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Faculty achievements

FACULTY AWARDS AND HONORS

Andrea Stocco, Thomas Grabowski (Department of Radiology; Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center) and Nancy Spurgeon (Central Washington Area Health Education Center) were awarded a Tier 3 pilot grant this spring. The purpose of the University of Washington Population Health Initiative’s Tier 3 Pilot Research Grant program is to support faculty and PI-eligible staff to create follow-on opportunities for impactful projects that have developed preliminary data or realized proof-of-concept and are seeking to scale their efforts and/or expand the scope of their work. The award title is “Online Assessment and Monitoring of Memory Health in Rural Communities through Personalized Computational Modeling.” Read more here: https://www.washington.edu/populationhealth/2024/06/06/initiative-announces-awardees-of-spring-quarter-2024-tier-3-pilot-research-grants/ 

Andrew Meltzoff co-authored a study, recently published online in Developmental Psychology, which revealed key differences in the language between black parents and white parents who explained Black Lives Matter to their children. You can read about it in this UW News article: https://www.washington.edu/news/2024/02/06/parents-conversational-approaches-about-black-lives-matter-differed-by-race/ 

The Center for Human Neuroscience has been awarded $132,482 by the Student Technology Fee to acquire an fNIRS system. Students across the UW campus can submit proposals to the CHN-STF Committee to conduct research with the fNIRS system. The proposal was led by Carly Gray and Peter Kahn, with additional support from the Center for Human Neuroscience.

Chantel Prat received a three-year, $963,542 grant from the Office of Naval Research. The award title is: Training Self-Knowledge to Improve Learning and Problem Solving. The study will explore the potential for using self-knowledge training to improve learning and problem-solving performance. It deploys the PIs expertise in the biological and experiential factors that drive individual differences in cognition and social learning theory.

Debrielle Jacques was awarded funding from the University of Washington’s Office of Minority Affairs & Diversity’s Black Opportunity Fund. The funding will support the completion and submission of a manuscript entitled “Demystifying the Process of Applying to Clinical Psychology Doctoral Programs: A declassified guide to inform and empower applicants.”

Debrielle Jacques’ American Fellowship Short-Term Publication Grant for her project “The Developmental Effects of Maternal Substance Use: An Integrative, Multilevel Approach” was selected as an Alternate by the American Association of University Women (AAUW). This multifaceted project examines distinct pathways, contexts, and mechanisms through which maternal alcohol use disorder symptoms impact caregiving across multiple domains of parenting (e.g., dyadic problem solving, free play, etc.) and infants’ cognitive, emotional, and psychological functioning across early childhood. Additionally, the grant would fund work that examines how proximal and distal contexts in which these families are embedded – like communities, cities, healthcare systems, etc. – impact mothers’ experiences of substance use disorders and children’s experiences living with parents who have substance use disorders, examining how the intersection of racial, economic or family composition bias, for example, may undermine access to evidence-based, culturally-informed, and family-based interventions. The project features many distinct components aimed at addressing the complex and dynamic nature of maternal substance use problems and family functioning during pivotal developmental periods – including empirical and review papers using existing data and pilot work to facilitate subsequent grant funding.

Kevin King received a 5-year R01 award from the National Institutes of Health. Award title: A Multiverse Analysis of the Affect-Alcohol Use Association. The goal of this study is to provide a comprehensive, robust, and generalizable test of multiple theory driven accounts of how negative and positive affect may be related to alcohol use behaviors. These data will test at what timescales, for what operationalization of affect and alcohol these associations are relevant, as well as when, how, and for whom these effects seem to be of greatest importance. This study will improve a mechanistic understanding of the role of affect in the development of alcohol use disorders.

Liliana Lengua won an Institute of Translational Health Sciences (ITHS) Pilot award. Lili will work with the King County Community Partnership for Transition Solutions on their project, “A Task-sharing Approach to Supporting Parents Re-entering the Community after Incarceration.” https://www.iths.org/news/iths-announces-2024-pilot-awardees/ 

Marsha Linehan, Emeritus Professor of Psychology, received the Legacy of Service Award from the Washington State Leadership Board (WSLB) for developing Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT). Originally created to treat suicidal behaviors, DBT is the gold standard for treating Borderline Personality Disorder, emotion dysregulation & other complex mental health issues.

Nicole McNichols was selected to be a Dean’s Academy Futurist, beginning next year. The Dean’s Academy Futurists is a community of scholars who will together imagine the future of higher education after 2050 and to envision new, yet unknown models. For more about what it means to be a Dean’s Academy Futurist, read here: https://artsci.washington.edu/about/rethinking-the-academy/deans-academy-futurists 

Tyler Jimenez will be the Early Career Representative of the section on psychology for the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS). An elected position, the Early-Career Representative serves a non-renewable two-year term as a member of the steering committee of their section. This spot is occupied by individuals who complement and add to overall perspective of each steering committee to ensure a robust viewpoint is brought to bear as the committee nominates and reviews AAAS Fellows, proposes annual meeting symposia, and cultivates new leadership and members.

