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Curriculum Vitae
Melissa McInnis Brown
May 2015
Education
Ph.D.
M.A.
B.A.
2014
2012
2010
Developmental Science, Statistics Minor, University of Alabama
Developmental Science, University of Alabama
Psychology, Spanish Literature, The University of Texas at Austin
Dissertation
The Relation Between Theory of Mind and Empathy in Preschool: The Case of Fantasy
Orientation (April, 2014)
Major Professor: Ansley Tullos Gilpin, Ph.D.
Thesis
The Bully in My Mind: Investigating Children’s Negative Relationships with Imaginary
Companions (May, 2012)
Major Professor: Ansley Tullos Gilpin, Ph.D.
Undergraduate Honors Thesis
Young Children’s Understanding of Real and Pretend Invisible Phenomena and its Relationship
to the Development of the Appearance-Reality Distinction (December 2009)
Major Professor: Jacqueline D. Woolley, Ph.D.
Employment
August 2014-present
August 2011-May 2014
August 2010-May 2014
Assistant Professor
Teaching Assistant
Research Assistant
Texas Woman’s University, Denton, TX
University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, AL
University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, AL
TEACHING
Courses Taught at TWU
FS 1001 Seminar in Family Sciences (expected)
FS 1513 Human Development (expected)
FS 2503 Development of Infants and Toddlers
FS 2513 Early Childhood Development
FS 3513 Childhood and Adolescence (expected)
FS 3533 Research Methods in Family Sciences
Courses Taught at University of Alabama
PY 101 Introduction to Psychology
PY 101 Introduction to Psychology (online)
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PY 211 Elementary Statistical Methods
PY 352 Developmental Psychology Recitation
PY 356 Psychology Research Laboratory
Undergraduate Mentoring in Research (University of Alabama)
Fall 2013
Spring 2013
Fall 2012
Spring 2012
Fall 2011
Summer 2011
Spring 2011
Fall 2010
Summer 2010
11 undergraduate research assistants, 1 honors thesis student
14 undergraduate research assistants, 2 honors thesis students
9 undergraduate research assistants, 1 honors thesis student
21 undergraduate research assistants, 2 honors thesis students
13 undergraduate research assistants, 1 honors thesis student
4 undergraduate research assistants, 1 honors thesis student
11 undergraduate research assistants, 1 honors thesis student
14 undergraduate research assistants
10 undergraduate research assistants
SCHOLARSHIP/CREATIVE ACHIEVEMENTS
Refereed Publications
Woolley, J. D., & Brown, M. M. (2015). The development of children’s concepts of
invisibility. Cognitive Development, 34, 63-75. 2013 Impact Factor: 1.623; 2013 5-Year
Impact Factor: 2.392
Gilpin, A. T., Brown, M. M., & Pierucci, J. M. (accepted). Relations between fantasy orientation
and emotion regulation in preschool. Early Education & Development. 2013 5-Year
Impact Factor: 1.545
Pierucci, J. M., O’Brien, C. T., McInnis, M. A., Gilpin, A. T., & Barber, A. B. (2014). Fantasy
orientation constructs and related executive function development in preschool.
International Journal of Behavioral Development, 38, 62-69. 2013 Impact Factor: 1.495
McInnis, M. A., Pierucci, J. M., & Gilpin, A. T. (2013). Investigating valence and
autonomy in children’s relationships with imaginary companions. International Journal of
Developmental Science, 7, 151-159.
DeCaro, J., Boxmeyer, C., Gilpin, A., Lochman, J., Pierucci, J., McInnis, M., Jimenez, L. A., &
Thomas, M. (2013). Beyond stress: “Biological Sensitivity to Context” as an evolutionary
construct and its implications for psychosocial markers in field research [Abstract].
American Journal of Physical Anthropology, S56, 109-110.
Non-Refereed Publications
McInnis, M. A. (2014). The relation between theory of mind and empathy in preschool: The
case of fantasy orientation (Doctoral dissertation). Retrieved from ProQuest Dissertation
and Theses. (Accession Order No. 3639170).
McInnis, M. A. (2012). The bully in my mind: Investigating children’s negative relationships with
imaginary companions (Master’s thesis). Retrieved from ProQuest Dissertation and
Theses. (Accession Order No. 1519417).
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Presentations at Professional Meetings
Penner, K.* & Brown, M. M. (2015, April). Social development in pediatric therapy. Poster
presented at the TWU Student Creative Arts & Research Symposium, Denton, TX.
Brown, M. M., Elpers, K., & Gilpin, A. T. (2015, March). Relations between religiosity and
fantasy during childhood and adulthood. Poster presented at the biennial meeting of the
Society for Research in Child Development, Philadelphia, PA.
