Previous News Stories
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Posted December 13, 2023
Dr. Jody Culham was featured in a Western News article entitled "Should you believe your eyes? Not necessarily in virtual reality says new study".
A research paper submitted by graduate student Thipiga Sivayoganathan titled "Trends in population characteristics associated with mental health service use among youth and emerging adults in Canada from 2011 to 2016" was selected as Editor's Choice in the Canadian Journal of Public Health. More on the Editor's Choice can be found here: https://www.springer.com/journal/41997/updates/17236418 Congratulations Thipiga!
Posted March 16, 2023
Dr. Marieke Mur was featured in a Western News article entitled "New study identifies how AI fails to reproduce human vision".
Posted March 14, 2023
Dr. Paul Frewen was featured in a Western News article entitled "Western project finds viewing sports in VR trumps 2D screen experience".
Posted March 9, 2023
Dr. Carrie Branch was featured in Western News article entitled "Western prof finds bird feeders don’t alter chickadee survival and reproduction".
Posted February 14, 2023
Dr. David Dozois was featured in a Global News article entitled "Western U study explores health of relationships — and not just on Valentines Day".
Posted February 9, 2023
Dr. Victoria Esses was featured in a Western News article entitled "Expert insight: The pandemic played into ageist stereotypes, but there are ways to overcome them".
Posted February 8, 2023
Dr. Scott MacDougall-Shackleton was featured in an article entitled "Frozen frogs, a butt-breather and a seasonal genius: How Ontario wildlife survive the winter".
Newcomers tell me all of the time that they owe their success in 🇨🇦 to settlement agencies and community organizations, who welcomed & supported them when they first arrived.
— Sean Fraser (@SeanFraserMP) November 15, 2022
It was wonderful to meet many of these incredible partners at yesterday’s P2P conference! pic.twitter.com/AzjoN1oQGd
Posted Oct. 18, 2022
Dr. Adrian Owen was featured in a Western News article entitled "Western-led study explores COVID-19 effects on cognition".
Posted Oct. 3, 2022
Dr. Jody Culham was featured in a Western News article entitled "Breaking new ground on 'untapped', alternative brain imaging technique"
Posted June 26, 2022
Dr. Victoria Esses was featured in a London Free Press article entitled "Discrimination in smaller rural centres makes immigrants feel less welcome: study"
Posted June 9, 2022
Dr. Jessica Grahn was featured in a Western News article entitled "Music training promotes better beat perception in Parkinson’s patients: study"
Posted Mar. 30, 2022
Dr. Samantha Joel was featured in a Psychology Today article entitled "The Top 5 Predictors of Relationship Quality".
Posted Mar. 24, 2022
Dr. Samantha Joel and psychology Ph.D. student Nicolyn Charlot were featured in a Western News article entitled "Partners willing to bend with relationship ‘dealbreakers’: study"
Posted Feb. 23, 2022
Dr. Samantha Joel was featured in a Psychology Today article entitled "Why Breaking Up Is Hard to Do".
Posted Jan. 4, 2022
Dr. David Dozois interviewed on TVO on the topic "Battling COVID-19 Frustration and Burnout".
Posted Dec. 3, 2021
NEST receives City of London diversity award
Posted Dec. 1, 2021
Dr. Julie Schermer was featured in a London Free Press article entitled "Western University researcher: Why youth are Canada's loneliest people".
Posted Nov. 26, 2021
Dr. Mel Goodale was featured in a Western News article entitled "Study shows smiling makes you look older, unless you’re old already".
Posted Nov. 17, 2021
Dr. Jessica Grahn was featured in a Western News article entitled "Mapping ‘the magic’ of music, movement and the brain".
Posted Nov. 15, 2021
Dr. Ryan Stevenson was featured in a Western News article entitled "New study makes sense of sensory processing in autistic children".
