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Curriculum Vitae

PDF: CV_JenniferChen

Jennifer Chen

Rice University, Department of Psychology, MS-25

6100 Main Street, Houston, TX 77005, USA

(281) 536-6914    Jennifer.Chen@rice.edu

EDUCATION                                                                                                

Rice University, Houston, TX

Ph.D. in Psychology                                                                             Expected: May 2013

Research Interest Group: Systems & Cognitive Neuroscience

Dissertation: Human olfactory perception: Characteristic, mechanism and function

Advisor: Dr. Denise Chen

M.A. in Psychology                                                                                              May 2011

Research Interest Group: Systems & Cognitive Neuroscience

Thesis: Binaral rivalry in the presence of visual lexical and perceptual influences

Advisor: Dr. Denise Chen

National Chengchi University, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC

B.S. in Psychology, with Outstanding Graduating Student Award                        May 2008

Project: The role of trait vulnerability to sleep disturbance in the moderation of the relationships between stress and sleep quality.

Advisor: Dr. Chien-Ming Yang

 

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE                                                                   

Rice University                                                                                                         2008 – present

Thesis Advisor: Dr. Denise Chen

  • Conceptualized research questions regarding human olfactory perception and how it interacts with other sensory modalities
  • Designed experiments to address research questions
  • Programmed experimental paradigms using E-Prime and Matlab
  • Prepared experimental stimuli and apparatuses
  • Performed fMRI experiment to study the neural mechanisms of human olfactory perception
  • Conducted psychophysical measurements to assess olfactory sensitivity
  • Operated computer-controlled and six-channel MRI-compatible olfactometer
  • Monitored participants’ physiological changes using BIOPAC systems
  • Collaborated with clinical researchers at University of Texas Medical School at Houston
  • Contacted and interviewed experiment volunteers

 

  • Analyzed data using appropriate software (e.g., SPSS, AFNI, AcqKnowledge etc.)
    • Wrote up manuscripts
    • Lab manager (e.g., organized lab meeting, coordinated lab work, purchased and maintained lab supplies & equipments and managed petty cash)
      • Supervised undergraduate students on research projects and honor theses

National Chengchi University                                                                                2006 – 2007

Advisor: Dr. Chien-Ming Yang

  • Monitored participant’s biophysiological changes during sleep overnight using polysomnography (PSG)
  • Translated Ford Insomnia Response to Stress Test (FIRST) to Mandarin
  • Collected and analyzed college students’ sleep qualities and beliefs using Ford Insomnia Response to Stress Test (FIRST), Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), single-item visual analog scale for the degrees of stress experiences in the previous three days and 10-item version of the Dysfunction Beliefs and Attitudes about Sleep Scale (DBAS-10)

 

PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIP                                                                  

Student member of Association for Chemoreception Sciences                                   2008 – present

Student member of Associated Professional Sleep Societies                                      2006 – 2007

 

HONORS AND AWARDS                                                                              

Student Travel Award, Association for Chemoreception Sciences                             2010-2012

Awarded to the travel costs to AChemS Annual Meeting

Student Travel Award, Department of Psychology, Rice University                        2009-2012

Awarded to the travel costs to AChemS Annual Meeting

Gertrude Maurin Fund, Department of Psychology, Rice University                      2010

Given for research in Cognitive Psychology

Graduate Fellowship, Department of Psychology, Rice University                         2008 – present

Stipend and full tuition waiver for pursuit of PhD

National Chengchi University Certification of Presidential Award                            June 2006

 

PUBLICATION                                                                                             

Chen, J., Zhou, W., & Chen, D. (2012). Binaral rivalry in the presence of visual perceptual and semantic influences. PLoS ONE, 7(10), e47317.

Zhou, W.,Chen, J.,Wang, L., Zhang, X., & Chen, D. (2012). Nostril-specific olfactory modulation of visual perception in binocular rivalry. Journal of Neuroscience. (In Press).

 

MANUSCRIPTS IN PROGRESS                                                                    

Chen, J., & Chen, D. Graded olfactory contrasts between nasal passages enable stereo human olfaction.

