PANIL - Physiological and Neurological Imaging Laboratory

PANIL The Physiological and Neurological Imaging Laboratory

PANIL.ba.ttu.edu

Overview The Physiological and Neurological Imaging Laboratory (PANIL), established in August 2010 and supervised by Dr. Shannon Rinaldo, associate professor of marketing, offers cutting-edge research tools to faculty and students — both graduate and undergraduate — at the Rawls College of Business. Faculty and students utilize PANIL’s state-of-the-art research equipment to measure brain activity, muscle tension, breathing patterns, heartbeat, galvanic skin response, eye tracking, and other physiological responses. PANIL’s hands-on research environment provides faculty the opportunity to gain a real-world understanding of consumer behavior and how it relates to purchasing decisions. The lab provides students with the resources needed to become successful professionals, in addition to working closely with faculty on research efforts. Through the lab, students have unique technical research opportunities which enhance their academic experience and provide a competitive advantage in the workplace.

Past studies have examined physiological reactions to wine tasting; complaints and reactions to traumatic customer service failures; and cognitive responses to mixed emotion and humor in advertisements. Each year, a mix of almost 20 undergraduate and graduate students participate in the lab. These students may volunteer, receive course credit as an independent study, complete an honors thesis with the Texas Tech Honor’s College, or apply for a paid research assistantship.

For more information, visit PANIL.ba.ttu.edu.

“The undergraduate students who work in the lab learn how to appropriately ask and answer research questions, collect and interpret data, and work with others on a team to achieve a common goal. Many students who have worked with faculty or Ph.D. students in PANIL have later said that their experience has given them advantages in job interviews, has allowed them to understand data when presented to them in their jobs, and has helped them formulate research questions and strategies to answer unknowns for their companies. Other students, who have decided to delay starting careers, have chosen graduate school. PANIL students have entered graduate programs at University of Massachusetts Amherst, University of San Diego, and The University of Texas at Arlington, where they continue to develop research skills.�

- Shannon Rinaldo, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Marketing

“ PANIL gives our students the ability to conduct hands-on research.

Working in the lab gives them an opportunity to learn about the entire research process and build their skill set. Some of our students are writing a thesis for the Honors College and some are interested in possibly pursuing an academic career, but most of them will enter the business world. As more and more companies look to hire employees with data and research skills, being active in the lab gives them an edge for their future careers.�

- Deidre Popovich, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Marketing

“Working in PANIL complemented my undergraduate coursework and gave me beneficial data analysis and critical thinking skills. The research that you do in the lab gives you a greater understanding of marketing and the science behind consumer behavior. Through my experience in PANIL, I’ve been able to secure internships and feel confident in my post-graduate success.”

-Amanda Cook, Supply Chain Management (Fall 2016), Cyprus, Texas

“PANIL allows me to explore research questions from numerous unique perspectives. Recently, I have been studying the role of consumer complaining behavior on longer term physical and psychological health.

Such complex data collection is only possible because PANIL gives me the resources to gather and analyze multiple diverse data streams simultaneously. I believe working in PANIL is putting me in a strong position to find a preferred job and continue my research.”

-Adam Cann, Marketing Ph.D. candidate (2018), Charlotte, North Carolina

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