Our Members

Miko Wilford conducts research aimed at improving real-world policies and procedures, particularly in legal domains. She is a member of the Editorial Boards for Law and Human Behavior, Psychology, Public Policy and Law, and Cognitive Research: Principles and Implications. She is also a Co-Chair of the Academic Working Group for the Plea Bargaining Institute. Dr. Wilford was previously an Assistant and then Associate Professor of Psychology at the University of Massachusetts Lowell. She earned her doctoral degree at Iowa State University under the advisement of Dr. Gary L. Wells and Dr. Jason C. K. Chan, with the support of a National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship.

Keely Allain is a doctoral candidate in the cognitive psychology area. She earned her B.A. in Psychology and

Criminal Justice from Saginaw Valley State University. She earned her M.A. in Forensic and Legal Psychology from Roger Williams University. She is currently co-heading several studies examining plea decision-making and eyewitness memory. 

Patricia is currently a Ph.D. Candidate in the Social Psychology program. Patricia began working with Dr. Wilford during her junior year in college at the University of Massachusetts, Lowell. About a year after Dr. Wilford transferred to Iowa State University, Patricia joined the lab to further pursue her research interests in the plea space. Broadly, her interests lie in social and cognitive factors that facilitate guilty pleas, with a particular interest in false guilty pleas.

Breanna Curran is a doctoral candidate in the social psychology area. She grew up in Maryland, earned a B.S. in Psychology and Criminology from Florida Southern College, and a M.S. in Psychology from Iowa State University. Her research interests lie within the field of psychology and law. More specifically she has been investigating the intersections between personality and disclosure as well as sleep and investigative interviewing.

Olivia is a junior undergraduate student in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. She is double majoring psychology and music. Olivia joined the P.L.E.A. lab this fall semester in hopes of gaining a better understanding of our legal system, and to learn how psychological research can inform and influence real-world legal practice.

Mackenzie is an undergraduate student double-majoring in psychology and criminal justice. She joined the PLEA lab in the spring of 2026. She joined the lab because she wanted to use the experience to learn more about the impact of psychology on legal procedures. Mackenzie is interested in studying forensic psychology or psychology and law in graduate school. 

Amanda is an undergraduate student in the College of Business and LAS College studying both business analytics and psychology. Amanda joined the P.L.E.A. lab in the fall semester of 2024. She joined the lab to gain experimental research experience and learn more about the intersection of psychology and law.

Claire is a current undergraduate student majoring in psychology and criminal justice with a minor in sociology. She joined the P.L.E.A. lab in the fall semester of 2024. She hopes to attend graduate school and study forensic or cognitive therapy. She is passionate about helping people improve their mental health and well-being.

Sophia is an undergraduate student double majoring in psychology and PR. Sophia joined the lab in the fall semester of 2024. Sophia was looking for research opportunities in psychology on campus and the PLEA lab stood out to her. She saw that the lab works in legal psychology, which she hadn't known much about before, but knew she’d love it. Thanks to the PLEA lab, she now wants to attend law school after graduating!