Newsletter Article

Spring Research Festival & Awards

Our 49th Annual Psychology Research Festival took place online this year due to remote learning for Spring 2020. We had 17 students present their research in 15mins talks followed by 5 minutes of question-and-answer. Many members of the department and guests attended virtually which made the event feel special and community-supported. Following the research talks we presented awards which have been distributed during Spring and Summer 2020:

Katherine Manbeck Rosie Walker
Katherine Manbeck Rosie Walker

The Earl Hunt Graduate Fellowship Fund was created by our former faculty member, Earl “Buz” Hunt and his wife Marylou to support graduate students with their independent research. Katherine Manbeck (Adult Clinical Area with Jonathan Kanter) and Rosie Walker (Adult Clinical Area with Lori Zoellner) are the Summer 2020 Hunt Fellows.

Trent DesChamps Adriana Germano Nick Lozier
Trent DesCamps Adriana Germano Nick Lozier

The Alcor Scholarships are made possible by a bequest from Harry and Claire Garlick Peterson to the College of Arts & Sciences to support students in Psychology and Symphonic Music programs. Trent DesChamps (Child Clinical Area with Wendy Stone), Adriana Germano (Social Psychology & Personality with Sapna Cheryan), and Nick Lozier (Animal Behavior Area with Joseph Sisneros) are the 2020 Alcor Fellows in Summer quarter.

Prerna Martin
Prerna Martin

Emeritus Professor of Psychology Irwin Sarason established the Barbara Sarason Endowed Fellowship in honor of his late wife, Emeritus Research Professor Barbara Sarason who mentored many students in her prolific career. Irwin hopes that this fund will help to support students who are “on the way up” as Barbara would have wanted. Prerna Martin (Child Clinical Area with Shannon Dorsey) is the 2020 Spring Sarason Fellow.

The Pigott Diversity & Equity Fellowship honors graduate students with a demonstrated interest and active role in advancing diversity and equity in their science. We are proud to have students prioritizing these efforts through their research,  outreach, departmental leadership and other activities. This year, Adriana Germano (Social Psychology & Personality with Sapna Cheryan) is the 2020 Spring Pigott Fellow.

Psychology Department Scholar Research Assistantships support students who will work on a project of their choosing over the summer. Saethra Darling (Animal Behavior Area with Mike Beecher), Thea Weiss (Developmental Area with Peter Kahn),  Margarita Zeitlin (Cognition & Perception Area with Lee Osterhout), Ruiyu Zeng (Animal Behavior Area with Joseph Sisneros) are the 2020 Summer Psychology Department Scholars.

Saethra Darling Thea Weiss Margarita Zeitlin Ruiyu Zeng
Saethra Darling Thea Weiss Margarita Zeitlin Ruiyu Zeng

The Psychology Ph.D. Graduate Program identifies graduate students each spring who  have contributed to the department and its members in lasting ways. This year we recognize Adriana  Germano (Social Psychology & Personality with Sapna Cheryan), Terrence Pope (Social Psychology & Personality with Sapna Cheryan), and the Diversity Steering Committee for their leadership as co-chairs, creating initiatives and community-building events, and giving talks to Psychology Graduate Faculty regarding diversity climate. All their service and time have lead to a host of positive changes in the department and the future for graduate students.

Terrence Pope
Terrence Pope

Graduate Program Action Committee Co-Chairs, Melissa Gasser (Adult Clinical with Bill George and Mary Larimer) and Jessica Glazier (Social Psychology & Personality Area with Kristina Olson & Cheryl Kaiser) in their roles as all-knowing of students and their contributions to the betterment of the graduate student experience, recognize Terrence Pope (Social Psychology & Personality with Sapna Cheryan) for the many hats he wears in all the committees in which he serves inside and outside of the Psychology Department, as the 2020 Graduate Student Service Award recipient.

Kelly Chang Adriana Germano Nick Lozier
Kelly Chang Adriana Germano Katherine Manbeck

Scott Murray is Chair of the Distinguished Teaching Award for Graduate Students Committee and along with David Gire, Lauren Graham, Dana Nelson and Ariel Starr, they have decided on the 2020 Distinguished Teaching Award recipients from nominations received. Congratulations to Kelly Chang (Cognition & Perception Area with Geoff Boynton), Adriana Germano (Social Psychology & Personality with Sapna Cheryan), and Katherine Manbeck (Adult Clinical Area with Jonathan Kanter) for their overall career achievement and distinction in teaching!

Liliana Lengua
Liliana Lengua

This Davida Teller Distinguished Faculty Award in Psychology was created by Psychology Graduate students and named for emeritus faculty member, Davida Teller who was an outstanding mentor of graduate students  and her role in revamping our entire graduate curriculum. This year, Lisa Shimomaeda (Child Clinical Area) and Mariah Corey  (Child Clinical Area) co-presented their advisor, Liliana Lengua as the 2020 Distinguished Faculty Mentor, as voted on by their peers in the program.

We look forward to next year's 50th Annual Psychology Research Festival and hope to see you there (in-person) at the beautiful Waterfront Activities Center! Save the date for Wednesday, June 2, 2021.

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