue During Rapidly Rotating
Shiftwork Schedules".
Author: Kristena Kons
Mentor: Dr. Lauren Fowler, Department of Psychology
“Time of Day Effects on Mental Stress-Related Sympathetic Nervous System Activation”
Author: Caleb Wilson
Mentor: Dr. Lauren Fowler, Department of Psychology
“The Cognitive, Biological, and Subjective Psychological Effects of Shift Work: A Comparative
Study”
Authors: Kathryn Thompson, Hanae Casseres, and Samantha Hansen
Mentors: Dr. Rod Hansen and Dr. Joan Thompson, Department of Health Promotion and
Human Performance
“The Effects of Shiftwork and Fatigue on the Performance of Law Enforcement
Personnel”
Author: Lindsay Hamlin
Mentors: Dr. Michelle Heward and Dr. Robert Wadman, Department of Criminal Justice
"An Investigation into the Effects of Shiftwork on Moods and Parenting Stress."
Author: Lena McCamish
Mentor: Dr. Paul Caldarela, Department of Psychology
“How Melatonin Affects Shift Changes of Law Enforcement Personnel”
Author: MaryAnne Wallace
Mentors: Dr. Joan Thompson and Dr. Rodney Hansen, Department of Health Promotion and
Human Performance
“The Physiological and Cognitive Effects of Shiftwork”
Authors: Erika Sweigart and LeeAnn Worrell
Mentors: Dr. Joan Thompson and Dr. Rodney Hansen, Department of Health Promotion and
Human Performance
"The Effects of Shift Work on the Body, Fatigue and Energy Expenditure".
Authors: Jennifer Summers and Merideth O’Connor
Mentors: Dr. Joan Thompson and Dr. Rodney Hansen, Department of Health Promotion and
Human Performance
“Maintaining Family, Friendship and Community Relations in Shiftwork: A Qualitative
Study of Air Force Air Traffic Controllers”
Author: Rachel MacFarlane
Mentors: Dr. Autumn Behringer and Dr. Marjukka Ollilainen, Department of Sociology
“The Effects of Psychological and Physiological Variables on Cognitive Performance in
Military Shift-Workers”
Author: Maria Pacella
Mentor: Dr. Lauren Fowler, Department of Psychology
“An Assessment of Fatigue and Personality on Individual and Team Performance”
Author: Raelynn Wheeler
Mentor: Dr. Lauren Fowler, Department of Psychology
"The Effect of Social Factors and Personality on Fatigue and Cognitive Performance"
Author: Lori Lundell
Mentor: Dr. Lauren Fowler, Department of Psychology
Previous REU students have come from the following institutions:
Agnes Scott College
Brigham Young University
Cooper Union
George Washington University
Indiana University
Loyola Marymount
Lycoming College
Purdue University
Scripps College
St. Anselm
St. Olaf
St. Vincent College
University of South Dakota
University of South Florida
University of Texas, El Paso
University of Toledo
University of Utah
University of Wyoming
Washington College
Weber State University