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Lisa Fazio

Associate Professor of Psychology and Human Development

Vanderbilt University 

Lisa Fazio studies how people learn new information, both true and false, and how to correct errors in people’s knowledge. Currently an associate professor in the Department of Psychology and Human Development at Vanderbilt University, her research focuses on how to mitigate the effects of reading false information and how to increase classroom learning.

Her work informs basic theories about learning and memory, while also having clear applications for practitioners, such as journalists and teachers. Fazio’s research focuses on the human memory system and how our brains support and derail efforts to gain new, accurate knowledge. The same processes that support everyday learning can lead us astray when we are exposed to false information.

Over the past few years, Fazio has written two articles for The Conversation (over 120,000 views), summarized recent research findings into blog posts, written two teacher guides, and been a panelist at SXSW and at the Tennessee Press Association annual meeting. In addition, she has appeared on multiple podcasts, and was featured in a 2019 segment on Full Frontal with Samantha Bee.

Fazio received her PhD from Duke University in 2010 and completed postdoctoral fellowships at both Carnegie Mellon University and the University of Pittsburgh.

Baidoa, Somalia

Makeshift, temporary shelter made of plastic and clothing at a refugee center in Baidoa, Somalia.