PEARL Lab Director

Dr. Ricardo Brooks is an Assistant Professor of Industrial-Organizational Psychology and director of the Personnel Evaluation and Assessment for Retention and Learning (PEARL) Lab at Penn State University.

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Research conducted in the PEARL Lab explores workplace learning (e.g., formal training, informal learning, professional development) and the development, use, and validity of assessments (e.g., situational judgment tests [SJTs], work-based simulations) for use in personnel selection and workplace learning contexts. Ricardo also researches Organizational Cybersecurity behaviors (e.g., policy compliance and violation) and what drives individuals to exhibit them.

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Prior to joining Penn State University, he previously worked as a Post-Doctoral Research Associate at The University of Texas, Arlington (2023-2024) in the EAST Lab alongside Lab Director Dr. Martín-Raugh . He received his Ph.D. in Industrial-Organizational Psychology in 2024 from the State University of New York at Albany. He has authored several publications featured in outlets such as the Journal of Business and Psychology and the International Journal of Training and Development. Ricardo has also presented his research at such conferences as the annual meetings of Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychologists and the Academy of Management.​