Psychology Department Faculty, Students, Staff, and Alumni are Recognized for their Work

The psychology department faculty, students, and staff have had some impressive accomplishments over the last year. Below is a brief snapshot of some recent happenings.

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David Hansen

David Hansen, professor of psychology, received the James O’Hanlon Academic Leader Award for his exceptional abilities to lead, serve, inspire, and collaborate on the academic goals of the University.

Jeff Stevens

Jeff Stevens, associate professor of psychology, initiated his Canine Cognition and Human Interaction laboratory by hosting a public event named Husker DogFest that brought over 200 dogs and their owners to campus to learn about the new research endeavor. This initiative is featured in Nebraska Today.

Tim Nelson

Tim Nelson, associate professor of psychology, received an award from the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases to explore the relationship between developing cognitive processes from as early as preschool and health behaviors in adolescence. His research is featured in Nebraska Today.

John Kiat, Robert Belli

John Kiat, alumnus of the Social and Cognitive graduate program, and Robert Belli, professor of psychology, have shown a relationship between attention and the creation of false memories. Their work is featured in Nebraska Today.

Ashley Votruba

Ashley Votruba, assistant professor of psychology, was interviewed by NET for work funded by Arizona State University examining the relationship between resource scarcity and views regarding the death penalty.

Molly Franz

Molly Franz, graduate student, Clinical Program, received the 2018-19 Presidential Graduate Fellowship. These prestigious fellowships are awarded to a select group of University of Nebraska graduate students on the basis of high scholastic performance and personal accomplishment. News of Franz’s award appears on the Office of the President website.

David DiLillo, Sarah Gervais, Becca Brock, Hanna Grandgenett

David DiLillo, professor of psychology, Sarah Gervais, associate professor of psychology, Becca Brock, assistant professor of psychology, and Hanna Grandgenett, graduate student, clinical program, received a Great Plains IDeA-CTR Clinical & Translational Research Pilot Award entitled "Using Virtual Reality (VR) to assess the efficacy of a motivational interviewing intervention to increase bystander behaviors." More on the Great Plains IDeA award opportunities are available on their website.

Marybeth Helmink

Marybeth Helmink, psychology advisor, is featured in Nebraska Today for her outstanding efforts in her 20 years of employment at the University for her service to students.

Monica Miller

Monica Miller, professor of criminal justice at the University of Nevada-Reno, received the Distinguished Alumni Award given by the University of Nebraska Law-Psychology Program.

Anne Schutte

Anne Schutte, associate professor of psychology, is a co-Investigator alongside Julia Torquati, professor of child, youth and family studies, of a U.S. Forest Service funded award to study the effects on children with autism on being outdoors. Their research is highlighted in Nebraska Today.

Becca Brock, Tim Nelson, Jennifer Mize Nelson

Becca Brock, assistant professor of psychology, Tim Nelson, associate professor of psychology, Jennifer Mize Nelson, research associate professor of psychology, and Bilal Khan, professor of sociology, received a Great Plains IDeA-CTR Clinical & Translational Research Pilot Award entitled "The Role of the early family environment in child behavioral health." Brock has had her research on the influence of unresolved parental disagreements on their children’s anxiety featured in the Wall Street Journal.

Jennifer Mize Nelson

Jennifer Mize Nelson, research associate professor of psychology, became the Director of Research Strategy and Infrastructure at the University’s Office of Research and Economic Development. News of Nelson’s promotion is featured in Nebraska Today.

Eve Brank

Eve Brank, professor of psychology, received the American Psychology-Law Society’s Outstanding Teaching and Mentoring in the Field of Psychology and Law award.

Scott Stoltenberg

Scott Stoltenberg, associate professor of psychology, signed a contract with Cambridge University Press to write an introductory behavior genetics textbook targeted at advanced undergraduates in psychology. The book’s working title is “Genes, Brains & Behaviors,” and the expected publication date is 2022.

Manda Williamson, Cal Garbin

Manda Williamson, associate professor of psychology, and Cal Garbin, professor of psychology, were participants of the Office of the Executive Vice Chancellor’s Spring Teaching and Learning Symposium, with Williamson giving the keynote address. More information about this symposium appears on the Office of the Executive Vice Chancellor website.

Brian Wilcox

Brian Wilcox, professor emeritus of psychology, is receiving the American Psychological Association’s Senior Career Award for Distinguished Contributions to Psychology in the Public Interest.