Posted Oct. 18, 2021
Dr. Erin Kaufman was featured in a London Free Press article entitled London study: Could sleep ease 'pernicious' teen mental-health condition?.
Posted Sept. 28, 2021
Dr. Daniel Ansari was featured in an article entitled Exploring cutting edge problems in education.
Posted Sept. 22, 2021
Dr. Bruce Morton was featured in an article entitled Bilingual advantage is a bust, study says
Posted Apr. 30, 2021
Dr. Paul Minda was featured in a Western Social Science article entitled "New book asks people to consider how to think". The entire article can be read here: https://www.ssc.uwo.ca/news/2021/new_book_asks_people_to_consider_how_to_think.html
Posted Mar. 25, 2021
Dr. Victoria Esses was featured in a Western News article entitled "Pandemic reveals strengths and ‘fault lines’ in Canada’s immigration system". The entire article can be read here: https://news.westernu.ca/2021/03/pandemic-immigration/
Posted Nov. 18, 2020
Dr. David Dozois was featured in a CTV News article entitled "Winter could put a chill on Canada's top COVID-19 coping strategy". The entire article can be read here: https://www.ctvnews.ca/health/coronavirus/winter-could-put-a-chill-on-canada-s-top-covid-19-coping-strategy-1.5194306
Posted Nov. 18, 2020
Dr. Natalie Allen and psychology graduate student Julia McMenamin were featured in a Western News article entitled "‘Conscientiousness’ key to team success during space missions. The entire article can be read here: https://news.westernu.ca/2020/11/getting-along-in-space/
Posted Nov. 6, 2020
Dr. Victoria Esses was featured in a Globe and Mail article entitled "We should not be complacent about Canadians’ welcoming attitudes toward immigrants". The entire article can be read here: https://www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/article-we-should-not-be-complacent-about-canadians-welcoming-attitudes/
Posted Oct. 8, 2020
Dr. Rachel Calogeo was featured in a Western News article entitled "Study confirms link between sexual objectification and personal safety fears". The entire article can be read here: https://news.westernu.ca/2020/10/sexual-objectification-leads-to-anxiety-and-fears-of-personal-safety/
Posted Aug. 7, 2020
Graduate student Andrea Boyer and Dr. Scott MacDougall-Shackleton were featured in a Western News article entitled "Sparrows’ storm stress a harbinger of climate-change impact". The entire article can be read here: https://news.westernu.ca/2020/08/sparrows-storm-stress-a-harbinger-of-climate-change-impact/
Posted July 29, 2020
Dr. Samantha Joel was featured in a CNN article entitled "A landmark study shows what makes a successful relationship". The entire article can be read here: https://www.cnn.com/2020/07/29/us/what-makes-a-relationship-successful-study-wellness-trnd/index.html
Posted July 29, 2020
Dr. Daniel Ansari was featured in a London Free Press article entitled "Adding it all up: Western researcher studies which kids excel at math, and why". The entire article can be read here: https://lfpress.com/news/local-news/western-university-prof-probes-why-some-excel-at-math-others-dont/wcm/44e5edc1-6a5f-4e7a-b865-59ea296fc523/
Posted May 31, 2020
Dr. Vicki Esses was featured in a Western News article entitled "Newcomer program preps for post-pandemic realities". The entire article can be read here: https://news.westernu.ca/2020/05/newcomer-program-looks-at-post-pandemic-environment/
Posted May 20, 2020
Psychology graduate student Adam Newton was featured in a Western News article entitled "Study: Why your child isn’t sleeping – and how to fix it". The entire article can be read here: https://news.westernu.ca/2020/05/study-why-your-child-isnt-sleeping-and-how-to-fix-it/
Posted May 19, 2020
Congratulations to Dr. Paul Minda winner of The Dean's Award for Excellence in Teaching!
