College of Business Behavioral Lab

James Van Scotter received his PhD in Management from the University of Florida.  He also completed an MBA with concentrations in Finance and Entrepreneurship from the University of Florida.  His research focuses on the effects of CEO personality on firm performance and other strategic outcomes.  His research has also examined: the roles and relationships of boards of directors,  CEO compensation, analyst ratings, and numerous other strategic issues.  In his dissertation, Dr. Van Scotter utilized publically available video clips of CEOs to assess Big Five personality factors using a "thin slice" approach.

Dr. Van Scotter is currently designing experimental studies to examine how similarities between CEOs and observers influence the accuracy of perceptions of competence.  He is currently recruiting independent study students and research assistants. If you are interested in learning more about this research, please contact him at  jvanscot@uccs.edu.

Jill Bradley-Geist received her PhD in Industrial-Organizational Psychology from Tulane University and has taught psychology, human resources, and management classes at Tulane University, California State University, Fresno, and the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs. Her research focuses on worker well-being (both psychological well-being and physical safety and well-being), workplace diversity (including subtle forms of bias and common explanations or excuses people make when discriminating against others), and the role of personality in explaining team and individual performance. 

Dr. Bradley-Geist is currently conducting various research studies examining stereotypes and discrimination based on gender, pregnancy, disabilities, race, and immigrant status. She is currently recruiting student research assistants as well as study participants. If you are interested in this research, either as a research assistant, or participant, please contact her at jill.bradley-geist@uccs.edu.

Xiaoyin Li: xli@uccs.edu

Sponsor: CU Diverse Doctorates in Business Program

Xiaoyin graduated from the MBA program of UCCS College of Business in 2020 and she is now pursuing the Graduate Certificate for Accounting. She got her master’s degree in architecture and went on studying Psychology in Shanghai. Xiaoyin is a first-generation college graduate in the family, a mother, as well as a first-generation immigrant. She is interested in studying the application of behavioral science in the world of business, is a member of the CU Diverse Doctorates in Business (DDB) program and is interested in potentially pursuing doctorate in business. In her spare time, Xiaoyin enjoys drawing and her weekly boxing sessions with her friends.

Riley McGrath: rmcgrath@uccs.edu

Sponsor: UCCS Undergraduate Research Academy

Riley is an undergraduate student in the UCCS College of Business pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Finance and a minor in Business Analytics. She is interested in eventually pursuing graduate programs in business and is interested in research about how big data and the role of business analysts will affect the future of business. Riley is a member of the UCCS Women’s cross country and track team. In her spare time, Riley enjoys cooking, hiking, swimming, and running.

Brian Pierce: bpierce@uccs.edu

Sponsor: UCCS Undergraduate Research Academy

Brian is a U.S. Army veteran currently pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Business at UCCS with aspirations for eventually attending a graduate program in the business. He is currently studying the impact of artificial intelligence on strategic decision-making and how this technology can be leveraged for organizational performance. Being from a small town in West Texas, Brian has the extensive oil industry experience and an appreciation for high school football. In his spare time, he enjoys spending time with his wife and two dogs exploring Colorado.