HumRRO is excited to announce that Ashley Sylvara is the 2024 HumRRO Fellowship in Industrial-Organizational (I-O) Psychology recipient. Sylvara is an I-O doctoral candidate at Kansas State University, working toward completing her dissertation, “Automating Personality-Based Employment Interviews: A Systematic Review, Development and Validation of an AI Chatbot, and Practical Considerations,” in May 2025.
Since 1998, the HumRRO Fellowship in I-O Psychology (formerly the Meredith P. Crawford Fellowship) has been one of the most prestigious awards in the field of I-O psychology and has made a significant impact on the recipients and their research. This year, HumRRO added a Fellowship in Educational Measurement and Evaluation to recognize and support doctoral students in education and related fields. (Read about the inaugural Education Fellowship winner, Lu Liu.)
In recommending Sylvara for the I-O Psychology Fellowship, the selection committee noted her three published journal articles (first author on one) and 11 in progress (first author on six). She has also received the Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology (SIOP) 2024 Small Research Grant, the 2023 CloudResearch Grant, and the 2023 Dunlap Fellowship Award by Kansas State’s Department of Psychological Sciences.
“I am deeply honored to have been selected for the prestigious HumRRO fellowship,” said Sylvara. “It acknowledges the work I have done so far and reinforces the importance of integrating innovative tools into selection contexts. Receiving this fellowship motivates me to continue working hard and to contribute meaningfully to the field of I-O psychology.”
Encouraging the next generation of researchers is one of the primary goals of the HumRRO fellowships. “It’s important to all of us at HumRRO to recognize and support up-and-coming researchers like Ashley,” said President and CEO Suzanne Tsacoumis, Ph.D. “She has demonstrated a dedication and passion for her research, and we look forward to seeing how she impacts the field in the future.”
Sylvara’s dissertation research aims to “systematically integrate literature from organizational, psychological, and data sciences to develop an AI chatbot to administer a personality-based interview for employment interviews,” she explained. “This research has the potential not only to advance organizational selection practices by improving fairness, engagement, and efficiency but also to set a foundation for future AI-driven tools in talent management and development.”
The HumRRO fellowship grants a non-renewable $18,000 stipend, which Sylvara plans to use to support data collection, including upgrading the computing power of her PC and attending applied workshops to further her knowledge. “I built my computer back in 2015 as an undergrad, not realizing how central machine learning would become to my future work, and it’s now struggling to keep up with my research needs,” she noted.
Sylvara would like to thank her two advisors, Tianjun Sun and Jin Lee. “To Tianjun, for being a mentor, always offering guidance, and pushing me to achieve more. To Jin, for his unwavering support and encouragement throughout my academic journey.”
Applications for next year’s HumRRO Fellowship in Industrial-Organizational Psychology will open on April 1, 2025.
