About Timothy Peine

I've always learned by doing. I taught myself how to play multiple instruments, photography, chess, sleight of hand card magic......the list goes on. Whatever caught my curiosity, I found a way in. That same instinct is what drew me to research. I have questions about how AI is changing the way people think and make decisions, and I want to find rigorous answers to them. I also care about education. I've held three TA positions at SDSU (as well as helped design curriculum), and the opportunity to teach and mentor as a career is a significant part of why I'm pursuing academia.
 

Before committing to research full-time, I worked as a carpenter, an operations manager, and a technology assurance intern at KPMG (among other positions, such as a bartender....I like to keep busy). I'm returning to KPMG in August 2026 as a Technology Assurance Associate. That range of experience reinforced something that has always stood out to me: most questions worth asking can't be answered through a single lens. It's why my work sits at the intersection of information systems and cognitive psychology.

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I completed my B.S. in Information Systems at San Diego State University in May 2026, Summa Cum Laude. I'm applying to PhD programs for Fall 2027.