Veronica Yan

So many new faces here, so time for a re-introduction. 👋🏻 Associate prof in ed psych, researching desirably difficult learning strategies and empowering self-regulated learners. I like being transparent about what "success" looks like, so here's my CV of failures docs.google.com/document/d/1...

Join me for a live Ask Me Anything TODAY (June 16 at 5pm ET) about the science of learning, including my colleagues Dr. @veronicayan.bsky.social, Dr. Janell Blunt, and Dr. Michelle Rivers. PLUS, we'll be making an exciting announcement about our book! #EduSky #LTHE berklee.zoom.us/meeting/regi...

Challenging findings for a widespread notion that desirable difficulties need to be difficult. It turns out that interleaving feels easier if leaners just understand their learning objective: detecting key differences between categories. psycnet.apa.org/doiLanding?d... with @veronicayan.bsky.social

Application for the LONESTAR has been extended to February 8th! This is such a great group of folks and it's a very dynamic and collaborative meeting, with projects getting developed together! (Note though the focus is on Texas-based researchers, we also welcome others who are interested).

We're hiring a professional track faculty, particular focus in developmental psychology! apply.interfolio.com/180481

🚨 📣 Summer Fellows Program Call for undergraduates interested in education research: What are the barriers to effective learning in college? How can we support motivated learning? For more details, visit: sites.edb.utexas.edu/slam/fellows/ #cogscisky #edusky #academicsky #psychscisky

The application form for the LONESTAR [Un]Conference on Strategic Learning is now open! Deadline is Feb 1st. Apply at: sites.google.com/view/lonesta...

After more than 8 years living in the American South, I finally used "all y'all" in regular conversation.

Start of a new annual tradition at Psychonomics -- joint lab dinner with Paulo Carvalho's lab, Ben Motz's lab, and my lab!

It's one of my favorite times of the year! And I'm so so proud of my SLAM Lab grads who did a fantastic job presenting the cool projects they've each been working on.! @psychonomicsociety.bsky.social FYI @stephanyrea.bsky.social is on the job market.

The title doesn't match the topic of the podcast, which is more about how GenAI can replace desirable difficulties and other productive challenges, subverting learning and meaning-making. It also sounds like a rundown of the ideas and concepts I teach in my classes! #PsychSciSky #AcademicSky #EduSky

The U.S. government has shut down after failing to reach a budget deal, leaving federal funding for R&D in 2026 endangered. The U.S. House and Senate have so far rejected proposed deep cuts to R&D funding, but they must continue to push to pass full-year appropriations bills. https://bit.ly/4nwaPsl

Last chance to register for our workshop THIS THURSDAY, August 14! 5 cognitive scientists, 50+ teachers, informal discussion, and back-to-school teaching tips. Group discount (5 or more): 15% off! @veronicayan.bsky.social @lkfazio.bsky.social #EduSky scienceoflearningworkshop.eventbrite.com

ICYMI: Join me for a back-to-school workshop on the science of learning on Thursday, August 14 on Zoom, with @veronicayan.bsky.social and @lkfazio.bsky.social. We're cognitive scientists AND teachers. Early bird: Get $10 off if you register by this Friday! www.eventbrite.com/e/science-of... #EduSky

As someone who uses the em-dash a lot in their own writing, I really hate that it's supposedly the "tell" for generative AI!! 😫

Exciting announcement 🚨! Come to our Science of Learning workshop and with not just one but FIVE cognitive scientists and teachers: Drs Janell Blunt, Shana Carpenter, Pooja Agarwal, Lisa Fazio, and myself. Aug 14 (early bird reg by 8/10) #edusky #teacherlife #k12 #highered

Come and work with me and my colleagues. We're nice!

New paper with Allison Zengilowski, Abubakir Siedahmed, @veronicayan.bsky.social, and Neil Heffernan at Learning at Scale published today: "Encouraging Metacognitive Reflection through Prompts in a Computer-Based Learning Platform: Failure to Find a Benefit in a Large-Scale Randomized Trial"

the Department of Psychology at the University of Otago is hiring SIX faculty. open area Otago is the second-largest research university in New Zealand, and, among other nice things, is located near some of the best wineries on the planet www.seek.co.nz/job/85709111

These funds could sustain the National Science Foundation for 17 years and make the US a great country. Instead, they'll be used to terrorize people in the US.

NEW: Concepts and skills in real life are like a tie-dyed t-shirt: all mixed up. www.retrievalpractice.org/strategies/i... Get tips from Dr. Veronica Yan (@veronicayan.bsky.social) on how to use interleaving. Mix up concepts, problem sets, vocabulary words, etc. All student ages, all subject areas.

The undergrad Cognitive Studies major at Indiana is a model for the field and is now on the chopping block bc enrollment is under the state's new guidelines

This is where I really wish there was a better way to bookmark things on bluesky

Here's the link to @mattcrumplab.bsky.social's amazing website for his introductory cognitive psychology class, which includes virtually everything, including the free textbook he's written: "Instances of Cognition." Check it out!

And @veronicayan.bsky.social giving their J. Don Read Early Career Winner Talk! Congratulations again from us all t #sarmac2025!

J Don Reed early career winner @veronicayan.bsky.social giving her award address at #sarmac2025. College is a really important time for students to develop skills of self-regulated learning. Students have a lot of supports for their learning in high school- much more on their own in college. 1/

A wonderful plenary talk from Early Career award winner @veronicayan.bsky.social - pictured with her proud nominator @lkfazio.bsky.social and @officialsarmac.bsky.social Awards Committee member @aminamemon.bsky.social

PhD studentship available in developmental cognitive neuroscience, in Cambridge - please publicise. Open to women candidates, as the student will be based at Newnham College.

If you burn down a forest, you don't miss out on lumber for just that season. You have to replant all the trees, nurture them, and wait for them to grow. The science and research budget cuts happening now are wanton, senseless arson. Recovery, if it ever happens, will take generations.

At this point, most professors I know who have grants have had grant terminations. The scale of the impact is mind-boggling and so hugely underestimated by the broader public.

Exclusive: NSF faces radical shake-up as officials abolish its 37 divisions | Science | AAAS www.science.org/content/arti...

Academic friends, if your NSF grants have been terminated by the administration, FABBS is hosting a webinar Friday about appealing the decisions. It's important that as many people appeal as possible to show we're not accepting this targeting of science. Link to the webinar registration is below.

I spend a lot of time disparaging those who are failing us in this moment - but today I want to shine a light on all of those who are helping to make the threats to science and universities legible for other scientists and the public🧪 1/

If anyone has anything for Maddy, she is amazing and not someone we want to lose from academia.

Milestone for my wonderful doctoral student! She proposed a really interesting series of studies of both theoretical and pragmatic value. Keep an eye out for this in a year! #cogsci #edusky