West campus news Releases Archive

National psychology-law research program selects ASU undergrad to participate

Jun. 24, 2005

Daniel Delgadillo, a junior at Arizona State University, is among 10 college psychology students nationwide selected for a new undergraduate research program in the combined field of psychology and law at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln (UNL).

The Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) program at UNL offers advanced research training to undergraduate students interested in the fields of psychology and law. In this one-year program, which is funded by a grant from The National Science Foundation, Delgadillo will conduct research with top-notch psychology and law doctoral students under the mentoring of university faculty.

During the past year, Delgadillo has been working as a lab assistant for an ASU psychology professor who conducts research on the reliability of eyewitness testimony under various circumstances, and how juries make decisions based on eyewitness testimony presented at trial.

"As my lab assistant, Daniel is learning how to conduct all the phases of a research project, from putting a project together, getting stimulus materials, gathering data and doing data analysis," said Dawn McQuiston-Surrett, assistant professor of psychology in the New College of Interdisciplinary Arts and Sciences at ASU's West campus. "He has been working specifically on collecting data for a research study about how well eyewitnesses recall the details of a face of someone of another race."

Delgadillo is particularly intrigued with research involving eyewitness accounts in courtroom testimony. "Even though there's been a lot of studies in eyewitness research not a lot has been applied to real life situations in the courtroom," he said. "I'm interested in taking real-life examples of field practices of law and examining how things can have different effects in real situations."

Delgadillo's experience as a research assistant at ASU will be particularly helpful as he begins his year at UNL, McQuiston-Surrett said. "The research skills he has learned working in my laboratory as an undergraduate assistant have given him the preparation he needs jump right into his work at UNL," she said. "This opportunity will undoubtedly make him very competitive when he applies to graduate school."

Delgadillo is an ASU Barrett Honors College student with a double major: psychology and communication. His campus activities include roles in student government, the Hispanic Honor Society, PsiChi National Honor Society, and Students and Against Destructive Decisions. He is an Eagle Scout and was awarded the coveted Vigil Honor as a member of the Order of the Arrow for his outstanding service to scouting and his community.

Delgadillo plans to pursue a career in the field of psychology and law as a researcher or professor.

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