Microsoft word - caren walker_cv_11.15.13.doc

Caren M. Walker
Website: www.scholar.berkeley.edu/carenwalker Phone: (607) 761-8020; Email: [email protected] EDUCATION

Ph.D. in Psychology • University of California, Berkeley (Expected May, 2015)
Additional Committee members: Fei Xu, John Campbell (Philosophy) Topics: Causal learning, cognitive development, abstract reasoning, computational models of learning
M.A. in Psychology • Boston College • (Awarded May, 2010)
Thesis: Artificial vs. Biological Life: Challenges to Children’s Essentialist Beliefs
M.A. in History & Philosophy of Science • University of Chicago (Aug., 2007)
Thesis: The Human Inventory of Innate Ideas: An Evolutionary Model of Utopian Thought
B.A. in Psychology & B.A. in Philosophy • Boston University, magna cum laude, with distinction (May, 2003)
Undergraduate Thesis Advisors: David Somers (Psychology); Charles Griswold (Philosophy) Honors Thesis in Psychology: The Neuropsychological Underpinnings to the Phenomenon of God HONORS & AWARDS
Outstanding Undergraduate Mentoring Award, University of California, Berkeley (2013)
Society for Philosophy & Psychology Poster Prize (2013)
Lisa M. Capps Graduate Fellowship (2012)
McDonnell Foundation Causal Learning Initiative Graduate Fellowship (2010-2011)
Phi Beta Kappa (2003)
National Dean’s List Scholar (2003)
Golden Key International Honor Society (2003)
Psi Chi National Honor Society (2001)
PUBLICATIONS

Peer-Reviewed Journal Articles
Walker, C.M. & Gopnik, A. (2013). Toddlers infer higher-order relational principles in causal learning.
Psychological Science, published online before print, Nov. 22nd, 2013. doi: 10.1177/0956797613502983
Gopnik, A. & Walker C.M. (2013). Considering counterfactuals: The relationship between causal learning and
pretend play. American Journal of Play (Special Issue), 6(1): 15-28.

Walker, C.M. & Gopnik, A. (2013). Pretense and possibility: A theoretical proposal about the effects of pretend
play on development: Comment on Lillard, Lerner, Hopkins, Dore, Smith & Palmquist (2013). Psychological
Bulletin, 139 (1): 40-44.
Walker, C.M., Wartenberg, T.E., & Winner, E. (2013). Engagement in philosophical dialogue facilitates children’s
reasoning about subjectivity. Developmental Psychology, 49(7): 1338-1347.
Walker, C.M., Walker, L., Ganea, P. (2013). The role of symbol-based experience in learning and transfer from
pictures: Evidence from Tanzania. Developmental Psychology, 49(7): 1315-1324.
Walker, C.M., Winner, E., Hetland, L., Simmons, S., & Goldman, L. (2011). Visual thinking: Art students have an
advantage in geometric reasoning. Creative Education, 2(1): 22-26.
Zaitchik, D., Walker, C.M., Miller, S., LaViolette, P., Feczko, E., & Dickerson B.C. (2010). Mental state
attribution and the temporoparietal junction: An fMRI study comparing belief, emotion, and perception.
Neuropsychologia, 48(9): 2528-2536.

Book Chapters
Walker, C.M. & Gopnik, A. (2013). Causality & Imagination. In Marjorie Taylor (Ed.), The development of
imagination (pp. 342-358). Oxford University Press: New York.
Walker, C.M., Wartenberg, T., & Winner, E. (2012). Examining the effects of philosophy classes on the early
development of argumentation skills. In S. Goering, N. Shudak, & T. Wartenberg (Eds.), Philosophy in schools: An
introductory handbook for philosophers and teachers, (pp. 277-287). Routledge Press: New York.
Peer-Reviewed Proceedings
Walker, C.M. & Gopnik, A. (2013). 24-month-old infants engage in relational causal reasoning. In N. Miyake, D.
Peebles, & R. P. Cooper (Eds.), Proceedings of the 35th Annual Conference of the Cognitive Science Society, pp.
1564-1568. Austin, TX: Cognitive Science Society.
Walker, C.M., Lombrozo, T., Legare, C., & Gopnik, A. (2013). Explaining to others prompts children to favor
inductively rich properties. In N. Miyake, D. Peebles, & R. P. Cooper (Eds.), Proceedings of the 35th Annual
Conference of the Cognitive Science Society, pp. 1558-1563. Austin, TX: Cognitive Science Society.
Buchsbaum, D., Walker, C.M., & Gopnik, A. (2013). Complex causal reasoning in pretend play. In N. Miyake, D.
Peebles, & R. P. Cooper (Eds.), Proceedings of the 35th Annual Conference of the Cognitive Science Society, pp. 69-
70. Austin, TX: Cognitive Science Society.

