{"id":69863,"date":"2025-08-06T07:53:01","date_gmt":"2025-08-06T11:53:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogarchive.utc.edu\/news\/?p=69863"},"modified":"2025-08-06T08:01:47","modified_gmt":"2025-08-06T12:01:47","slug":"from-driving-simulators-to-award-winning-research-psychology-graduate-shyla-khans-road-to-internship-and-opportunity","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogarchive.utc.edu\/news\/2025\/08\/from-driving-simulators-to-award-winning-research-psychology-graduate-shyla-khans-road-to-internship-and-opportunity\/","title":{"rendered":"From driving simulators to award-winning research, psychology graduate Shyla Khan\u2019s road to internship and opportunity"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Shyla

Shyla Kahn (dark hair) and Claire Beach using the driving simulator at the Austin Hatcher Foundation for Pediatric Cancer. Photo by Angela Foster.<\/p><\/div>\n

University of Tennessee at Chattanooga graduate Shyla Khan never expected she\u2019d be monitoring someone driving race cars for her summer internship.<\/p>\n

For the last year, Khan\u2014who earned a Master of Science in Psychological Science degree from UTC in spring 2025\u2014has been working at the Austin Hatcher Foundation for Pediatric Cancer, conducting research utilizing a driving simulator.<\/p>\n

Khan\u2019s role was to examine the impact of using a driving simulator on participants\u2019 cognition. This was done by measuring various aspects, including reaction time and memory exercises.<\/p>\n

Dr. Max Teaford, assistant professor of psychology, and Khan worked together over the past two years, during which Khan held roles as a research lab coordinator and graduate teaching assistant.<\/p>\n

\u201cI tried to talk her into staying for a third year,\u201d Teaford said. \u201cIt\u2019s been a pleasure to work with Shyla. She\u2019s been pivotal in helping get my lab up and running and in coordinating the undergraduate students. She\u2019s been a great help.\u201d<\/p>\n

While working on her thesis, Khan presented a sample of her data at a Tennessee Psychological Association conference in October 2024. She looked at the effects of colorism in the media on South Asian women and how beauty standards affect their mental health by doing a cross-cultural examination.<\/p>\n

She earned first place, winning the graduate research award.<\/p>\n

\u201cI was blown away by it,\u201d said Khan, who grew up in Columbus, Georgia. \u201cI felt so validated. Honestly, it showed me that even people who don\u2019t really understand my experiences and all these women\u2019s experiences find it still important. It\u2019s still something that people want to hear about.\u201d<\/p>\n

When Khan was deciding where to pursue her graduate degree, she wanted to find a community that would support her and help her reach the goals she had set.<\/p>\n

It didn\u2019t take long for her to find a home at UTC, connecting with the campus on her first tour.<\/p>\n

\u201cI came to UTC and met my thesis advisor, who was going to be Dr. Ruth Walker in the psychology department,\u201d Khan recalled. \u201cShe had been completing a workshop at the time, so I sent her a text letting her know that I was going to be visiting campus\u2014and if she had time, to see if I could just meet her in person. She came out of her workshop and spoke to my parents and me for a solid two and a half hours during the middle of the day over the summer. She showed us around the entire department.<\/p>\n

\u201cI was just so blown away at how considerate and sincere she was.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"May

May graduate Shyla Khan, left, spent the summer months training grad student Claire Beach to take over her Austin Hatcher Foundation internship responsibilities.<\/p><\/div>\n

When looking for an internship, Khan said she wanted to find something that fit her and would look good on an application when applying for a doctorate program.<\/p>\n

She found that role in an unlikely place.<\/p>\n

\u201cI just happened to scroll past Austin Hatcher Foundation for Pediatric Cancer and they had an intern position open in marketing and events,\u201d Khan said. \u201cThe requirements were to be an undergrad student and to be a marketing major or a communications major.<\/p>\n

\u201cI was a grad student and my major was psychology. It was completely not what they were asking for but I applied.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Austin Hatcher Foundation is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to \u201cProvide a lifetime of free, comprehensive support to pediatric cancer patients and their families through mental, behavioral, educational and social services, so they can cope in the present and thrive in the future.\u201d<\/p>\n

Previously working as a registered behavioral technician, Khan said she was trying to sell her previous research work experience when she went there for the interview.<\/p>\n

Instead of the original role, a new internship was created based on Khan\u2019s experience.<\/p>\n

\u201cI appreciated that they were trying to put in so much effort in making me feel like I was a priority to them,\u201d Khan said. \u201cIt\u2019s already one of the biggest compliments I\u2019ve ever received\u2014being told that they\u2019re going to create this position for me.\u201d<\/p>\n

