About JAB Lab
Mission
JAB Lab (Joe’s Astoundingly Broke Lab) uses modern technology to amplify the creation of research tools and execution of small-scale research. We embrace a learning-while-doing approach: systematic curation and synthesis paired with flexibility in execution.
Research Philosophy
Independent research doesn’t require institutional affiliation to be rigorous. By combining: - Modern computational tools (LLMs, Python/R, Quarto) - Systematic evidence synthesis - Iterative tool development - Open science practices
…we can tackle sophisticated questions about cognition, social behavior, and research practice itself.
Current Focus Areas
Violence Research
Multi-level evidence synthesis examining individual, relational, community, and societal factors. Building toward model cards and real-time event pattern detection.
AI & Scholarship
Investigating hallucitated citations in academic work - when do they occur, who detects them, what contexts enable them? Pilot study in progress with GPTZero.
Evaluation Methods
Comparing frameworks across educational and AI evaluation. Where do best practices converge? How do validity, replicability, and accessibility differ across domains?
Intellectual Network Map
Interactive visualization mapping personal reading collection across 8 core intellectual problem domains. Reveals conceptual connections, identifies knowledge gaps, and highlights bridge authors who span multiple fields. Built with Python/NetworkX and deployed as an interactive web application.
Research Tools
Developing platforms for literature curation, citation management, knowledge synthesis, and conceptual mapping. Making research infrastructure accessible.
Principal Investigator
Joseph Zachary (JZ) Stafura, PhD
Cognitive psychologist combining rigorous experimental methods with modern data science and computational tools. Current work focuses on evidence synthesis, research infrastructure development, and AI-assisted scholarship analysis.
Education: - PhD, Cognitive Psychology (Cognitive Neuroscience concentration), advised by Charles Perfetti
- BA, Psychology & English Literature, Purchase College (Summa Cum Laude)
Current Work: - Built interactive evidence synthesis dashboard for violence research (deployed) - Developing LLM-assisted tools for literature curation and citation management - Pilot study on hallucitated citations in scholarly work (with GPTZero) - Comparative framework analysis across educational and AI evaluation domains
Technical Expertise:
Statistical & Computational Methods - Advanced modeling: GLM, mixed models, SEM, psychometrics - Programming: R, Python, SQL - Reproducible workflows: Quarto, Git/GitHub, literate programming - Experimental design and psychometric validation
Research Infrastructure & Tools - LLM-assisted evidence synthesis and knowledge curation - Interactive dashboard development (HTML/CSS/JavaScript) - Citation management and bibliographic analysis - Web-based research tools and data visualization
Background & Context - Co-authored influential reading comprehension framework with Charles Perfetti (2014; 2046 citations, Google Scholar) - First-author experimental work on word-to-text integration using ERPs (Stafura & Perfetti, 2014, Neuropsychologia; 59 citations, Google Scholar) - Founded SMS-based assessment platform for team performance and individual development - Extensive EEG/ERP work: event-related potential studies, factor analysis (PCA), wavelet analysis, laboratory setup and validation - Ecological Momentary Assessment research (University of Pittsburgh) - Published work in reading, language processing, memory, and cognitive neuroscience
Why “JAB Lab”?
The tongue-in-cheek name reflects the reality: this is self-funded, informal, and built on the belief that doing creative, rigorous research attracts meaningful collaboration and opportunities.
Get Involved
Interested in collaboration or have questions about the work?
Connect: LinkedIn