Global Issues in Psychology

Jane Simoni visiting a0 school of nursing in Beijing

A number of our faculty are involved in international research and instructional projects. The research projects vary from study of wasps and other social insects in Costa Rica, to studies on the impact of culture on medication compliance by chronically ill patients (e.g. HIV patients) in the US and other countries of the world, to studies in conservation biology and emerging infectious diseases. Faculty who are involved in such international research programs provide unique opportunities for our undergraduate students. For example, UW Psychology majors are able to obtain research training in the field. Upon returning from the field, these students communicate information that they learned not only to other undergraduate students, but also to a more broad community in the K-12 grades.

Our department has also participated in the University of Washington Exploration Seminar Program where undergraduate Psychology students spend a month abroad learning about particular public health-related issues in a foreign country.

Dr. Jaime Olavarria led a group of students to explore Chile last summer. More details can be found on pg. 4.

Randall Kyes lecturing to university students in Bangladesh during a field training course in Conservation Biology

In the coming year, we hope to be able to facilitate even more types of research and outreach to other communities across the country and the world. In this way, the Psychology Department hopes to become a major player in the University-wide effort to address the issue of global health disparities (http://depts.washington.edu/deptgh/about_us/chairmsg.php)