Research
RESEARCH
Research Philosophy
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An important aspect of my research is that I strongly believe that open science is the way to create a more equitable research community. All deidentified data, syntax/code, and output files for my first-authored projects are available upon request.
All of my first-authored projects are currently in the process of being
added to the Open Science Framework; the goal is to complete this in 2024.
Research Statement
Wick_Research.pdfCurrent Projects
The Important Role of Faculty
Belonging Project | Currently in prep for 2024 publication
Three-sample replication study spanning four years of data collection in two distinct geographical areas of the United States that explores the unique impact of faculty support on university students' success indicators such as happiness, self-efficacy, resilience, and stress, especially among students from historically marginalized populations.
All materials available upon request; coming to OSF in 2024.
The Wellbeing Project
DISSERTATION | Data collection complete; currently in analysis
Utilizing a mixed method approach to aid in the development of a novel measure for a more comprehensive and holistic understanding of wellbeing. Exploring the factor structure of multidimensional wellbeing construct, with the goal of developing a new measure that incorporates the unique challenges of the emerging adulthood developmental period.
Materials available via OSF: https://osf.io/rbnpq/
Equity-Centered Education
Ongoing
Breaking down the current framework of DEI (diversity, equity, & inclusion) in favor of a new approach with equity as the focus. Diversity should not be the goal, but a natural outcome of a more equitable academy.
This project includes commitment to continuous learning and development of pedagogy and materials, all of which are open source and can be found here: Resources.
Coping Through Global Crisis
Belonging Project | Currently in prep for publication (mid 2024)
Evaluating university student experiences over the first two years of the COVID-19 pandemic utilizing a multi-method approach including survey data and open-ended questions for personal narratives to explore the different strategies students deployed to cope during COVID-19 and the resulting global pandemic.
All materials available upon request; coming to OSF in 2024.
The Belonging Project
MASTER'S THESIS | Currently in prep for publication (late 2024)
Exploring different aspects of belonging (peer support, faculty support, classroom comfort, & perceived isolation) among university students as they relate to a variety of outcomes including subjective happiness, grit, resilience, self-efficacy, and stress.
All materials available upon request; coming to OSF in 2024.
Publications & Invited Presentations
Manuscripts
2024
[in prep]
Wick, K.M., & Clark, C.A.C. [in final preparation for 2024 review]. Exploring the unique contribution of faculty support on university student success across three samples.
[in prep]
Wick, K.M., Carney, C., Caddell, K., & Clark, C.A.C. [in preparation for mid 2024 review]. Coping in a time of global crisis: Exploring student narratives during the COVID-19 pandemic.
[in prep]
Wick, K.M. [in preparation for late 2024 review]. Development of a multidimensional measure of wellbeing for emerging adults. [Dissertation work in progress; Preregistration can be found here: https://osf.io/rbnpq/]
2020
Wick, K.M. (2020). The role of faculty in fostering psychosocial wellbeing among university students. [Unpublished thesis, University of Nebraska, Lincoln], UNL Digital Commons, https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/cehsdiss/387/
Invited Presentations
2024
Wick, K.M. (2024). Inclusive teaching: Revisiting the conceptual framework of diversity, equity, & inclusion initiatives for educators in higher education. Invited online webinar presentation for the international Society for the Study of Emerging Adulthood. University of Nebraska-Lincoln.
2023
Wick, K.M., & Clark, C.A.C. (2023). Student belonging in the era of COVID-19 and the impact of participation in student organizations. Invited presentation for Dr. Laurie Bellows, Vice Chancellor of Student Affairs, as well as 30 members of the Student Affairs executive team. Additional statistical analysis and results included for this longer presentation. University of Nebraska-Lincoln.
2022
Wick, K.M., & Clark, C.A.C. (2022). Student belonging in the era of COVID-19. Invited presentation for Dr. Laurie Bellows, Vice Chancellor of Student Affairs, University of Nebraska-Lincoln.
2020
Solesbee, C., & Wick, K. M. (2020). The importance of resilience in graduate school. Invited presentation for engineering undergraduates at University of Nebraska-Omaha.
Conference Proceedings
2023
Wick, K.M., Carney, C., Alcaraz-Bigelow, J., Caddell, K., & Clark, C.A.C. (2023). Coping in a time of global crisis: Exploring student narratives during the COVID-19 pandemic. Poster presented at the Annual Meeting of the American Psychological Association, Washington D.C.
Wick, K.M., Carney, C., Alcaraz-Bigelow, J., Caddell, K., & Clark, C.A.C. (2023). Coping in a time of global crisis: Exploring student narratives during the COVID-19 pandemic. Poster presented at the Annual Meeting of the American Psychological Association, Washington D.C.
Wick, K.M., & Clark, C.A.C. (2023). Resilience in a global pandemic: Exploring students’ coping strategies during COVID-19. Poster presented at the Annual Meeting of the Society for the Study of Emerging Adulthood, San Diego, CA.
