Cindi May

Dr. May is a Professor of Psychology at the College of Charleston who specializes in human memory, aging, and disability. Her research is broadly focused on understanding human cognition, with a specific aim of improving outcomes for individuals who experience cognitive challenges, including older adults and individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Her publications include basic science research on circadian arousal, inhibitory processes in attention, flashbulb memory, and prospective memory, as well as applied work on inclusive education and disability in the workplace. May was named a Fellow for the Association for Psychological Science in 2016 and has been a regular contributor to Scientific American. She also writes a teaching column for the Association for Psychological Science and received the College of Charleston’s Distinguished Teaching Award in 2022.

May is a passionate advocate for initiatives that offer access and opportunity to people with intellectual disabilities. She helped develop inclusive educational programs across the country, including the REACH Program at the College of Charleston, and received a grant from the U.S Department of Education to advance inclusive options in postsecondary education. She was appointed by South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster to serve on the Disability Rights South Carolina Board of Directors and serves on the National Accreditation Team for Inclusive Postsecondary Education. May received her B.A. from Furman University and her Ph.D. from Duke University, and is a 2023 graduate of the Diversity Leadership Initiative at the Riley Institute of Furman University.