Williams, J.J., Walker, C.M., Maldonado, S.G., Lombrozo, T. (2013). Effects of explaining anomalies on the
generation and evaluation of hypotheses. In N. Miyake, D. Peebles, & R. P. Cooper (Eds.), Proceedings of the 35th
Annual Conference of the Cognitive Science Society, pp. 3777-3782. Austin, TX: Cognitive Science Society.

Walker, C.M., Ganea, P.A., & Gopnik, A. (2012). Children’s causal learning from fiction: Assessing the proximity
between real and fictional worlds. In N. Miyake, D. Peebles, & R. P. Cooper (Eds.), Proceedings of the 34th Annual
Conference of the Cognitive Science Society, pp. 1108-1113. Austin, TX: Cognitive Science Society.
Walker, C.M., Williams, J.J., Lombrozo, T., & Gopnik, A. (2012). Explaining influences children’s reliance on
evidence and prior knowledge in causal induction. In N. Miyake, D. Peebles, & R. P. Cooper (Eds.), Proceedings of
the 34th Annual Conference of the Cognitive Science Society, pp. 1114-1119. Austin, TX: Cognitive Science Society.
Williams, J.J., Walker, C.M., & Lombrozo, T. (2012). Explaining increases belief revision in the face of (many)
anomalies. In N. Miyake, D. Peebles, & R. P. Cooper (Eds.), Proceedings of the 34th Annual Conference of the
Cognitive Science Society, pp. 1149-1154 Austin, TX: Cognitive Science Society.


Papers Under Revision:
Walker, C.M., Ganea, P.A., & Gopnik, A. Learning to learn from fiction: Children’s developing sensitivity to the
causal structure of fictional worlds. Under revision at Child Development.

Walker, C.M., Williams, J.J., Lombrozo, T., & Gopnik. The role of explanation in children’s causal learning. Under
revision at Child Development.

Walker, C.M., Lombrozo, T. & Gopnik, A. Explaining prompts children to consider higher levels of abstraction in
causal reasoning. Under revision at Cognition.

REFEREED CONFERENCE PRESENTATIONS

Symposia Organized
Walker, C.M. (October, 2013). Development of abstract reasoning about relational concepts. Cognitive
Development Society in Memphis, TN.
Speakers: Caren M. Walker, Yin-Juei Chang, Jean-Remy Hochman, & Tomer Ullman