Sheri Mizumori received a 2-year award from the Dana Foundation to expand the impact of the BRAINS Program on neuroscience and society by intentionally augmenting core BRAINS program activities and content with a neuroscience and society lens. The BRAINS program (Broadening the Representation of Academic Investigators in NeuroScience) aims to change the culture of neuroscience (and hence the impact that neuroscience research has on society) by not only diversifying the pool of early career (post-PhD to pre-tenure career stage) neuroscientists but also by providing longitudinal support and skills that enable BRAINS participants to thrive in their careers… even a decade later.

FACULTY PUBLICATIONS

Andrea Stocco and Yuxue Cher Yang just published a paper that examines how people’s procedural memory (habits) or episodic memory systems impact decision making. 
https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7201961179865358336/ 

Ariel Rokem and Senior Data Science Fellow Noah Benson published their research on “Hands‑On Neuroinformatics Education at the Crossroads of Online and In‑Person: Lessons Learned from NeuroHackademy” in the journal Neuroinformatics. NeuroHackademy. You can read about it here: https://mailchi.mp/0b1e5e1e2173/escience-become-a-uw-data-science-postdoc-more-6740576?e=6a36ed3517 

Ariel Rokem also published these articles:

Deb Jacques recently published “Lifetime Maternal Alcohol dependence Symptoms, Maternal Insensitivity to Child Distress, and Young Children's Blunted Emotional Reactivity” in Development and Psychopathology. https://spaces-cdn.owlstown.com/blobs/191ioeqlur9g9lxutfnacz0o0edo 

Recent psychology graduate, Iris Chu-Hsuan Kuo and psychology professor, Chantel Prat, co-authored a paper in Scientific Reports titled: Computer Programmers Show Distinct, Expertise-dependent Brain Responses to Violations in Form and Meaning When Reading Code. Iris was a former student of Chantel’s. You can read it here: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-024-56090 

Milla Titova recently published a paper with Taylor & Francis Online. The title: Can Happiness Make a House a Home? You can read it here: https://www.tandfonline.com/eprint/CKUXE6G4KA62EP7GAVWM/full?target=10.1080/17439760.2024.2325457 

Priscilla Lui guest edited a special issue in the Clinical Psychological Science journal, titled "Understanding Ethnoracial Disparities and Advancing Mental Health Equity Through Clinical  Psychological Science." The issue features an epilogue coauthored by Priscilla and Craig Rodriguez-Seijas.

Priscilla Lui had another manuscript published in the Sage Journals, Journal of Interpersonal Violence with collaborators at Southern Methodist University. The title: Interpersonal Violence, Racial Discrimination, and Mental Health Symptoms among Adolescents of Color in the Juvenile-Justice System. You can read it here: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/08862605241227981

Priscilla Lui is co-author to three recently published papers!
Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs:
https://www.jsad.com/doi/abs/10.15288/jsad.23-00128
APA PsycNet:
https://psycnet.apa.org/record/2024-50371-001
Science Direct: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0376871623010773

Renee Robinette Ha and James Ha published a book titled “Breed Differences in Dog Behavior: Why Tails Wag Differently” (CABI, 2024). The book is suitable for animal and veterinary science researchers and students, as well as veterinary practitioners and animal behaviorists. This book is also a useful reference for shelter staff or dog trainers looking for a greater understanding of breed differences. https://www.cabidigitallibrary.org/doi/10.1079/9781800624566.0000 

Sheri Mizumori published a new paper titled Thriving in neuroscience careers: Three lessons from 12+ years of the BRAINS Program. You can read it here: https://mcusercontent.com/45410c3ae45cdd1ca12bcd668/files/a780ecc7-ab01-03a7-4649-53a7f187c2e8/Yen_Neuron_2024.pdf 

 

Assistant Professor Z Yan Wang is featured in a children’s book, The Incredible Octopus: Meet the Eight-Armed Wonder of the Sea, by Erin Spencer (Storey Publishing, LLC, 2024). The book explores the fascinating behavior and intelligence of the octopus and features octopus research, technology inspired by octopuses, and ways to contribute to ocean conservation.

 

TEACHING

Ariel Rokem taught a new graduate course titled "Informatics in Psychology". The course covers computational methods, with a focus on open science, reproducibility and rigor. The course website is https://uw-psych.github.io/2024-psych532/.