Posted Feb. 10, 2020
Dr. Lindsay Bodell was featured in a Western News article entitled "Getting at underlying factors of eating disorders". The entire article can be read here: https://news.westernu.ca/2020/02/getting-at-underlying-factors-of-eating-disorders/
Posted Dec. 4, 2019
Dr. Ingrid Johnsrude was featured in a London Free Press article entitled "Western studying how brain deciphers sounds into sense". The entire article can be read here: https://lfpress.com/news/local-news/western-studying-how-brain-deciphers-sounds-into-sense
Posted Aug. 27, 2019
The article "Lefty, righty brains count on same area for numbers" featured in the Western News showcases exciting research in our department by our graduate students (Celia Goffin, Moriah Sokolowski and Michael Slipenkyj) and Dr. Daniel Ansari.
Dr. Victoria Esses was inteviewed by CBC in an article entitled "No Wall to Prevent Trump's White-identity Politics from Crossing the Border into Canada". You can read (and listen) to the article (found near the bottom of the page) here: https://www.cbc.ca/radio/thehouse/why-china-is-so-focused-on-canada-s-election-1.5218110
Dr. Daniel Ansari has been appointed Fellow of the CIFAR (Canadian Institute for Advanced Research) program in Child and Brain Development.
Congratulations Dr. Ansari!
Posted May 30, 2019
Dr. Marieke Mur was featured in a Western News article entitled "Study unlocks brain’s role in moving about". The entire article can be read here: https://news.westernu.ca/2019/05/study-unlocks-brains-role-in-moving-about/
Posted May 23, 2019
Dr. Daniel Ansari was featured in a Western News article entitled "New centre brings researchers, classrooms closer". The entire article can be read here: https://news.westernu.ca/2019/05/new-centre-brings-researchers-classrooms-closer/
Dr. Victoria Esses has been appointed Fellow of the CIFAR (Canadian Institute for Advanced Research) program in Boundaries, Membership and Belonging from July 1, 2019 until June 30, 2024.
Congratulations Dr. Esses!
Posted May 10, 2019
Dr. Mel Goodale recently stepped down as director of the Brain and Mind Institute. Dr. Goodale's history and vision with the Brain and Mind Institute was featured in a article entitled "Two decades of visionary leadership" and can be read at: https://www.ssc.uwo.ca/news/2019/two_decades_of_visionary__leadership.html
Posted Feb. 22, 2019
Dr. Rachel Calogero was featured in a Western News Article entitled "Porn habits may fuel partner eating disorders". The entire article can be read here: https://news.westernu.ca/2019/02/porn-habits-may-fuel-partner-eating-disorders/
Posted Oct. 23, 2018
Dr. Samantha Joel was featured in an article entitled "Should We Break Up? Psychologists Discover Surprise Reason Why People Stay in Unhappy Relationships". The entire article can be read at: https://www.newsweek.com/psychologists-discover-surprise-reason-why-people-stay-unhappy-relationships-1182338
Posted Aug. 29, 2018
Dr. Alex Benson was featured in a Western News article entitled "Sweet becomes sour with narcissists at work". The entire article can be read at: https://news.westernu.ca/2018/08/sweet-becomes-sour-narcissists-work/
Posted July 4, 2018
Dr. Lynne Zarbatany was featured in a London Free Press article entitled "Western researcher: Maybe teen cliques aren't all bad?" The full article can be read at: https://lfpress.com/news/local-news/western-researcher-finds-teen-cliches-have-upside
Former psychology PhD student Corinne Haigh has been appointed the new Dean of the School of Education at Bishop's University. Below is an excerpt from the announcement by Michael Goldbloom Principal and Vice-Chancellor of Bishop's University:
"Dr. Haigh completed her PhD in Educational Psychology at Western University in 2007. Dr. Haigh began as Assistant Professor at Bishop’s University on July 1, 2010. She is recognized by her students as an excellent teacher- inspiring, knowledgeable, organized and an exemplary role model. Her research in bilingualism has been funded by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council and le Fond de Recherche du Québec. In addition to being Chair of the School of Education, she has acted as Graduate Program Coordinator in the School of Education and conference co-chair for the 2018 annual conference of the Society for Teaching and Learning in Higher Education (STLHE), co-hosted by Bishop’s University and Université de Sherbrooke. Dr. Haigh has also chaired a special ad-hoc Committee, commissioned by the Joint Committee of the University and APBU, to examine the respective roles of the Departmental Chair, the Dean and the Director of Practice Teaching in the School of Education and was Chair of the Teaching and Learning Centre Initiative (2013-15).
