Academic Credentials
  • Ph.D., Psychology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, 2019
  • M.S., Psychology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, 2015
  • B.A., Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), 2013
Licenses & Certifications
  • American Sailing Association Certification, 101
  • American Sailing Association Certification, 103
  • American Sailing Association Certification, 104
Academic Appointments
  • Instructor, Psychology, University of Michigan, 2018
Professional Affiliations
  • Human Factors and Ergonomics Society (member)

Dr. Phillips has extensive training in the areas of attention, signal detection and response, perceptual sensitivity, inhibitory control and how these factors contribute to performance. She applies her expertise to address and analyze human factors contributions to vehicular, bicyclist and pedestrian accidents, trips, slips and falls, and accidents involving consumer products. 

Dr. Phillips utilizes her knowledge of human cognition, perception and behavior to design and conduct experiments to further our insights and datasets regarding the accuracy, preparedness, and responsiveness of individuals, and how these human variables interact with environmental factors.

Dr. Phillips joined Exponent after receiving her PhD in psychology from the University of Michigan. Combining neural manipulations with large behavioral datasets, her research focused on individual differences in cognitive and neurobiological mechanisms for attention and signal detection. In her examination of these mechanisms, Dr. Phillips investigated how specific signal properties — brightness, duration, relationship to the environment, prior experience — contributed to response behavior. In addition to research endeavors, she was an instructor on the neuropsychology of executive functions (i.e. attention, decision-making, inhibitory control) for the Psychology department at the University of Michigan.