Oral Presentations
Walker, C.M. & Gopnik, A. (October, 2013). Infants infer higher-order relational principles in causal learning.
Oral presentation at Cognitive Development Society in Memphis, TN.
Walker, C.M. & Gopnik, A. (August, 2013). 24-month-olds engage in relational causal reasoning. Oral
presentation at Cognitive Science Society in Berlin, Germany.
Walker, C.M., Lombrozo, T., Legare, C., Gopnik, A. (August, 2013). Explaining prompts children to favor
inductively rich properties. Oral presentation at Cognitive Science Society in Berlin, Germany
Buchsbaum, D., Walker, C.M. & Gopnik, A. (August, 2013). Children’s complex causal reasoning in pretend play.
Cognitive Science Society in Berlin, Germany.
Walker, C.M., Buchsbaum, D., & Gopnik, A. (April, 2013). Imagining interventions: Complex causal reasoning in
pretend play. Paper Symposium: What can children learn from pretense? Oral presentation at Society for Research
in Child Development in Seattle, WA.
Walker, C.M. (March, 2013). Imagining possibilities: Pretend play and causal inference. Oral presentation at
Science Fiction and Fiction in Science in New Brunswick, NJ.
Walker, C.M., Ganea, P.A., Gopnik, A. (March, 2013). Children’s causal reasoning about fictional representations.
Oral presentation at Society for Research in Child Development in Seattle, WA.
Walker, C.M., Buchsbaum, D., Gopnik, A. (March, 2013). Imagining interventions: Complex causal reasoning in
pretend play. Oral presentation at Society for Research in Child Development in Seattle, WA.
Walker, C.M., Williams, J.J., Lombrozo, T., & Gopnik, A. (August, 2012). Explaining influences children’s causal
induction. Oral presentation at Cognitive Science Society in Sapporo, Japan.
Walker, C.M., Ganea, P.A., & Gopnik, A. (August, 2012). Children’s causal learning from stories: Assessing the
proximity between real and fictional worlds. Oral presentation at Cognitive Science Society in Sapporo, Japan.
Walker, C.M. (June, 2012). Causal learning from fictional stories: Children’s sensitivity to the proximity between
real and fictional worlds. Oral presentation at the Society for Philosophy and Psychology in Boulder, CO.
Walker, C.M. (April, 2011). The Role of Dialogic Interaction on Children’s Beliefs about Knowledge. Oral
presentation at the Pacific Division of the American Philosophical Association Meeting (Philosophy for Children
Mini-Conference) in San Diego, CA.
Walker, C.M., Wartenberg, T.E., & Winner, E. (June, 2011). Effects of Philosophy Training on Children’s
Argumentation and Epistemological Understanding. Oral presentation at Society for Research in Child Development
Biennial Meeting in Montreal, Canada.
Walker, C.M. (September, 2011). The role of explanation in children’s causal learning. Oral presentation at
Cognition, Brain, & Behavior Colloqium Series at University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA.
Walker, C.M. (June, 2010). Teaching Children Philosophy: Effects on Epistemological Understanding. Oral
presentation at Society for Philosophy and Psychology at Lewis and Clark College in Portland, OR.
Walker, C.M. (April, 2009). Investigating Childrens’ Essentialist Beliefs in the Context of the Digital Age: The
Case of Artificial Life. Oral presentation at the Interdisciplinary Graduate Conference on Consciousness at Boston
University in Boston, MA.
Walker, C.M. (November, 2007). The Human Inventory of Innate Ideas: An Evolutionary Model of Utopian
Narrative. Oral presentation at Biocultures Conference at University of Illinois at Chicago in Chicago, IL.
Poster Presentations
Walker, C.M., Lombrozo, T., Legare, C., & Gopnik, A. (October, 2013). Constructing explanations leads children
to privilege inductively rich properties. Poster presented at Cognitive Development Society in Memphis, TN.
Edwards, B.J., Walker C.M., Bonawitz, E.B., Lombrozo, T., & Gopnik, A. (October, 2013). Do 6- and 7-year-olds
update beliefs about balance?: The role of explanation in children’s theory change. Poster presented at Cognitive
Development Society in Memphis, TN.
Walker, C.M., Lombrozo, T., Legare, C., & Gopnik, A. (June, 2013). Explanation, projectibility, and causal
learning.” Poster presented at Society for Philosophy and Psychology in Providence, RI.
Walker, C.M., Ganea, P., & Gopnik, A. (October, 2011). Crossing the Boundary: Children's Understanding of the
Causal Impermeability Between Fictional and Real Worlds. Poster presented at Cognitive Development Society in
Philadelphia, PA.
Walker, C.M., Williams, J., Gopnik, A., & Lombrozo, T. (October, 2011). The Role of Explanation in Children’s
Causal Learning. Poster presented at Cognitive Development Society in Philadelphia, PA.