2021
Wick, K.M., Caddell, K., Coore, J.A., Morris, T.I., Swearer, S.M., & Clark, C.A.C. (2021). Wellbeing in the time of coronavirus: A thematic analysis. Poster presented at the Annual Meeting of the American Psychological Association, San Diego, CA.
Wick, K.M., Kesselring, S.A., Torres, C.A., Clark, A.C., Ph.D., & Swearer, S.M. (2021) Psychosocial wellbeing for students of color: The role of faculty. Poster presented at the Annual Meeting of the American Psychological Association, San Diego, CA.
2020
Wick, K.M., Ramm, E., Stevenson, T., Kesselring, S., Swanson, L., Swearer, S., & Clark, C. (2020). The role of faculty in students’ wellbeing in higher education. Poster presented at the Annual Meeting of the Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies, Chicago, IL.
Wick, K. M., Stevenson, T.L., Ramm, E., Meyers, L. S., Swearer, S., & Clark, C. (2020). Fostering connection: Predicting sense of belonging on college campuses. Poster presented at the Bi-Annual Meeting of the Society for Research on Adolescence, San Diego, CA.
Ee, B., Jack, C., Waite, D., Wick, K.M., Caddell, K., Coore, J., Clark, C.A.C. (2020). Relation of heart rate variability to self-regulation in young children. Poster presented at the Great Plain Psychology Conference, St. Joseph, Missouri.
2019
Wick, K. M., Stevenson, T.L., Ramm, E., & Meyers, L. S. (2019). Building connection: Predicting sense of belonging from resilience with self-efficacy and subjective happiness as mediators. Poster presented at the Annual Meeting of the Western Psychological Association, Pasadena, CA.
Vallejo, E. A., Wick, K. M., Thornton, S. R., & Morrison, A.B. (2019). Helpful or harmful?: The influence of music on attention & mind-wandering. Poster presented at the Annual Meeting of the Western Psychological Association, Pasadena, CA.
Hirota, C., Datko, K., Thornton, S. R., Vallejo, E. A., Wick, K. M., Morrison, A.B., & McTernan, M. (2019). Creating reproducible research with R and RMarkdown: A data pipeline project using data from a cognitive task. Poster presented at the Annual Meeting of the Western Psychological Association, Pasadena, CA.
Vallejo, E. A., Wick, K. M., Thornton, S. R., Schreib, F., Garrett, K., & Morrison, A.B. (2019). Helpful or harmful?: The influence of music on attention & mind-wandering. Poster presented at Sacramento Valley Psychological Association Conference, Sacramento, CA
2018
Vallejo, E. A., Wick, K. M., Thornton, S. R., Schreib, F., Garrett, K., & Morrison, A.B. (2018). Helpful or harmful?: The influence of music on attention & mind-wandering. Poster presented at Psychology Department’s Annual Conference, Sacramento, CA.
Applied Experience
Positions Held
2023 - Present
NEAR Center Statistics and Methodology Consultant
University of Nebraska-Lincoln | Lincoln, Nebraska
Advisor: Jim A. Bovaird, Ph.D. | Nebraska Evaluation and Research (NEAR) Center
2019 - Present
Graduate Research Assistant
University of Nebraska-Lincoln | Lincoln, Nebraska
Advisor: Caron A.C. Clark, Ph.D. | Brain, Learning, and Behavior Lab
2019 - Present
Graduate Research Assistant
University of Nebraska-Lincoln | Lincoln, Nebraska
Advisor: Susan M. Swearer, Ph.D., L.P. | Nebraska Bullying Prevention & Intervention Lab
2018 - 2019
Undergraduate Research Assistant
California State University, Sacramento | Sacramento, California
Advisor: Alexandra B. Morrison, Ph.D. | Attention and Memory Lab
Relevant Coursework
Applied Research
21 units of graduate-level applied research courses & doctoral seminars
9 units of undergraduate-level applied research
At the Graduate Level:
Upper-Level Seminars in: Multilevel Models, Longitudinal Data Analysis, Structural Equation Modeling, Qualitative Research, & Mixed Methods Research
Survey Courses in: Intermediate Statistics (Experimental Methods/ANOVA), Intermediate Statistics (Correlational Methods), Introduction to Educational Measurement, & Qualitative Approaches in Educational Research
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At the Undergraduate Level:
Upper-Level Course in: Advanced Methods and Statistics in Psychological Research
Survey Courses in: Methods of Psychology, Statistics for Psychology, & Methods and Statistics in Psychological Research
Future Research
I am a passionate teacher and mentor, and hope to share my love of mixed methodology and equity-centered research with my students and future lab members.
A crucial component of my research is to analyze with diversity and equity woven into all steps of the process. Understanding how our multiple identities shape who we are is paramount; we cannot just choose one aspect of ourselves to explain our experiences, but instead use a holistic, 'whole person', comprehensive approach.
Past Projects
APA 2023 (Washington, D.C.)
August 3-5, 2023
Please click here to find the supplemental materials for my two first-authored posters presented at the Annual Conference of the American Psychological Association in Washington, D.C.