The Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences at UMass Amherst is proud to announce the appointment of Dr. Jennifer Martin McDermott as Interim Rudd Family Foundation Chair in Psychology, effective September 1, 2023. During her term as Interim Rudd Chair, Dr. McDermott will provide leadership for Rudd programming, including organizing the Rudd Visiting Professorship program and facilitating interdisciplinary working groups to tackle pressing adoption related issues, and collaborate with scholars and practitioners to inform policy efforts to support adopted children and their families.
Linda Tropp is member of a research team that recently received a new grant award from the Russell Sage Foundation, entitled "How People of Color Respond to Narratives of Rising Diversity." Seth Goldman (UMass Communication) is the Primary Investigator (PI), and Linda Tropp (UMass Psychological and Brain Sciences) is a co-investigator along with Tatishe Nteta (UMass Political Science), Yuen Huo (UCLA Psychology), and Efren Perez (UCLA Political Science).
Charlotte received her B.A. in Psychology from Amherst College, and her PhD from UMass Lowell in Applied Psychology and Prevention Science with a concentration in Applied Developmental Psychology. She comes to us from HCC where she was an Assistant Professor of Psychology.
Elizabeth has worked in the medical field as a Registered Medical Assistant, employed at many exceptional hospitals and outpatient facilities. She received her Bachelor's Degree in Human Resources Management/Personnel Administration from UMass Amherst and has since moved into HR/non-clinical work.
It is my pleasure to announce the appointment of Christina Metevier, Senior Lecturer II in Psychological and Brain Sciences (PBS), to the new position of Associate Provost for Academic Programs at the UMass Mount Ida Campus. This appointment is effective September 3, and is the culmination of an internal search that launched in April, 2023.
A recent study explored different parenting mechanisms present in families where Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) is occurring. The researchers wanted to see how parenting practices (warmth, overreactivity, and laxness) and parental depression affected children’s mental health. Child temperament was also taken into consideration to see if it influenced outcomes relating to IPV exposure.
Mohammad Atari, who joined the Psychological and Brain Sciences faculty in fall 2023, is uncovering what factors influence how psychology changes across historical time and cultural space. Along with his colleagues at Harvard University, he has developed the emerging field of historical psychology. Researchers in this area are trying to understand why psychology theory, social influences, and practice continue to change as time progresses.
Through experiencing and observing the significant impact that workplace environments can have on employee’s health and well-being, Rebecca Brossoit ’15 PhD became interested in resolving problems in demanding work settings. Stress at work, safety concerns, long hours, and varying schedules can all take a toll on our mental and physical health, also leading to more stress at home. As an assistant professor at Louisiana State University (LSU) in the Industrial/Organizational (I/O) Psychology Program, Brossoit strives to improve the lives of employees at work and set them on a path to better health. Within the specialty of Occupational Health Psychology (OHP), she applies research to real-world settings, promoting positive change in the workplace.