Jonathan Wai

Department of Psychology and Human Development

0552 GPC, 230 Appleton Place

Vanderbilt University

Nashville, TN 37203-5721

Phone: (615) 428-2765

Fax: (615) 343-9494

jonathan.wai@vanderbilt.edu

 

Education

 

Vanderbilt University, PhD: Quantitative Methods in Psychology, expected May 2009.

 

Vanderbilt University, MS: Quantitative Methods in Psychology, 2005.

      Thesis: Creativity and occupational accomplishments among intellectually precocious youths:

      An age 13 to age 33 longitudinal study.

 

Claremont Graduate University, MA: Cognitive Psychology and Evaluation, 2003.

 

Claremont McKenna College, BA: Mathematics and Psychology, 2002.

 

Academic Honors and Awards

 

Society of Multivariate Experimental Psychology (SMEP) Dissertation Award, 2007.

Mensa Award for Research Excellence, 2006.

Vanderbilt University Graduate Fellowship, 2003-2007.

Peabody Honor Scholarship, 2003-2007.

International Society for Intelligence Research, Travel Award, Templeton Foundation, 2005-2007.

Factor Analysis at 100 Student Travel Award, University of North CarolinaChapel Hill, 2004.

Graduate School Travel Grants, 2003-2008.

Uhlmann Scholar, Claremont McKenna College, 1998-2002.

Washington Scholar, 1998-2002.

 

Employment and Research Experience

 

Instructor, Department of Psychology and Human Development, Vanderbilt University, 2007-Present.

 

Graduate Research Assistant, Study of Mathematically Precocious Youth, Department of Psychology and Human Development, Vanderbilt University, 2003-Present.

 

Graduate Research Assistant, Berger Institute for Work, Family and Children, Claremont McKenna College, 2002-2003.

 

Professional Affiliations

 

International Society for Intelligence Research

 

Professional Service

 

Ad hoc reviewer: Developmental Psychology, Gifted Child Quarterly, Learning and Individual Differences.

Graduate Student Council for Psychology and Human Development, 2003-2004.

Visual Historian, International Society for Intelligence Research, 2003-Present.

 

Refereed Publications

 

Wai, J., Lubinski, D., & Benbow, C. P. (under review). Spatial ability for STEM domains: Aligning over fifty years of cumulative psychological knowledge solidifies its importance.

 

Halpern, D. F., & Wai, J. (2007). The world of competitive Scrabble: Novice and expert differences in visuospatial and verbal abilities. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Applied, 13, 79-94. View in PDF

 

Wai, J., Lubinski, D., & Benbow, C. P. (2005). Creativity and occupational accomplishments among intellectually precocious youths: An age 13 to age 33 longitudinal study. Journal of Educational Psychology, 97, 484-492. View in PDF

 

Book Chapters

 

Wai, J., Lubinski, D., & Benbow, C. P. (in press). Aligning potential and passion for promise: A model for educating intellectually talented youth. In J. S. Renzulli (Ed.) Systems and models for developing programs for the gifted and talented. Mansfield Center, CT: Creative Learning Press, Inc.

 

Halpern, D. F., Wai, J., & Saw, A. (2005). A psychobiosocial model: Why females are sometimes > and sometimes < males in math achievement. In J. Kaufman and A. Gallagher (Eds.), Gender Differences in Mathematics. Cambridge, MA: Cambridge University Press.

 

Book Review

 

Wai, J. (2008). A review of Arthur Jensen’s book Clocking the mind: Mental chronometry and individual differences. Gifted Child Quarterly, 52, 99-104. View in PDF

 

Encyclopedia Entry

 

Wai, J., & Lubinski, D. (2008). Intelligence. Encyclopedia of counseling psychology. Thousand Oaks: Sage Publications.

 

Presentations

 

Wai, J., Lubinski, D., & Benbow, C. P. (2008, May). Spatial ability for STEM domains: Aligning over fifty years of cumulative psychological knowledge solidifies its importance. Paper presented at the ninth biennial Wallace National Research Symposium on Talent Development, Iowa City, IA.

Wai, J., Lubinski, D., & Benbow, C. P. (2007, December). Spatial ability for STEM domains: Over fifty years of cumulative psychological knowledge highlights its longstanding neglect. Paper presented at the eighth annual meeting of the International Society for Intelligence Research, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.

Wai, J. & Halpern, D. F. (2007, May). The world of competitive Scrabble: Expert and novice differences in verbal and visuospatial abilities. Poster session presented at the 19th annual convention of the Association for Psychological Science, Washington, DC.

Lubinski, D., Benbow, C. P., Webb, R. M., Bleske-Rechek, A., & Wai, J. (2006, August). Tracking exceptional human capital over two decades. American Psychological Association, New Orleans, LA.

Wai, J., Lubinski, D., & Benbow, C. P. (2006, May). Creativity: Individual differences within the top 1% of ability make a difference. Poster presented at the eighth biennial Wallace National Research Symposium on Talent Development, Iowa City, IA.

Wai, J., Lubinski, D., & Benbow, C. P. (2005, December). Creative accomplishments covary with ability even among the top 1%. Paper presented at the sixth annual meeting of the International Society for Intelligence Research, Albuquerque, NM.

Lubinski, D., Benbow, C. P., Webb, R. M., Bleske-Rechek, A., & Wai, J. (2005, October). Tracking exceptional human capital over two decades. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the Society for Multivariate Experimental Psychology. Lake Tahoe, NV.

Wai, J., Lubinski, D., & Benbow, C. P. (2004, December). Vocational achievement and creativity among intellectually precocious youth: An age 13 to age 33 longitudinal study. Paper presented at the fifth annual meeting of the International Society for Intelligence Research, New Orleans, LA.

Wai, J., Lubinski, D., & Benbow, C. P. (2004, May). Ability intensity and ability/preference configuration both contribute to the prediction of educational and vocational outcomes over 20 years. Paper presented at the seventh biennial Wallace National Research Symposium on Talent Development, Iowa City, IA.

Wai, J. & Halpern, D. F. (2003, May). The competitive world of Scrabble: Cognitive processes of expert players. Poster session presented at the 83rd annual meeting of the Western Psychological Association, Vancouver, BC.

 

Teaching Experience

 

Psychometric Methods (Tests and Measurement), undergraduate level, Spring and Fall, 2008;

      Spring 2009.

 

Introduction to Statistical Analysis, undergraduate level, Spring and Fall, 2007.

 

References

 

Dr. Camilla P. Benbow

Patricia and Rodes Hart Dean of Education and Human Development

Peabody College

MSC 329, Peabody Station

Vanderbilt University

Nashville, TN 37203

Phone: (615) 322-8407; Fax (615) 322-8501

Email: camilla.benbow@vanderbilt.edu

 

Dr. Diane F. Halpern

Professor of Psychology

Claremont McKenna College

850 Columbia Avenue

Claremont, CA 91711

President, 2004, American Psychological Association

Phone and Fax: (626) 798-9456

Email: diane.halpern@cmc.edu

 

Dr. David Lubinski

Professor of Psychology

Department of Psychology and Human Development

Vanderbilt University

0552 GPC

230 Appleton Place

Nashville, TN 37203

Phone: (615) 343-1195; Fax: (615) 343-9494

Email: david.lubinski@vanderbilt.edu

 

Dr. James H. Steiger

Director, Quantitative Methods Program, Psychological Sciences

Vanderbilt University

0552 GPC

230 Appleton Place

Nashville, TN 37203

Phone: (615) 322-7060; Fax: (615) 343-9494

Email: james.h.steiger@vanderbilt.edu