Walker, C.M., Walker, L., & Ganea, P. (July, 2011). Experience Facilitates Early Learning from Symbols:
Evidence from Tanzania. Poster presented at Cognitive Science Society in Boston, MA.
Walker, C.M. (October, 2009). Investigating Children’s Essentialist Beliefs in the Context of the Digital Age.”
Poster presented at Cognitive Development Society in San Antonio, TX.
Walker, C.M. (June, 2009). Biological vs. Artificial Life: Challenges to Children’s Essentialist Beliefs. Poster
presented at Society for Philosophy & Psychology at University of Indiana in Bloomington, IN.
Walker, C.M. & Zaitchik, D. (May, 2005). An Investigation of Category Specific Deficits in Alzheimer’s Disease.
Poster presented at Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center Annual Conference (Massachusetts General Hospital &
Boston University) in Boston, MA.
TEACHING APPOINTMENTS
University of California, Berkeley, Department of Psychology
Graduate Student Instructor
• “Developmental Psychology” (Spring 2013) • “Developmental Psychology” (Spring 2012) • “Developmental Psychology” (Summer 2011) • “Cultural Psychology” (Summer 2011) Boston College, Department of Psychology
Teaching Assistant
• “Introduction to Psychology as a Natural Science” (Spring 2010) • “Fundamentals of Humanistic Psychology” (Fall 2009)
University of Chicago, Department of History & Philosophy of Science
Teaching Assistant
• “Evolutionary Theory & its Role in the Human Sciences” (Spring Quarter 2008) • “Science & Culture in Western Civilization” (Fall & Winter Quarters, 2007 & Spring Quarter 2008)
Boston University College of Arts & Sciences, Writing Center
Writing Fellow
• Undergraduate Writing Clinic (Fall 2002 – Spring 2003)
UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS ADVISED
Honors Theses
• Bridget MacDonald (co-supervised with Alison Gopnik), Psychology Honors Thesis, UC Berkeley (2014) • Rosie Aboody (co-supervised with Alison Gopnik), Psychology Honors Thesis, Awarded Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship, UC, Berkeley (2013) • Sierra Eisen (co-supervised with Alison Gopnik), Psychology Honors Thesis, UC Berkeley (2013) • Anna Akullien (co-advised with Elizabeth Bonawitz & Alison Gopnik), Psychology Honors Thesis, UC • Erin O’Connor (co-advised with Ellen Winner), Psychology Honors Thesis, Boston College (2010) • Brett Bromann (co-advised with Ellen Winner), Psychology Honors Thesis, Boston College (2010)
Research Assistants & Summer Interns
University of California, Berkeley, Department of Psychology
• Bridget MacDonald, Undergraduate Research Apprentice Program (2013) • Rhea Wagle, Undergraduate Research Apprentice Program (2013) • Avnee Nulkar, Undergraduate Research Apprentice Program (2012-2013) • Samantha Hubacheck, Undergraduate Research Apprentice Program (2012-2013) • Jacob Schatz (visiting from Princeton University), Gopnik Lab Summer Internship Program (Summer, 2013) • Rebecca Herd, Gopnik Lab Summer Internship Program (Summer, 2013) • Dustin Bainto, Undergraduate Research Apprentice Program (2012-2013) • Sierra Eisen, Undergraduate Research Apprentice Program (2011-2013) • Niranja Banerjee, Undergraduate Research Apprentice Program (2011-2013) • Rosie Aboody, Undergraduate Research Apprentice Program (2010-2013) • Donna Ni, Undergraduate Research Apprentice Program (2011-2013) • Brynna Ledford, Undergraduate Research Apprentice Program (2011-2012) • Gabriel Poon (visiting from Pomona College), Gopnik Lab Summer Internship Program (Summer 2012) • Anna Akullien, Undergraduate Research Apprentice Program (2011) • Ngoc Ngygen, Undergraduate Research Apprentice Program (2010-2011) Boston College, Department of Psychology • Brett Bromann, Winner Lab Research Assistant (2010) • Hannah Feeney, Winner Lab Research Assistant (2009-2010) • Erin O’Connor, Winner Lab Research Assistant (2008-2010) • Kerrie Pieloch, Winner Lab Research Assistant (2008-2010)
ADDITIONAL RESEARCH EXPERIENCE
Boston College, Department of Psychology • Arts & Mind Laboratory (July 2008 – Aug. 2008)
Research Coordinator
• “Can Visual Arts Learning Improve Geometric Reasoning?” National Science Foundation, PI: Ellen Winner University of Chicago Hospitals, Department of Psychiatry • Substance Abuse Clinic (Sept. 2007 – May 2008)
Clinical Diagnostic Interviewer
• “C-Stop” (Smoking Cessation Study), National Institute of Health, PI: Andrea King
University of Chicago, Department of Psychology • Nancy Stein Lab (Oct 2006 – June 2007)
Research Assistant
• “Making the Invisible Visible,” National Science Foundation, PI: Nancy Stein
Massachusetts General Hospital / Harvard University Medical School, Department of Psychiatry-