Chen, J., Zhou, W., Zhang, M., & Chen, D. Long-term reductions of olfactory sensitivity due to short-term exposures to a peri-threshold odorant.

Chen, J., & Chen, D. Olfactory sensing of MSG and sucrose and its modulation by hunger and satiety signals in humans.

 

INVITED TALKS                                                                                          

“The psychology and neuroscience of olfaction.” (March, 2012). National Chengchi University, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC

“The psychology and neuroscience of olfaction.” (March, 2012). National Central University, Taoyuan, Taiwan, ROC

 

CONFERENCE PRESENTATIONS                                                                 

Chen, J., & Chen, D. (2012). Olfactory sensing of MSG and sucrose and its modulation by hunger and satiety signals in humans. Poster presented at the Association for Chemoreception Sciences Annual Meeting, Huntington Beach, CA. April 25-29.

Chen, J., Zhou, W., & Chen, D. (2011). Graded olfactory contrasts between nasal passages enable stereo human olfaction. Poster presented at the Association for Chemoreception Sciences Annual Meeting, St. Petersburg, FL. April 13-17.

Chen, J., Zhou, W., & Chen, D. (2010). The nose smells what the eyes see: Modulation of olfactory perception by vision. Poster presented at the Association for Chemoreception Sciences Annual Meeting, St. Petersburg, FL. April 20-25.

Chen, J., Zhou, W., Zhang, M., & Chen, D. (2009). Long-term reductions of olfactory sensitivity due to short-term exposures to a peri-threshold odorant. Poster presented at the Association for Chemoreception Science Annual Meeting, Sarasota, FL. April 22-27.

Chen, J., Yang, C., & Chou C. (2007). The role of trait vulnerability to sleep disturbance in the moderation of the relationships between stress and sleep quality. Poster presented at the SLEEP 21st Annual Meeting of the Associated Professional Sleep Societies (APSS), Minneapolis, MN. June 9-14.

Chou, C., Yang, C., & Chen, J. (2007). Dysfunctional sleep cognition and vulnerability to stress-related sleep disturbance. Poster presented at the SLEEP 21st Annual Meeting of the Associated Professional Sleep Societies (APSS), Minneapolis, MN. June 9-14.

 

TEACHING EXPERIENCE                                                                            

Instructor

Introduction to Cognitive Psychology, Rice University, Summer 2012

Teaching Assistant

Developmental Psychology, Rice University, Fall 2009

  • Took class attendance
  • Assisted setting up the media

Psychology of Emotion and Motivation, Rice University, Spring 2009, Spring 2011

  • Graded homework and tests

Research Methods, Rice University, Spring 2012

  • Graded tests, supervised group projects, and guest lecture

Memory, Fall 2012

  • Graded and provided feedbacks on weekly reaction paper

Guest Lecturer

Binocular rivalry

Lecture presented at PSYC 565 Human Olfaction, Rice University, Spring 2011

Statistics

Lecture presented at PSYC 340 Research Methods, Rice University, Spring 2012

 

TRAINING                                                                                                   

Matlab mini course, Rice University, September 5, 2011

AFNI short course, University of Texas Medical School at Houston, October 4-8, 2010

Data analysis in R mini course, Rice University, September 25, 2010

 

SKILLS                                                                                                        

Computer operating system: Windows, Macintosh, Linux

General software: Microsoft Office, PhotoImpact, Adobe Illustrator, SlideWrite

Scientific software: SPSS, JMP, R, AFNI, E-Prime, Matlab, PsyScope, AcqKnowledge

Language: Mandarin (native), English

 

SERVICE                                                                                                     

Judge for Rice Undergraduate Research Symposium                                                       April 2012

President of Rice Taiwanese Student Association                                                            2010-2011

Activity Officer of Psychology Student Association at National Chengchi University    Fall 2005

 

PROFESSIONAL REFERENCES                                                                   

Denise Chen, Ph.D.

Associate Professor of Neurology and Neuroscience

Department of Neurology

Baylor College of Medicine

One Baylor Plaza, Houston, TX 77030

Phone: 713-348-4789

E-mail: denisec@bcm.edu