Committee members were impressed with Dr. Haigh’s poise, diplomacy, clarity of expression, her collegial, transparent and collaborative leadership style, and they expressed support for her clear commitment to initial teacher education as well as for improving the graduate programs in the School of Education.
Please join me in welcoming and congratulating Dr. Haigh as the new Dean of the School of Education."
Dr. Victoria Esses' article entitled "The Global Refugee Crisis: Empirical Evidence and Policy Implications for Improving Public Attitudes and Facilitating Refugee Resettlement" and published in Social Issues and Policy Review, was one of the journal’s top 20 most downloaded recent papers at year-end 2017 with 6587 downloads.
Posted June 27, 2017
Psychology graduate student Rhonda Balzarini was featured in a Western News article entitled "Study: Non-monogamous relationships find success". The article can be read here: https://news.westernu.ca/2017/06/study-non-monogamous-relationships-just-successful/
Posted June 26, 2017
World’s largest sleep study launches from Western’s Brain and Mind Institute. Read more here: http://mediarelations.uwo.ca/2017/06/26/worlds-largest-sleep-study-launches-westerns-brain-mind-institute/
Posted June 16, 2017
Dr. Adrian Owen was featured in an article entitled "Some unresponsive patients see, hear and comprehend more than previously thought" in The Globe and Mail. The article can be read here: https://www.theglobeandmail.com/life/health-and-fitness/health/neuroscientist-adrian-owen-recounts-his-decades-of-research-for-new-book/article35321685/
Posted May 17, 2017
Dr. Victoria Esses was featured in an article entitled "How can we blunt prejudice against immigrants?" on sciencemag.org. The article can be read here: http://www.sciencemag.org/news/2017/05/how-can-we-blunt-prejudice-against-immigrants
Posted May 10, 2017
Dr. Mel Goodale was featured in a Western News article entitled "About face: Your smile may be aging you". The article can be read here: http://news.westernu.ca/2017/05/face-smile-may-aging/
Posted April 11, 2017
Psychology Graduate Student Andrew Vo Shares Funding from Parkinson Society of Southwestern Ontario. Congratulations Andrew! The article can be read here: http://lfpress.com/2017/04/11/western-university-three-graduate-students-will-share-50000-in-funding-from-the-charity/wcm/5e41c5c5-b517-472d-871d-a527ac31604f
Posted January 12, 2017
Dr. Rod Martin was featured in a Western News article entitled "Complexity of humor is no joke".
Posted October 19, 2016
Dr. Vicki Esses was featured in a London Free Press article entitled "Western University study finds visible minorities underrepresented in senior leadership positions". The article can be read here: http://www.lfpress.com/2016/10/18/western-university-study-finds-visible-minorities-underrepresented-in-senior-leadership-positions
Stephanie Montgomery-Graham’s comprehensive paper, "Conceptualization and assessment of hypersexual disorder: A systematic review of the literature”, submitted for publication, has won the Society for Sex Therapy and Research (SSTAR) Sandra Leiblum Student Research Award, competing with an international group of candidates. The Society for Sex Therapy and Research is underwriting Stephanie’s travel to its international meeting in April 2017 and she has been asked to give a paper presentation of her work there.