Neurosciences
Gerontology Research Unit (May 2004 – May 2006)
Research Coordinator
• “Neuroimaging & Neuropsychological Studies of Patient with Memory Problems,” National Institute on • “Predictors of Severity in Patients with Memory Problems,” National Institute on Aging, PI: Yaakov Stern • “Conceptual Change in Aging & Alzheimer’s Disease,” National Institute on Aging, PI: Deborah Zaitchik • “fMRI of Mental State Attributions,” National Institute on Aging, PI: Bradford Dickerson • “Genetic Knowledge & Attitudes in Alzheimer’s Disease,” National Institute of Human Genome Research, Boston University, Department of Psychology • Perceptual Neuroimaging Laboratory (Apr. 2004 – May 2006)
Research Assistant
• “Apparent Motion,” National Science Foundation, PI: David Somers
Massachusetts General Hospital/Harvard Medical School • Genitourinary Oncology (May – Oct. 2005)
Research Assistant
• “Bicalutamide Monotherapy vs. Leuprolide Monotherapy for Prostate Cancer: Effects on Cognitive UCLA, Anthropology Department • Brain, Evolution, and Culture Program (Nov. 2004 – Mar. 2005)
Research Assistant
• “Evolution of Disgust,” PI: Daniel Fessler
OTHER RELATED EXPERIENCE
College Prowler • Pittsburgh, PA (May 2003 – May 2007)
• Walker, C.M. (2005). Boston University: Off the Record (College Prowler). College Prowler Series.
Pittsburgh: CollegeProwler. (Reprinted in 2006 & 2007). • Organizer, Science of Storytelling & Imagination Symposium, Stanford University (2014) • Research Fellow, Center for Childhood Creativity, Bay Area Discovery Museum (2013) • Science Envoy, Bay Area “Wonderfest” (2013) • Mentor, Graduate School Mentorship Program, University of California, Berkeley (2012 – Present) • Mentor, Gopnik Lab Summer Internship Program (2012, 2013) • Graduate Student Instructor, Teaching Certification, University of California, Berkeley (2012, 2013) • Volunteer, UC Berkeley Interdisciplinary Undergraduate Research Conference (2012) • Graduate Student Representative, Cognitive Development Society Board (2011 – 2013) • Mentor, Undergraduate Research Apprentice Program, University of California, Berkeley (2010 – Present) • President & Founder, Change, Plasticity, & Development Graduate Student Group at University of • Vice President/Community Outreach, Cognition, Brain, & Behavior Graduate Student Group at University of • Founder, Boston Area Conceptual Development Group (2009 – 2010) • Media & Education Outreach, Science training talks for staff at Museum of Science, Boston (2008-2010) • Education Outreach, Ellis Memorial & Eldredge House in South Boston (after-school program) (2008-2010) • Education Outreach, Newton-Tanzania Collaborative (literacy program in Kwala, Tanzania) (2008-2010) • Treasurer, Psi Chi Student Board, Boston University (2002 – 2003) • Reviewer, Developmental Psychology; Developmental Science • Reviewer, Society for Philosophy and Psychology Meeting; Cognitive Science Society • Graduate Student Board Member, Cognitive Development Society (2011-2013) • Member, Society for Research in Child Development • Member, Cognitive Science Society • Member, Society for Philosophy & Psychology • Member, American Psychological Association PROFESSIONAL CERTIFICATIONS & SKILLS • Structured Clinical Interview for DSM Disorders (SCID), University of Chicago Hospital (2007) • MRI / fMRI Neuroimaging Technician (3T Siemens MRI Scanner), Massachusetts General Hospital (2005) • Phlebotomy & Venipuncture Certification, MGH, Harvard Medical School (2004) • Electrocardiogram (EKG) Training, MGH, Harvard Medical School (2004) • Extrapyramidal & Neurological Symptom Evaluation, MGH, Harvard Medical School (2004) • Wonderfest.org – Science Envoys (Jan., 2014) - http://wonderfest.org/science-envoys/ • Harvard Education Newsletter – Engaging Young Minds With Philosophy (Jan., 2014) • The Wall Street Journal – Adventures in Experimenting on Toddlers (Dec., 2013) • Baby Zone – Your Toddler is Smarter Than You Think (Dec., 2013) • What to Expect – Toddlers Demonstrate Amazing High-Level Reasoning Skills (Dec., 2013) • NPR: “Shots” – Yes, Your Toddler Really Is Smarter than a 5-year-old (Nov., 2013) • The Psych Files Podcast - I’d Like to Have an Argument Please (Critical Thinking, Part 3) (Jan., 2013) • NPR: “Cosmos & Culture” – Learning Facts Through Fiction: An Imagined Encounter (Dec., 2012) • UC Berkeley News Center – Scientists Tap the Genius of Babies and Youngsters to Make Computers • Psychology Today – Can We Raise a New Generation of New Critical Thinkers? (Nov., 2012) • New York Times – The Examined Life, Age 8 (April, 2010)

Source: http://scholar.berkeley.edu/carenwalker/files/caren_walker_cv_11.15.13.pdf