Dr. Kelsey Allen is an Assistant Professor at the University of British Columbia in the Department of Psychology. She received her PhD in Brain and Cognitive Sciences from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 2021 after completing her BSc at the University of British Columbia in 2014. Dr. Allen's research focuses on cognitive science, machine learning, and robotics, with a particular interest in tool use and creation. She examines everyday challenges, like using a broom to reach something out of reach, to grand challenges in science and engineering, such as the development of wind turbines and rocket ships. Dr. Allen's work investigates the computational mechanisms that support complex behaviors in humans, aiming to endow machines with similar abilities to flexibly and appropriately tackle new challenges. Her teaching and research interests bridge theoretical insights and practical applications in cognitive science and artificial intelligence.