2023
Dr. Jon Barch Presents at "Science on Tap!"
Dr. Jon Barch presented "Thinking without Thinking: Exploring the Benefits and Biases of our Unconscious Mind" as part of the Science on Tap series held on Tuesday, November 14th at Blackrocks Brewery. Dr. Barch has been educating the community about the role of implicit biases in negative stereotypes and this is also a major focus of his research in the Department of Psychological Science.
BEAR Center Dedication
The Behavior Education Assessment & Research (BEAR) Center was officially dedicated on Thursday, Nov. 2. The BEAR Center opened a few years ago as the primary center for training applied behavior analysts in the region and for providing services for those with behavioral neurodevelopmental disabilities. The new location of the BEAR Center is 1738 Presque Isle.
Dr. Jon Barch Lecture on Implicit Bias
During the week of September 25th, 2023, Dr. Jon Barch (Social Psychologist, Department of Psychological Science) and his research team gave a series of public lectures over the course three nights on the topics of unconscious processes and implicit bias. The lectures drew large crowds and attendees learned of opportunities to participate in research from Dr. Barch's lab. Our local NBC affiliate, TV6, covered the event and a link to the story is covered below.
Dr. Jeevar to Give Conference Lecture on High-Flexibility Course Formats
Dr. Vince Jeevar, Ph.D. (Assistant Professor, Department of Psychological Science) will give platform presentation at the upcoming Annual National Institute on the Teaching of Psychology conference in January on the topic of the "Pros and Cons of HyFlex Classes." HyFlex classes allow student to select their preferred format for attending class across the following options: 1) face to face attendance, 2) online synchronous attendance over video, and 3) online asynchronous attendance. There is emerging interest in academia for considering flexible course formats, but instructors face challenges in providing equal opportunities for class engagement, meeting deadlines, and take examinations. Dr. Jeevar used this format for his courses and came to a number of conclusions on the impact and feasibility of HyFlex courses based on student outcomes and feedback.
Research Grant from the National Science Foundation (8/31/2023)
Faculty in the Department of Psychological Science along with faculty from the National Science Foundation. The award, in the amount of $413,282, will used for the acquiring a high-density electroencephalography device for assessing brain activity that also includes transcranial magnetic stimulation for selecting activating parts of the brain. This equipment, to be utilized by projects conducted by Dr. Joshua Carlson (principal investigator) and project co-investigators Drs. Jon Barch, Lin Fang, Cory Toegel, and Forrest Toegel, will open new roads into exploring brain functions involved in cognitive, emotional, learning, and social processes. Additionally, students will gain unique training opportunities as the learn to operate this cutting-edge technology.
Read more by following the link below!
Innovative Use of Technology Award for Dr. Vince Jeevar!
Dr. Vince Jeevar, assistant professor in the Department of Psychological Science, was awarded this year's Innovative Use of Technology Award for his approaches to educating students in an online format. Congratulations, Vince!
Summer 2019
NMU’s Excellence in Education Program is a $1500 award established to support graduate student research in the summer. The awards are intended to assist graduate students in the conduct of scholarly research and creative works that will enhance their academic experience and professional growth.
All five of our applicants (listed below with their Mentor and Title of the research proposal) for the Summer 2019 Excellence in Education Research Program were funded!
Jeremy Andrzejewski (Dr. Joshua Carlson): Evaluating the Error-Related Negativity as a Functional Biomarker of Brain Structure to Predict Attention Bias Modification Outcome.
Hayley Gilbertson (Dr. Joshua Carlson): Effects of Attention Bias Modification on Neural Indices of Error Monitoring and Conflict Processing in High-Trait Anxiety Individuals.
Alex Lekander (Dr. Adam Prus): Examining the Effects of Putative Antipsychotic Drugs.
Min Park (Dr. Adam Prus): Assessment of Sex Differences and Behavioral Effects of Psychostimulants on Schedule-Induced Polydipsia.
Taylor Susa (Dr. Joshua Carlson): Blood Biomarkers and Magnetic Resonance Imaging Following Concussion in Post Return-to-Play Collegiate Athletes.
Congratulations!
Winter 2018
Dr. Adam Prus (Professor and Head of Psychological Sciences) has been selected to receive the 2018 Distinguished Faculty Award.
The screening committee is comprised of the Academic Deans and the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs. The Committee bases its decisions on the nominee's record of significant contributions to NMU and to his/her professional discipline in all three of the following:
- teaching or other assigned responsibilities
- research, scholarship, creative activities
- university or professionally-related community service
Dr. Jacob Daar's work at the BEAR clinic premiered on Local 3 News, showcasing the work that is being done to help children with autism.
A manuscript by Dr. Joshua Carlson and students Scott Conger and Jamie Sterr, "Auditory Distress Signals Potentiate Attentional Bias to Fearful Faces: Evidence for Multimodal Facilitation of Spatial Attention by Emotion" has been accepted for publication in Journal of Nonverbal Behavior.
Taylor Susa (Senior Psychology Major) has been awarded one of five NMU Honors Program's 2018 "Anna and Rich Lundin Honors Summer Research Fellowships." Taylor will employ $5,000 toward the expenses involved in pursuing academic research during the upcoming summer on her project: “Neuroimaging of Mild Traumatic Brain Injury in Collegiate Athletes.” Dr. Joshua Carlson will mentor Taylor on this research.