Posted September 28, 2016
Dr. Paul Minda was featured in a Western News Article entitled "Study: Will meditation help stressed-out lawyers?". The entire article can be read here: http://news.westernu.ca/2016/09/study-will-meditation-help-stressed-lawyers/
Posted September 26, 2016
Dr. Vicki Esses' research was featured on the CFI Innovation.ca website entitled "Research builds my Canadian community". The article is found at: https://www.innovation.ca/story/research-builds-my-canadian-community
Mallory Jackman, who graduated from Western's HSp Neuroscience program in June 2015, has won the 2016 Regional Undergraduate Award, an international essay writing competition for undergraduates. Her paper, "Conflict processing across development: The progression of response inhibition networks" was judged the highest performing Highly Commended paper from Canada & US in the Psychology category.
The paper, written as part of the course requirements for Psych3485F (Research in Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience; taught by Dr. J. Bruce Morton) was selected from a field of 5,5415 submissions received from undergraduates in 244 institutions from 44 countries; there was one winner in each of 25 discipline-based categories from each of seven regions (Canada & US being one) , plus a World winner in each category.
For more information about the award check out: http://www.undergraduateawards.com/
Moreover, several Western students' papers in the Psychology category received Highly Commended status; less than 10% of the submissions are so designated.
Samantha DeBellis (Graduated with an HSp Psychology BA in June 2016). Samantha received Commended status for TWO papers.
Celina Everling (Will be graduating with an HSp Psychology BSc. in October, 2016)
Cisse Nakeyar (Y4, Psychology Major)
Sarah Schwanz (Y4, HSp Psychology BA, Brescia).
Posted August 10, 2016
Dr. J. Bruce Morton was featured in a Globe and Mail article entitled "Researchers examine toll of war on school-bound Syrian refugee kids". The article can be read here: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/researchers-examine-toll-of-war-on-school-bound-syrian-refugee-kids/article31341144/
Posted April 5, 2016
Dr. Stefan Kohler was featured in a Western News article entitled "Listen to your heart - it may tell you something about memory". The article can be read here: http://mediarelations.uwo.ca/2016/04/05/listen-to-your-heart-it-may-tell-you-something-about-memory/
Posted April 4, 2016
Dr. Riley Hinson was featured in The Gazette article entitled "The birthplace of addiction". The article can be read here: http://www.westerngazette.ca/life/the-birthplace-of-addiction/article_dabd5fca-c4be-11e5-bada-e3de1ef306f6.html
Posted February 24, 2016
Dr. Scott MacDougall-Shackleton was featured in a Western News article entitled "Songbirds struggle against sounds of city". The article can be read here: http://news.westernu.ca/2016/02/songbirds-struggle-against-sounds-of-city/
Posted February 10, 2016
A tribute to Dr. Mary Wright as the opening of her namesake at Merrymount is announced. The article can be read here: http://www.universityaffairs.ca/news/news-article/legacy-of-a-child-psychology-pioneer-reborn-through-an-innovative-new-partnership/
Posted December 2015
Dr. Daniel Ansari named Fellow of The Association of Psychological Science. More about the award can be read here: http://www.psychologicalscience.org/index.php/members/fellows
Posted December 14, 2015
Western Psychology PhD grad Etienne LeBel was awarded for promoting transparency in science. The article can be read here: http://www.lfpress.com/2015/12/14/whistle-blower-scientist-wins-10k-prize
Posted December 11, 2015
Dr. Victoria Esses was featured in a New York Times article on Canada's welcoming of Syrian refugees. The article can be read here: http://www.nytimes.com/2015/12/12/world/americas/syria-refugees-arrive-in-canada.html?_r=0
Posted December 3, 2015
Psychology graduate student Madeleine Brodbeck was featured in a Western News article entitled "Work takes flight with new idea on bird brains." The article can be read here: http://news.westernu.ca/2015/12/work-takes-flight-with-new-idea-on-bird-brains/
Posted October 13, 2015
Dr. Daniel Ansari was featured in a CBC article entitled: "Dyscalculia - or math dyslexia - needs more attention says neuroscientist". The article can be read here: http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/math-dyslexia-dyscalculia-1.3285501
Posted September 10, 2015