Tabitha Kirkland’s work, “Ungrading Empowers Students to Value Progress Over Perfection,” is featured in the UW Teaching and Learning Symposium Showcase. https://teaching.washington.edu/learn/teaching-and-learning-symposium/2024-teaching-learning-showcase/kirkland/

 

IN THE NEWS

UW News interviewed recent doctoral graduate, Chu-Hsuan (Iris) Kuo, and professor, Chantel Prat, about the neural connection between learning a second language and learning to code. https://www.washington.edu/news/2024/04/23/qa-uw-research-shows-neural-connection-

Chantel Prat spoke with Clayton Page Aldern, author of a new book titled The Weight of Nature: How a Changing Climate Changes our Brains, at Third Place Books on April 9. https://www.thirdplacebooks.com/event/clayton-page-aldern 

UW News published a Q&A with Clara Wilkins and postdoctoral research fellow Rosemary Marah Al-Kire about their recent research on anti-Christian bias and how it can be a racial dog whistle. https://www.washington.edu/news/2024/04/15/qa-how-claims-of-anti-christian-bias-can-serve-as-racial-dog-whistles/ 

UW News published a Q&A with Gregg Muragishi about his new research published in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, which shows how “microinclusions” — brief instances of positive treatment, especially from members of the dominant group — help women feel valued at work. Gregg is a postdoc in Sapna Cheryan’s lab. https://www.washington.edu/news/2024/06/03/qa-microinclusions-improve-womens-workplace-belonging-and-commitment/  

Emeritus research professor, Jim Ha, explains the rodent foraging behavior that leads some mice and rat species to clean and organize their shelters, in this article from Discover Magazine. https://www.discovermagazine.com/planet-earth/a-tiny-welsh-mouse-likes-to-be-clean-and-tidy-and-so-do-other-animals 

"That Implementation Science Podcast, co-hosted by Kevin King and Mike Pullman (UW SMART Center, Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences), began its second season on June 8, 2024, with an interview with David Chambers, the Deputy Director for Implementation Science in the National Cancer Institute. Follow the season here: https://thatimplementationsciencepodcast.podbean.com/ 

Loma Pendergraft explains why crows will fly sometimes up to a dozen miles each night to sleep in the company of other crows, in this KUOW story. https://www.kuow.org/stories/only-murders-in-the-roost-what-springtime-means-for-local-crow-slumber-party 

Lucía Magis Weinberg explored teens and digital technology in a ollege of Arts & Sciences Perspectives article: https://artsci.washington.edu/news/2024-02/closer-look-teens-digital-technology.

Lucía Magis Weinberg was also quoted in several articles about adolescents and technology, including

Nicole McNichols recently collaborated with Indiana University sex researcher Dr. Debbie Herbenick to produce an educational outreach social media video that discusses the disturbing upward trend in sexual choking among undergraduates. To watch the video and read the cited work, visit this link: https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://psych.us13.list-manage.com/track/click?u=45410c3ae45cdd1ca12bcd668&id=637da223df&e=acf235743f__;!!K-Hz7m0Vt54!jG9eJyN9-WgulNGUZli-M38vC5A3_CnIZpN5-woZzbkUmNNmVIVDB1oTc0n_fdYWNoCfFYGfsieKFA$ 

Nicole McNichols explains how sex can keep our brain from aging, in this Psychology Today article. https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/everyone-on-top/202401/can-sex-keep-our-brain-from-aging 

Peter Kahn is quoted in this Right as Rain article about friluftsliv, which translates to “life in the free air,” and how getting outside is good for your mental and physical well-being. https://rightasrain.uwmedicine.org/life/leisure/friluftsliv-living-in-free-air 

The UW Office of Research published a New Faculty Spotlight about Sama Ahmed. https://www.washington.edu/research/new-faculty-spotlight-sama-ahmed 

Sapna Cheryan is quoted in this USA Today article titled: Justin Bieber broke down crying on Instagram. Men should pay attention. https://www.usatoday.com/story/life/health-wellness/2024/04/30/justin-bieber-crying-tears- 

Sapna Cheryan is quoted in this Associated Press article about Kristi Yamaguchi getting her own Barbie. https://apnews.com/article/barbie-kristi-yamaguchi-asian-american 

Sapna Cheryan is quoted in this BBC article which discusses how the “heroization” of some professions, undermines the earning potentials of those workers. https://www.bbc.com/worklife/article/20240409-heroic-jobs-earn-less-money 

Lori A. Zoellner, Emma K. PeConga (UW Psychology doctoral candidate), and Michele A. Bedard-Gilligan, Associate Professor, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, UW, published a blog post titled "Exploring post-traumatic growth" on the King County Sexual Assault Resource Center's site for for PTSD Awareness Month/Posttraumatic Growth Day. https://www.kcsarc.org/en/exploring-post-traumatic-growth/