Rick Bevins

Rick Bevins, professor of psychology, was named by Chancellor Green as a co-chair of the N150 strategy team charged with the task of developing the University of Nebraska—Lincoln’s strategic plan for the next five years. The N150 Commission was a University-wide effort to lay out goals for the University over the next twenty-five years as a part of the celebration of the University of Nebraska’s sesquicentennial anniversary. Bevins’ naming as co-chair is featured in Nebraska Today.

Abbey Reimer

Abbey Reimer, graduate student, Social and Cognitive Program, received the Chancellor’s Outstanding Contribution to the Status of Women for her research focused on gender equality and her teaching of this topic inside and outside the classroom.

Maital Neta, Nick Harp

Maital Neta, assistant professor of psychology, was named as associate director of the Center for Brain, Biology, and Behavior. Neta received a Faculty Early Career Development Program award from the National Science Foundation to explore the neural underpinnings of older persons tendency to view ambiguous stimuli in a positive way. Her award is featured in Nebraska Today, and Neta was interviewed by NET regarding this work on positivity and aging. Neta also received an ENHANCE award from College of Arts & Sciences to explore interventions for promoting more positive responses to emotional ambiguity. She and Nick Harp, graduate student, Social and Cognitive Program, will be examining acute and long-term effects of physical activity and mindfulness-based stress reduction in promoting a positivity bias.

Tierney Lorenz

Tierney Lorenz, assistant professor of psychology, received an award from the National Organization of Rare Diseases. The multi-site clinical research grant will investigate the autonomic, endocrine, and immune mechanisms that underlie Post-Orgasmic Illness Syndrome (POIS). POIS is a rare condition in which patients experience significant physical, cognitive and emotional difficulties for several days following orgasm; these symptoms negatively impact quality of life and can be devastating for patients’ intimate relationships. This research will benefit patients and researchers by testing possible factors leading to POIS symptoms, which may identify the most promising treatments.

Cal Garbin, Mike Dodd, Anne Schutte, Scott Stoltenberg, Manda Williamson

Cal Garbin, professor of psychology, Mike Dodd, professor of psychology, Anne Schutte, associate professor of psychology, Scott Stoltenberg, associate professor of psychology, and Manda Williamson, associate professor of psychology, received Parents’ Recognition Awards from the UNL Parents Association for making a significant contribution to their students’ lives.

Trey Andrews

Trey Andrews, assistant professor of psychology, received a Scholars Program Grant from the Great Plains IDeA-Clinical Translational Research Network at the University of Nebraska Medical Center to explore the use of fotonovelas as an aid to support victims of violence in Latinx communities. His work is featured in Nebraska Today. Andrews also led a discussion at the Minority Health Disparities conversation series in April focusing on mental and physical health treatment barriers among Latinx immigrants. His presentation is featured in Nebraska Today.

Manda Williamson

Manda Williamson, associate professor of psychology, received the Scholarship for Teaching and Learning Award from the National Institute of the Teaching of Psychology, for her poster entitled, "Effect Size Calculations Demonstrating Impact of Collaborative Learning on Exam Scores and Cumulative Final Exam in Introduction to Psychology."

Jessica Calvi

Jessica Calvi, research scientist, Center for Brain, Biology, and Behavior, was promoted to assistant research professor of psychology.

Robert Belli

Robert Belli, professor of psychology, was elected by the Faculty Senate to serve as their President-Elect, and will assume the position of Faculty Senate President in April 2020.

Mario Scalora

Mario Scalora, professor of psychology, received the University President’s Innovation, Development and Engagement Award for his work on threat assessment and translating his research into training programs to increase public safety and awareness of threat risks. Scalora’s earning of this prestigious award is featured in Nebraska Today.

Catherine Brown

Catherine Brown, graduate student, Neuroscience and Behavior Program, received the Psychology Teacher of the Year award from the Psi Chi Honor Society and the Undergraduate Psychology Organization. Brown also received the Graduate Student Teaching Award for Classroom Instruction from the Department of Psychology.

Michelle Haikalis, Molly Franz, Y. Wendy Huynh, Kate Theimer

Michelle Haikalis, graduate student, Clinical Program, Molly Franz, graduate student, Clinical Program, Y. Wendy Huynh, graduate student, Neuroscience and Behavior Program, and Kate Theimer, graduate student, Clinical Program, were all recipients of Graduate Student Teaching Award for Research Mentor from the Department of Psychology

Allura Ralston

Allura Ralston, graduate student, Clinical Program, received the David Levine Diversity Enhancement Award for graduate students.