Taylor Kohut was featured in a mic.com article that explores pornography use and feminist opinions. The article can be read here: http://mic.com/articles/125116/there-s-a-surprising-link-between-watching-porn-and-being-a-feminist
Posted September 5, 2015
Etienne LeBel, graduate of Western's Ph.D Psychology Program, sheds spotlight on the non-reproducibility of the discipline's research findings in the London Free Press. The article is found here: http://www.lfpress.com/2015/09/04/london-scientist-etienne-lebel-has-exposed-questionable-work-of-senior-researchers
Posted August 20, 2015
Dr. Elizabeth Hampson was featured in a Daily Mail article entitled "Forget baby brain... pregnancy IMPROVES a woman's memory: Scientists say grey matter may be boosted as women prepare for the challenges of motherhood". The article can be found here: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-3204181/Forget-baby-brain-pregnancy-IMPROVES-woman-s-memory-Scientists-say-grey-matter-boosted-women-prepare-challenges-motherhood.html
Posted May 24, 2015
Dr. Bruce Morton was featured in a London Free Press articled entitled "Western University scientists say dynamic views of the brain may improve treatment of mental illness". The article can be read here: http://www.lfpress.com/2015/05/24/western-university-scientists-say-dynamic-views-of-the-brain-may-improve-treatment-of-mental-illness
Posted May 20, 2015
Dr. Bruce Morton was featured in a am980.ca article entitled "Western Researchers Rewiring Understanding of Human Brain". The article can be read here: http://www.am980.ca/2015/05/20/western-researchers-rewiring-understanding-of-human-brain/
Posted May 12, 2015
Dr. Lorne Campbell was featured in a nymag.com article entitled "Do People Really End Up Dating Their 'Types'?" The article can be read here: http://nymag.com/scienceofus/2015/05/people-really-end-up-dating-their-types.html
Posted March 19, 2015
Dr. Victoria Esses in Epoch Times on possible reasons for and implications of changes in Canada's immigration patterns (http://www.theepochtimes.com/n3/1290652-many-new-immigrants-opting-for-prairie-provinces-over-toronto/).
Posted March 12, 2015
Andrea Bowes' and Albert Katz's recent work on metaphors and social judgments featured by Psychonomics (http://www.psychonomic.org/featured-content-detail/road-to-intimacy-is-faster-than-speeding-bullet-me).
Posted March 5, 2015
Dr. Derrick MacFabe, Director of the Kilee Patchell-Evans Autism Research Group, Western University, London, Ontario, recently returned from presenting at the 2015 “Nobel Forum Symposium “The Gut in Focus”. Symposium organizers invited MacFabe to report on the work he and his international team of researchers are doing on the escalating problem of autism in children. MacFabe was one of only 10 researchers invited to present. More information can be found by visiting: http://psychology.uwo.ca/autism/nobelforum.htm
Posted December 24, 2014
Dr. Mel Goodale was featured in a Ottawa Citizen article entitled "Study proves blind people — and sighted — can use echoes as a sixth sense". The article may be read here: http://ottawacitizen.com/news/local-news/study-proves-blind-people-and-sighted-can-use-echoes-as-a-sixth-sense
Posted December 4, 2014
Dr. William Fisher was featured in a Western News article entitled "No single answer to stopping spread of HIV". The article may be read here: http://news.westernu.ca/2014/12/no-single-answer-to-stopping-spread-of-hiv/
Posted September 15, 2014
Dr. Adrian Owen and Dr. Lorina Naci were featured in a Western News article entitled "Neuroscientists decode conscious experiences with Hitchcock film". The article may be read here: http://news.westernu.ca/2014/09/neuroscientists-decode-conscious-experiences-with-hitchcock-film/
Posted August 14, 2014
Dr. Ingrid Johnson was named first Western Research Chair. More about this prestigious award can be read at: http://news.westernu.ca/2014/08/award-winning-neuroscientist-named-first-western-research-chair-2/
Dr. Daniel Ansari was featured in a Globe and Mail article entitled "A two-minute test may show if a child needs early help in math – and it’s free online". The article in its entirety can be read at this link:
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/life/parenting/a-two-minute-test-may-show-if-a-child-needs-early-help-in-math-and-its-free-online/article18702795/
Posted April 10, 2014
Congratulations to Dr. Marc Joanisse and Dr. Stefan Köhler on receiving a 2014 Faculty Scholar Award!
