Psychology Ph.D. student Stephanie Byers is researching how classroom environments, teaching practices, social cues, and personal experiences shape how students learn, persist, and see themselves as capable learners
Stephanie Byers
By Hoku Tiwanak, CLA Student Writer - February 17, 2026
Stephanie Byers’ interest in psychology grew when she realized that there was more to the field than just clinical work. “A lot of people think psychology revolves around being in the medical field,” she explained. “But that’s not the only area where psychology matters.”
Growing up in a family of teachers in California’s Central Valley, she was drawn to psychology’s ability to explain everyday behavior. She watched adults around her devote hours to lesson planning, curriculum design, and student care, developing a deep appreciation for the labor behind effective teaching. “It was fascinating to see the level of care teachers put into their work,” she recalled. “That really stayed with me.”
Byers began her academic journey at Reedley College, outside of Fresno. Starting in community college and earning her associate’s degree first is an experience she continues to highlight and take pride in as a researcher today. She would eventually transfer to Humboldt State University (now Cal Poly Humboldt) to earn her undergraduate and master’s degree in psychology. During that time, Byers returned to community college to begin her first teaching assignment at College of the Redwoods in Eureka. “I loved stepping back into the classroom,” said Byers. “The mentorship part of teaching is something I am always attracted to.”
Having once been a community college student herself, Byers was especially aware of the ways instruction, encouragement, and context can shape students’ confidence, identity, and sense of belonging. As an instructor, she often asked herself: “This might be the only psychology class a student ever takes. How can I make it intriguing and useful?”
Now in her final year of the School of Psychological Sciences’ psychology Ph.D. program, Byers focuses on educational psychology through a social cognitive lens. Her research is grounded in the idea that learning does not occur in a vacuum. “Our behavior is influenced by our thoughts, attitudes, and beliefs,” she explained. “But it also works the other way around, it’s cyclical.” She is particularly interested in how students come to see themselves as capable scientists or scholars, sometimes without even realizing it.
“Students are picking up information about psychology and research just by participating in it,” she noted. “The way research is conducted, the way classrooms are structured, it all influences how students see themselves.”
One of the most surprising things Byers has encountered in her field is how often research has historically adopted a pessimistic lens toward students. Many studies, she explains, have focused on what students fail to do, why they don’t read, and why they disengage, placing responsibility solely on the learner. “There’s not enough focus on the instructor's side,” she said. “Negative learning outcomes are often talked about in education but not prevented.” Restrictive seating, for example, may subtly signal strictness or hierarchy, influencing how comfortable students feel participating.
Byers is also the current lab manager for Dr. Regan Gurung’s Applied Social Cognition (ASC) Lab, where she mentors students and helps guide research on learning in higher education. Her role encompasses not only organization and logistics, but also mentorship and professional development for undergraduate and graduate researchers.
A typical day at the lab might involve reviewing student writing, guiding peer-review exercises, or walking students through the realities of academic publishing. She makes a point to demystify the publishing process, especially rejection. “Failure is part of science,” she said. “Proposals get rejected. Papers come back with major revisions. Even people with Ph.D.s still make mistakes.”
By normalizing these experiences, Byers helps students build confidence and resilience. She emphasizes that progress in research is iterative and that setbacks are not indicators of inability. The ASC Lab itself investigates ways to improve learning in higher education, while also examining how factors such as prejudice, sexism, mental health, and even clothing influence perception and behavior.
As she completes her Ph.D., she hopes her research will encourage instructors to become more intentional about their pedagogy, learning spaces, and curricula. Teaching, she believes, carries immense responsibility and equally immense potential. By centering context, connection, and meeting students where they are, Byers asks a question that shapes both her research and mentorship: What becomes possible when educational spaces are designed with students in mind?