The AWEN Lab conducts peer-reviewed empirical research at the intersection of creativity, inspiration, and well-being. Drawing on cognitive psychology, neuroaesthetics, machine-learning, and experience sampling methods, our work investigates how creative individuals think, feel, and flourish — and translates those findings into practice.

Lab Director

Kaile Smith is a doctoral candidate in Cognitive and Comparative Psychology at The Graduate Center, CUNY, affiliated with Brooklyn College's Psychology Department, where she teaches Statistical Methods and Experimental Psychology. Her research investigates the psychology of inspiration, creativity, and well-being — with a particular focus on the emotional, motivational, and identity-related experiences of creative individuals in their everyday lives. She uses experience sampling and daily diary methods, as well as machine learning and text-mining approaches, to study these phenomena as they unfold in real time.

She has presented her research at international conferences in creativity and empirical aesthetics, and serves as a research consultant for the Creativity and Emotions Lab at the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence. Kaile holds an M.Sc. in Psychology of the Arts, Neuroaesthetics, and Creativity from Goldsmiths, University of London, and a B.F.A. from Parsons School of Design.

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Academic Publications

Smith, K., & Drake, J. E. (2026). Creative flourishing: unpacking the creativity-well-being connection in creative practitioners and comparison participants. The Journal of Positive Psychology, 1–17.

Smith, K., Pickering, A., & Bhattacharya, J. (2022). The creative life: A daily diary study of creativity, affect, and well-being in creative individuals. Creativity Research Journal, 34(4), 460-479.

McKay, A. S., Nguyen, T. L., Smith, K., & Karwowski, M. (2026). Daily mood profiles and creativity: Evidence from three field samples. Psychology of Aesthetics, Creativity, and the Arts. Advance online publication.

Mykoniatis, S., Smith, K., Drake, J. E. (2024). The drawing effect: Does drawing really enhance memory for verbally presented information? Empirical Studies of the Arts.

Active Research

Cultivating Inspiration in Daily Life: Effects on Creativity and Well-Being

  • TEAM: Kaile Smith & Aaron Kozbelt

  • PARTNERS: The Graduate Center, CUNY, Brooklyn College, CUNY

  • FUNDING: Doctoral Student Research Grant program, The Graduate Center, CUNY

Developing and Validating a State Scale for Measuring Inspiration

  • TEAM: Kaile Smith, Aleksandra Zielińska, Paul Silvia, Edward Vessel, Aaron Kozbelt, & Jennifer E. Drake

  • PARTNERS: The Graduate Center, CUNY, University of Wroclaw, University of North Carolina at Greensboro, The City College of New York, CUNY, Baruch College, CUNY, Brooklyn College, CUNY

  • FUNDING: Doctoral Student Research Grant program, The Graduate Center, CUNY

Mapping the Phenomenology of Inspiration

  • TEAM: Kaile Smith, Riley Fitzpatrick, Jennifer Gao, & Aaron Kozbelt

  • PARTNERS: The Graduate Center, CUNY, Brooklyn College, CUNY

  • FUNDING: Doctoral Student Research Grant program, The Graduate Center, CUNY

Does Inspiration Enhance Creative Cognition?

  • TEAM: Kaile Smith, Stephanie Kumaratunga, Sarah Davenport, Jennifer Drake, & Aaron Kozbelt

  • PARTNERS: The Graduate Center, CUNY, Goldsmiths, University of London, Brooklyn College, CUNY

  • FUNDING: Doctoral Student Research Grant program, The Graduate Center, CUNY,
    Goldsmiths, University of London

Creative and Religious Inspiration in Interpersonal Relationship Regulation and Well-being

  • TEAM: Kaile Smith, Jocelyn Tapia, & Curtis Hardin

  • PARTNERS: The Graduate Center, CUNY, Brooklyn College, CUNY

  • FUNDING: Tow Mentoring and Research Program, Brooklyn College, CUNY

Developing and Validating a Trait Scale for Measuring Inspiration

  • TEAM: Kaile Smith, Aleksandra Zielińska, Paul Silvia, Edward Vessel, Aaron Kozbelt, & Jennifer E. Drake

  • PARTNERS: The Graduate Center, CUNY, University of Wroclaw, University of North Carolina at Greensboro, The City College of New York, CUNY, Baruch College, CUNY, Brooklyn College, CUNY

  • FUNDING: American Psychological Association: Division 10 Early Career Micro-Grant

Investigating the Effects of Drawing and Mindfulness on Affect and Creativity

  • TEAM: Kaile Smith, Emma Hamshare, & Jennifer Drake

  • PARTNERS: The Graduate Center, CUNY, Brooklyn College, CUNY, London College of Fashion, University of the Arts London

  • FUNDING: Professional Staff Congress-City University of New York (PSC-CUNY) Research Award Program