Khan\u2019s role was to renew a past study that had been put on hold due to the COVID-19 pandemic, using a driving simulator.<\/p>\n

Khan said this was an easy transition to make because of similar work she had done on her thesis, such as obtaining approval from the Institutional Review Board.<\/p>\n

One main difference was getting confidentiality and HIPAA approvals.<\/p>\n

After approval, she was able to begin the study, but first needed to lean on the UTC community for help.<\/p>\n

Teaford helped by providing information and hands-on experience with similar equipment.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere are a lot of similarities between simulators and virtual reality headsets, which is what we use,\u201d Teaford explained. \u201cWe recently got a motion simulator, which is also very similar\u2014some of the basic skills transfer between the two.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey were interested in pulse oximetry. We measure people\u2019s blood oxygenation. Austin Hatcher was interested in that as well. She took what she learned working with me doing research and something completely different, and then transferred that over to what they wanted to do.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Shyla

Shyla Khan earned a Master of Science in Psychological Science degree from UTC in spring 2025.<\/p><\/div>\n

After Khan graduated in May, the foundation began looking for an internship replacement\u2014and didn\u2019t have to search far. Claire Beach is a graduate student at UTC who is currently pursuing the same master\u2019s degree.<\/p>\n

Khan spent the summer months training Beach to take over her responsibilities.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt lined up perfectly because I had the most experience doing data collection, which is my favorite part of research,\u201d Beach said. \u201cSetting up a research study is not the fun part for me. I\u2019m glad that I get to do the data collection and the data analysis.\u201d<\/p>\n

Teaford said that these are important opportunities for students in the psychology department.<\/p>\n

\u201cOne of the big things for a lot of our students is getting them more real-world experience and doing research in other places besides academic ones,\u201d Teaford said, \u201cbecause oftentimes the students coming out of the psychology science graduate program are going to be doing research somewhere and it\u2019s not always at a school.\u201d<\/p>\n

Khan said that this opportunity further prepared her for pursuing her Ph.D. or entering the workforce.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m so grateful for the opportunity,\u201d she said. \u201cIt helped me do so much research. I could continue growing my resume and gain hands-on experience with a wide range of equipment. I don\u2019t think I ever would\u2019ve had the opportunity to do it anywhere else.\u201d<\/p>\n

Khan, who will be returning to Columbus for the foreseeable future, said the things she will remember the most during her time at UTC were the connections with students and faculty made on campus.<\/p>\n

\u201cI found a home here and I feel like I was able to accomplish more here than I was ever expecting,\u201d Khan said.<\/p>\n

Learn more<\/h4>\n

Visit UTC<\/a><\/p>\n

Department of Psychology<\/a><\/p>\n

How to apply<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

For the last year, Shyla Khan\u2014who earned a Master of Science in Psychological Science degree from UTC in spring 2025\u2014has been working at the Austin Hatcher Foundation for Pediatric Cancer, conducting research utilizing a driving simulator. <\/p>\n

Continue Reading <\/a><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1493,"featured_media":69867,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","_ef_editorial_meta_date_first-draft-date":"","_ef_editorial_meta_paragraph_assignment":"","_ef_editorial_meta_checkbox_needs-photo":"","_ef_editorial_meta_number_word-count":"","_ef_editorial_meta_checkbox_slider":"","_ef_editorial_meta_checkbox_featurette":"","_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[286,70,123864,61,3,7712,52,83654,64,48007,8325,661],"tags":[125835,124428,125837,123827,123826,123828,125834,123317,124776,123829,122412,123461,125836],"class_list":{"0":"post-69863","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-academics","8":"category-advancement-and-alumni","9":"category-college-of-arts-sciences","10":"category-community","11":"category-faculty-and-staff","12":"category-graduate-school","13":"category-health-and-wellness","14":"category-news","15":"category-psychology","16":"category-research-academics","17":"category-service","18":"category-students","19":"tag-austin-hatcher-foundation-for-pediatric-cancer","20":"tag-carter-graham","21":"tag-claire-beach","22":"tag-creating-the-mocs-experience","23":"tag-cultivating-a-culture-of-innovation","24":"tag-leveraging-our-special-place-as-chattanoogas-university","25":"tag-master-of-science-in-psychological-science","26":"tag-max-teaford","27":"tag-mocs-learn-mocs-do-mocs-lead","28":"tag-operating-with-excellence","29":"tag-ruth-walker","30":"tag-shyla-khan","31":"tag-tennessee-psychological-association","32":"entry"},"yoast_head":"\nFrom driving simulators to award-winning research, psychology graduate Shyla Khan\u2019s road to internship and opportunity | UTC News Archive: Jul 2007 - 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