Michael J. Payton

BA, Cognitive Science, York University
MA, Psychology, University of Wisconsin-Madison

Michael is currently pursuing a PhD in Computational Cognitive Science at the University of Wisconsin–Madison. His research combines psychology, decision science, and computational methods. Notable achievements include serving as a researcher at Harvard and New York University, presenting findings at national conferences, and codeveloping two undergraduate courses that guide first-year students in adopting rigorous and ethical research practices.

At CAE, Michael works closely with students participating in the LASER summer research program, and is the instructor of two courses in the program. Michael supports students by breaking complex problems into clear milestones, coaching them to set superordinate goals, and cultivating a questioning classroom culture where evidence and curiosity guide personal progress and achievement. Beyond the lab, he is an avid weightlifter, social-tango enthusiast, and poetry reader and writer.