Cognitive Behavioral Lab
Welcome to the Cognitive Behavioral Lab’s website. Here we are seeking to understand human interaction with plants. As part of these efforts, Dr. Knuth and her team have cataloged the current literature available regarding human behavior and plant purchasing in the North American market. Please browse the keyword tabs above to find the articles links, key takeaways, and potential applications that research may have for your business or entity.
If you’re interested in collaborating, please contact Dr. Melinda Knuth (Principal Investigator) or the lab’s general contact page.
Undergraduate Students
Nick Berenson
I am a recent graduate of NC State University, studying environmental sciences and economics with a minor in mathematics and I will be continuing my graduate studies at the University of Georgia for Agricultural and Applied Economics. I am a part-time worker with the lab and I mostly help research sustainability practice adoption in the Green Industry of North Carolina. Additionally, I helped clean data and generate statistics for the North Carolina Green Industry Impact Report.
Allison Langston
Hi! I’m Allison Langston and I’m an undergraduate majoring in Horticulture. I’ve worked in the Cognitive Behavioral Lab since May 2024 and I’m primarily part-time. I mainly work on research for subjects like plastic usage and I wrote guides for lighting and waste reduction in the greenhouse as well. In addition, I became the sustainable lab coordinator and got the lab certified as sustainable while helping Amanda Solliday analyze data in a sustainability survey in floriculture. As of May 2025, I am helping Vanessa Woods run experiments with eye tracking and galvanic skin responses while utilizing programs like iMotions in addition to analyzing previously collected eye tracking data. I am especially interested in sustainability and floriculture and am excited to see where that takes me.
Ella Lin
Ella Lin is a bachelor’s student at NC State working towards a degree in Horticultural Sciences. She is interested in studying the interaction between horticultural literacy and consumption. She joined the Cognitive Behavioral Lab in 2024.
Daniel Morales
Daniel Morales is an undergraduate Horticultural Science student working part-time in the Cognitive Behavioral Lab. He is involved in preparing surveys and data collection for the North Carolina Green Industry Survey.
Morgan Talley
Hi, my name is Morgan Talley. I am an undergraduate working in the Knuth labs while studying for my bachelor’s degree in Horticulture sciences and minoring in Agricultural Business. I currently have my associate’s degree in science from Alamance Community College. I work part-time for Dr.Knuth and assist in the sending and receiving of Green Industry surveys, along with eye tracking and AOIs.
Julia Tredeau
I’m Julia, and I’m a junior studying Horticultural Sciences at NC State. I recently started working with the Cognitive Behavioral Lab to further my interest in human behaviors and their connection with plant interactions. I’m exploring this research through the lab by helping Dr. Knuth edit and produce a horticulture podcast called Growing The Future!
Sabeel Zayan
Hi everyone! My name is Sabeel Zayan, and I’m an undergraduate researcher in the Lab. I’m currently working on two projects. The first explores how the warm glow effect shapes people’s sustainability choices, looking at whether emotional satisfaction drives behavior more than actual knowledge. The second project examines how different levels of teacher preparation and lesson delivery impact student outcomes and interest in STEM careers related to horticulture, through the implementation of Career Exploration Lessons.
Graduate Students
Amelia Brady
Amelia joined the Cognitive Behavioral Lab in January 2025 as an M.S. student in Horticultural Sciences at NC State University. Her research examines consumer preferences for fresh grape products and packaging through biometric experiments, with a broader focus on consumer attitudes toward Muscadinia-type hybrids. By integrating behavioral insights with horticultural innovation, she aims to better understand how product presentation influences purchasing decisions.
Amanda Solliday
Amanda Solliday joined the Knuth lab as a doctoral student in January 2023. Her research focuses on sustainability and climate change in the horticulture industry, and she is working on a project with the American Floral Endowment to help develop practical sustainability resources for the floriculture industry. Amanda brings outreach experience from her previous work in communications at two national labs and Duke University, as a public radio science reporter, and as a scientist in the federal government.
Vanessa Woods
Vanessa Woods is exploring biophilia and how it relates to human wellness and flourishing. Vanessa is interested in how evolutionary theory supports (and does not support) various aspects of the biophilia hypothesis, whether an innate attraction for biodiversity exists, and how this attraction can inform how we build our environments. Vanessa is a Research Scientist in the Evolutionary Anthropology department at Duke University. Vanessa’s latest book, Survival of the Friendliest: Discovering our common humanity is an international bestseller.