Thibodeau, R. B., Meyer, B.A., Brown, M. M., & Gilpin, A. T. (2015, March). The effects of
fantastical sociodramatic play on the development of executive functions: An intervention
study. Poster presented at the biennial meeting of the Society for Research in Child
Development, Philadelphia, PA.
Pierucci, J. M., Deptawa, J., Gilpin, A. T., & Brown, M. M. (2015, March). Exploring fantasy play
in childhood and its potential role in peer victimization. Poster presented at the biennial
meeting of The Association for the Study of Play, San Antonio, TX.
Woolley, J. D., & McInnis, M. A. (2013, October). The development of children’s concepts of
invisibility. In J. D. Lane (Organizer), Children’s belief in the unseen and
counterintuitive: Highlighting the roles of mental representation and cultural input.
Symposium presented at the biennial meeting of the Cognitive Development Society,
Memphis, TN.
McInnis, M. A., Thibodeau, R. B., & Gilpin, A. T. (2013, October). The relation between theory
of mind and empathy in preschool: The case of fantasy orientation. Poster presented at
the biennial meeting of the Cognitive Development Society, Memphis, TN.
McInnis, M. A., Pierucci, J. M., Rowles, S. P., & Gilpin, A. T. (2013, April). Relations
between Fantasy Orientation and Emotion Regulation. Poster presented at the biennial
meeting of the Society for Research in Child Development, Seattle, Washington.
McInnis, M. A., Pierucci, J. M., Rowles, S. P., & Gilpin, A. T. (2013, April). The Bully in My
Mind: Investigating Children’s Negative Relationships with Imaginary Companions.
Poster presented at the biennial meeting of the Society for Research in Child
Development, Seattle, Washington.
Thorn, J., Scofield, J., Thoma, S., Witte, T., & McInnis, M. (2013, April). Judging the victims
and beneficiaries of social actions. Poster presented at the biennial meeting of the
Society for Research in Child Development, Seattle, Washington
DeCaro, J. A., Boxmeyer, C. L., Gilpin, A. T., Lochman, J. E., Pierucci, J. M., McInnis, M. A.,
Jimenez, L. A., & Thomas, M. (2013, April). Beyond Stress: “Biological Sensitivity to
Context” as an Evolutionary Construct and its Implications for Psychosocial Markers in
Field Research. Podium presentation at the annual meeting of the American Association
of Physical Anthropologists, Knoxville, TN.
Boxmeyer, C. L., Gilpin, A. T., Lochman, J. E., DeCaro, J. A., Pierucci, J. M., McInnis, M. A.,
Jimenez, L. A., & Domitrovich, C. (2012, May). Improving School Readiness: Preschool
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PATHS and Coping Power Behavioral Parent Training for At-Risk Preschoolers. Poster
presented at the annual meeting of the Society for Prevention Research, Washington,
D.C.
Mathis, L., Gilpin, A. T., McInnis, M. A., Pierucci, J. M. (2011, October). Fantasy orientation
and social competence. Poster presented at the biennial meeting of the Cognitive
Development Society, Philadelphia, PA.
McInnis, M. A., Gilpin, A. T., Barker, E. D., & Pierucci, J. M. (2011, October). The Bully in My
Mind: Investigating Children with Mean Imaginary Companions. Poster presented at the
biennial meeting of the Cognitive Development Society, Philadelphia, PA.
McInnis, M. A. & Woolley, J.D. (2011, April). Young Children’s Understanding of Real and
Pretend Invisible Phenomena and its Relationship to the Development of the
Appearance-Reality Distinction. Poster presented at the biennial meeting of the Society
for Research in Child Development, Montréal, Québec, Canada.
*Undergraduate Student
Honors and Awards
2015-2016
Fall 2013
Spring 2013
Fall 2011
Spring 2011
2010-2011
2010
2009-2010
2009-2010
2009
2008
2008
2008
2008
2008
2007
2007
2006
2006
2006
Scholar, TWU Pioneer Teaching and Learning Academy
Nominated for Outstanding Teaching by a Doctoral Student Award
Society for Research in Child Development Travel Award
UA Graduate Student Research and Travel Award
UA Graduate Student Research and Travel Award
UA Graduate Student Research and Travel Award
UA Graduate Research Fellowship
(1-year research assistantship for graduate study)
UA E. Lacey Research Fellowship
(Monetary award to conduct research during summer before start of
graduate study)
UT-Austin Undergraduate Research Fellowship
(Competitive monetary award for UT students conducting original
research)
UT-Austin Rapoport-King Thesis Scholarship
(Competitive monetary award for UT students writing a departmental
honors thesis)
Phi Beta Kappa (Honor Society, University of Texas at Austin)
Phi Kappa Phi (Honor Society, University of Texas at Austin)
Psi Chi (Psychology honor society, University of Texas at Austin)
UT-Austin Merner Endowed Scholarship in the Liberal Arts
UT-Austin Bernard Rapoport Study Abroad Scholarship
UT-Austin Elaine V. Declerck Study Abroad Scholarship
UT-Austin Decherd Endowment Scholarship
UT-Austin Bernard Rapoport Liberal Arts Honors Scholarship
Conrad and Marcel Schlumberger Merit Scholarship
(National competition for children of Schlumberger employees)
Magna Cum Laude High School Graduate
Advanced Placement Scholar
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Funded Research Projects
Fantasy Orientation and Executive Functions in Adulthood.
