Curriculum Vitae
Cory A. Logston, Ph.D.
Media Psychologist
Santa Clarita, CA
corylogstonla@gmail.com
LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/cory-logston
Professional Summary
Media psychologist, researcher, and educational designer specializing in the intersection of psychology, education, and emerging media. My work explores how psychology, storytelling, immersive learning, and evidence-informed educational design can foster perspective-taking, critical thinking, media literacy, and civic engagement. Through research, consulting, and interdisciplinary collaboration, I translate psychological science into meaningful learning experiences for academic, nonprofit, and community settings.
Education
Fielding Graduate University, Santa Barbara, CA
Ph.D., Media Psychology, 2025
Dissertation: The effects of historical empathy and transformative learning on implicit bias in a VR Experience
Avila University, Kansas City, MO
Bachelor of Arts, Speech and Theater (1986)
Research Projects
Bridge to Civics (2025–Present). Project lead for a collaborative initiative developing scenario-based microlearning to promote civic engagement, media literacy, and critical thinking among adult learners. Responsible for curriculum design, research integration, grant development, and evaluation planning in collaboration with the Marie Fielder Center for Democracy, Leadership, and Education.
Moral Dissonance Research (2026–Present). Creator and lead investigator of the Moral Dissonance Theory, a developing psychological framework examining the relationship between cognitive dissonance, moral identity, and social behavior. Leading theory development, literature synthesis, and manuscript preparation.
Bucket List Research (2026–Present). Principal investigator developing a mixed-methods research study examining how individuals construct meaning, purpose, and identity through personal bucket lists. Responsible for study design, interview protocol development, and IRB preparation.
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TechEnlight Nigeria (2023–2025). Co-creator, instructor, and researcher for a digital literacy intervention addressing the digital divide in rural Nigerian schools.
Dissertation Research (2020–2025). Designed and conducted an IRB-approved quantitative study examining the effects of reading, video, and immersive virtual reality on empathy, perspective-taking, transformative learning, and implicit racial bias. Presented the research at national conferences and published the completed study as a doctoral dissertation.
Taking a Stand: The Rosa Parks Immersive Experience (2022–Present). Currently developing a 360 VR experience designed to foster historical empathy and awareness of racial bias through the lens of Rosa Parks' story. This project integrates narrative design with media psychology to support transformative learning in educational settings.
Experience
Founder / Researcher (2020-2025)
Immersive Reality for Education and Research
Developed and produced virtual reality and 360° learning experiences for museums, nonprofits, and community organizations, emphasizing equity, cultural preservation, and social justice.
Set Designer & Art Director
Cory Logston Designs, Art Director/Set Designer (2015-2020)
Commercial/Advertising – Santa Clarita, CA
Adjunct Faculty
Kansas City International Art Institute (2012-2014)
Instructor: Production Design, Costume History, Dress: Society & Culture
Publications
Logston, C. A. (2026). An immersive entry into conversation. In K. Rogers (Ed.), The World Café: Social Innovation in Action (pp. 112–127). Fielding Graduate University Press.
Logston, C. A. (2025). Empathy in VR: Historical perspective-taking and racial bias. In J. Isbouts (Ed.), Media Psychology Today (pp. 202–231). Fielding Graduate University Press.
​Logston, C. (2025). The effects of historical empathy and transformative learning on implicit bias in a VR experience. (Doctoral dissertation, Fielding Graduate University). ProQuest.
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Logston, C. (2025). Compassionate leadership. In Nice to Meet You (Eds.), pp. 3-8. IngramSpark.
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Alimigbe, F., & Logston, C. (2024, October). TechEnlight: Empowering teachers to address the digital literacy gap in the Federal Capital Territory, Nigeria [Conference paper]. American Association for Adult and Continuing Education Commission for International Adult Education (CIAE) Annual Pre-Conference, Reno, NV. ERIC.
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Logston, C. (2022). Virtual reality as a transformative learning experience to reduce implicit racial bias. American Association for Adult and Continuing Education. Annual Conference, Milwaukee, WI. ERIC.
Presentations
2026
Logston, C. A. (2026, October). Bridge to Civics: Scenario-based microlearning for adult civic engagement [Conference presentation]. American Association for Adult and Continuing Education Annual Conference, Louisville, KY. (Accepted)
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Logston, C. A. (2026, October). Building bridges through dialogue: Integrating immersive media into the World Café process [Conference presentation]. American Association for Adult and Continuing Education Annual Conference, Louisville, KY. (Accepted)
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2024
Alimigbe, F., & Logston, C. A. (2024, October). TechEnlight: Empowering teachers to address the digital literacy gap in the Federal Capital Territory, Nigeria [Conference presentation]. American Association for Adult and Continuing Education Annual Conference, Reno, NV.
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Logston, C. A. (2024, October). Immersive learning through virtual and augmented reality in creating new trajectories in adult education [Conference presentation]. American Association for Adult and Continuing Education Annual Conference, Reno, NV.
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Logston, C. A. (2024, February). Immersive learning [Guest lecture]. EDAC 698 Graduate Seminar, Ball State University, Muncie, IN.
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2023
Logston, C. A. (2023, October). Immersive learning to promote cultural competence in community education [Conference presentation]. American Association for Adult and Continuing Education Annual Conference, Lexington, KY.
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2022
Logston, C. A. (2022, October). Virtual reality as a learning experience to reduce implicit racial bias [Conference presentation]. American Association for Adult and Continuing Education Annual Conference, Milwaukee, WI.
Logston, C. A. (2022, April). Virtual reality as a catalyst to induce a perspective transformation and reduce implicit racial bias [Conference presentation]. Coalition on Adult Basic Education Conference, Seattle, WA.
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Scholarly Services
Peer Reviewer
Journal of Transformative Learning (2026)
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Awards
Marie Fielder Center for Democracy, Leadership and Education – Fellowship Recipient
Project: A Rosa Parks Virtual Reality Experience
Certifications
CITI Certified – exp. 2026
Grant Writer Certification – 2021
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Professional Affiliations
APA Division 46 – Media Psychology & Technology
American Association for Adult and Continuing Education (AAACE)
National Association for Media Literacy Education (NAMLE)
Social Psychology Network
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Community Involvement
Kiwanis International (2024)
Volunteer on community education fundraising committees.
Spotlight Arts Center (2014–2020)
Board of Directors, volunteer music teacher for children ages 3–12.