Archmere Alumna Alison Lobo '17 Begins Career as Psychology Professor After Earning Ph.D.

After graduating from Archmere, Alison attended the University of Delaware, where she earned an Honors Bachelor of Science with Distinction in Neuroscience and an Honors Bachelor of Arts in Spanish Studies. During her undergraduate years, she studied abroad in San José, Costa Rica, and Granada, Spain, experiences that deepened her love of language and culture.

While at Delaware, Alison also worked in a Visual Cognition Lab, using electroencephalography (EEG) to study how emotion influences attention and executive processing. That research experience sparked a passion for scientific discovery and inspired her to pursue graduate study.

In 2021, Alison began her Ph.D. in Cognitive Psychology at Northwestern University, where she worked with developmental psychologist Dr. Sandra Waxman. She successfully defended her dissertation in July 2026, culminating years of research focused on early language and cognitive development.

Her dissertation explored how exposure to nonnative languages—both spoken (German) and signed (American Sign Language)—influences six-month-old infants' ability to use language to support fundamental cognitive processes, specifically object categorization. By combining her interests in neuroscience and language learning, Alison has contributed meaningful research to the understanding of infant cognitive development.

Beyond her research, Alison discovered another calling: teaching. During her time at Northwestern, she taught both undergraduate and graduate courses, including Research Methods in Psychology and English as a Second Language. This fall, she will begin the next chapter of her career as a tenure-track Assistant Professor of Psychology at Holyoke Community College, where she will teach Developmental Psychology.

Reflecting on her journey, Alison credits Archmere with laying the foundation for her success.

"Archmere was truly the starting point of this journey. It provided me with a strong foundation in science, mathematics, and writing that prepared me for success in college and graduate school. Just as importantly, it encouraged me to pursue interests beyond academics, from painting and ceramics to Spanish immersion through the Archmere exchange program. Archmere taught me not only to strive for academic excellence, but also to value curiosity, integrity, and well-rounded personal growth. Those are values that have stayed with me throughout every stage of my education and career."

The Archmere community congratulates Alison on earning her Ph.D. and wishes her continued success as she inspires the next generation of students through both her research and her teaching. We look forward to seeing all that she accomplishes in this exciting new chapter.