Texas Woman’s University Small Grants Program
Funded Amount: $220, Principal Investigator: Melissa McInnis Brown
Research Projects Submitted for Funding
Fantasy Orientation: Measuring Individual Differences and Assessing Mechanisms of Cognitive
Development. Imagination Institute, “Advancing the Science of Imagination: Toward an
Imagination Quotient.” Principal Investigator: Ansley Tullos Gilpin, Consultant: Melissa
McInnis Brown. Submitted 9/30/2014.
Scholarly Works in Progress
DeCaro, J., Gilpin, A. T., Boxmeyer, C., Lochman, J., Thomas, M., Pierucci, J., & McInnis, M.
A. (under review). Biological sensitivity to context as moderator in a preliminary trial of
the Power PATH preventive intervention program for preschool.
Brown, M. M., Thibodeau, R. B., Pierucci, J. M., & Gilpin, A. T. (in prep). The relationship
between theory of mind and empathy: The case of fantasy orientation.
Brown, M. M., Mathis, L. E., & Gilpin, A. T. (in prep). Fantasy orientation and social
competency in preschoolers.
Gilpin, A. T., Brown, M. M., & Rowles, S. P. (in prep). Fantasy orientation and cooperative
play: Exploring context effects at home and school.
PROFESSIONAL SERVICE
Department
2014-2015
2014-2015
Member, Graduate Program Committee
Member, Seminar Day Planning Committee
University
Fall 2014
Fall 2014
Fall 2014
Attended 1 Faculty Senate meeting for Katherine Rose
Attended Undergraduate Council Meetings for Elizabeth McCarroll
Attended Bylaws Review Task Force Meetings for Elizabeth McCarroll
Community
Fall 2014
2nd Annual Denton Chamber Career Planning Fair Panelist
Profession
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Current Memberships
Society for Research in Child Development
Cognitive Development Society
Ad hoc Reviewer
Child Development
Developmental Psychology
Journal of Cognition and Development
Journal of Experimental Child Psychology
British Journal of Developmental Psychology
Cognitive Development
Early Education & Development
Social Development
International Journal of Behavioral Development
REFERENCES
Ansley Tullos Gilpin, Ph. D.
Assistant Professor of Psychology
Department of Psychology
Box 870348
University of Alabama
Tuscaloosa, AL 35487-0348
Office: (205) 348-9903
Cell: (205) 393-0525
gilpin@ua.edu
Role: Primary Graduate Advisor
Jacqueline D. Woolley, Ph. D.
Professor of Psychology
University of Texas at Austin
1 University Station A8000
Austin, TX 78712-0187
(512) 471-5196
woolley@psy.utexas.edu
Role: Undergraduate Honors Thesis Advisor, Collaborator during Graduate School
Frances A. Conners, Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Psychology
Department of Psychology
Box 870348
University of Alabama
Tuscaloosa, AL 35487-0348
(205) 348-7913
fconners@as.ua.edu
Role: Professor, Member of Master’s Thesis and Dissertation Committees
Steve Prentice-Dunn, Ph.D.
Professor of Psychology
Department of Psychology
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Box 870348
University of Alabama
Tuscaloosa, AL 35487-0348
(205) 348-1940
sprentic@ua.edu
Role: Professor of Teaching of Psychology Course, Primary Teaching Advisor
Jason M. Scofield, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor of Human Development
222 Child Development Research Center
Human Development and Family Studies
Human Environmental Sciences
The University of Alabama
Tuscaloosa, AL 35487-0160
(205) 348-4057
scofield@ches.ua.edu
Role: Professor, Member of Master’s Thesis and Dissertation Committees
Contact:
Melissa McInnis Brown
Assistant Professor
Early Childhood Development and Education
Department of Family Sciences
Texas Woman’s University
P.O. Box 425769
Denton, TX 76204
(940) 898-2675
mmcinnis2@twu.edu
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