Katie Annemarie Keil
About Me
Katherine (Katie) Keil is a fourth-year student at Northwestern University studying Political Science and Psychology with Interdisciplinary Honors. She plans to pursue a PhD in Political Science beginning in Fall 2026, with a focus on American politics, where she hopes to explore the relationship between personality dynamics and political behavior. Her current work examines the role of elite cues and endorsements of political violence in shaping individual attitudes, drawing on industrial-organizational psychology and social network theory to model top-down pathways of political influence.
Education
Northwestern University, Weinberg College of Arts + Sciences
Expected Graduation: June 2026
Bachelor of Arts in Political Science, Psychology; Minor in History with a Concentration in United States; GPA: 3.94
Relevant Coursework: Statistical Research Methods, The American Presidency, Public Opinion & Voting Behavior, Congress & the Legislative Process, Political Psychology, Political Research Seminar: Democracy under Siege, Political Research Seminar: Experiments in Political Science, Research Methods in Psychology, Social Psychology, Psychology of Personality, Decision Making, Independent Research Study (x5)
Research Experience
Northwestern University, School of Education and Social Policy, Evanston, IL
Research Assistant, September 2024 – Present
Advisor: David N. Rapp
Part of the Reading Comprehension Lab, researching the mediating role of knowledge and resulting perceptions of AI versus human communication alongside PhD student Sam Agnoli.
Northwestern University, Kellogg School of Management, Evanston, IL
Research Assistant, January 2024 – Present
Advisor: Eli J. Finkel
Part of the Relationships and Motivation Lab (RAMLAB), with my primary base in Kellogg researching organizational management and group dynamics alongside PhD student Trevor Spelman. Also managing content and marketing development of the “Love Factually” podcast featuring Eli Finkel and Paul Eastwick.
Northwestern University, Psychology Department, Evanston, IL
Research Assistant, January 2024 – January 2025
Advisor: Eli J. Finkel
Responsible for copyediting within the 6th edition of the Handbook of Social Psychology. Previously assisted PhD student and RAMLAB member Emma McGorray by interacting with participants in an online chat format as part of a project assessing the factors that help people feel supported when reflecting on their experiences of LGBTQ+-related stress.
Northwestern University, Psychology Department, Evanston, IL
Independent Researcher, October 2023 – April 2024
Advisor: H. David Smith
Conducted research on home-field advantage and various performance factors affecting individuals and teams across sports.
Northwestern University, History Department, Evanston, IL
Leopold Fellow, June 2023 – May 2024
Advisor: Lauren Stokes
Conducted research on "Social History of the Jet Age," focusing on the archival history of the Air Line Pilots Association and the development of sustainable aviation technology.