Biography
Jolynn’s teaching career began in the 2nd grade when she created and graded math tests for her younger siblings during summer break. Her teaching continued throughout her education, eventually leading to roles as a teaching assistant for statistics and a graduate student instructor for courses in statistics, psychometrics, research methods, and cognition. She loves finding ways to make learning engaging and enjoyable, even when the subject is not one students initially expect to love. Jolynn believes that connections, with each other, with oneself, and with the material, provide the foundation for meaningful personal and academic growth.
This focus on well-being is also reflected in Jolynn’s research. For the past eight years, Jolynn has studied the role of sleep in mental health. For two of those years, her research specifically examined how insufficient sleep affects emotion regulation and suicidal thoughts. She hopes to help students recognize the important connection between their well-being, and their ability to learn, grow, and succeed.
New to Hawaii, Jolynn is enjoying exploring the island’s beautiful mountains and beaches and, of course, sampling its abundance of fresh fruit. On drives around the island, Jolynn is often the one pointing out the striking mountains, while her husband is captivated by the beaches and ocean. Hawaii seems like the perfect place for both the mountain girl and beach boy in them to feel at home.