Posted April 9, 2014
Rae Gibson and Katerina Rnic have each been awarded the highest level scholarship from the federal granting agencies. Rae has been awarded an NSERC Vanier award and Katerina has been awarded a SSHRC Vanier award.
The Vanier CGS is a highly selective scholarship for up to three years. According to the Vanier mission, the The Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarships program attracts and retains world-class doctoral students and helps establish Canada as a global centre of excellence in research and higher learning.
Congratulations Rae and Katerina!
Posted March 3, 2014
Congratulations to Dr. Daniel Ansari who has received a CIHR Grant for his work entitled "Investigating the typical and atypical development of the numerate brain".
Congratulations Daniel!
Posted January 16, 2014
Dr. Brian Timney was featured in a London Free Press article entitled "Western officials says blurring of vision isn’t evident at or just below the legal driving limit".
Posted November 19, 2013
Dr. Scott MacDougall-Shackleton was featured in a London Free Press article entitled "It turns out birds have a knack for forecasting weather and adapting to changing elements, Western University researchers find".
Posted June 25, 2013
Congratulations to former psychology graduate student Sari van Anders (nee Anderson) who was recently awarded an Association for Psychological Science 2013 Janet Taylor Spence Award for Transformative Early Career Contributions. In addition to this award Sari was also recently awarded the Ira and Harriet Reiss Award for the theory by the Society for the Scientific Study of Sexuality. Sari worked under the supervision of Dr. Elizabeth Hampson and is currently an Assistant Professor at the University of Michigan.
Posted June 24, 2013
Congratulations to Dr. Paul Frewen upon receiving the American Psychological Association Division 56 Early Career Award. The award "recognizes psychologists in the early stages of their careers who have shown outstanding achievement or who have made outstanding contributions to the study of psychological trauma." More details about the award can be found here:http://www.apa.org/about/awards/div-56-early.aspx
Posted June 3, 2013
A new school being constructed in Strathroy will be named the "Mary Wright Public School", in recognition of her lifelong work for the benefit and education of children. Mary has had a long and distinguished association with Western university. Mary was born in Strathroy in 1915 and earned her undergraduate degree at Western in 1939, and after earning her PhD at the University of Toronto, returned to us in a professorial role in 1946, with an avid interest in early childhood education, a field in which she worked her whole life, publishing her last paper well into her 90s. There are many firsts associated with her work. She was the first female director of Canadian Psychological association (CPA, 1959) and its first female President (1968). When in 1960 she became chair of the Psychology department at Western she became the first female chair of a major psychology department in Canada. She served as Chair from 1960-1970 and laid the basis for its current reputation and orientation as a research-intensive unit. And of course Mary is well known for founding and her continuing support of the (now named) Mary J.Wright University lab school. In addition to her work as a child psychologist, Mary has been an avid student of the history of psychology, writing and co-editing with C. Roger Myers, the seminal work: History of Academic Psychology in Canada. In recognition of her impact on this field as well, the history and philosophy of psychology section of CPA established a student award in her honor. In addition to her work at Western, Mary is a strong advocate for her home town. The Wright Foundation supports several organizations in Strathroy and now, at age 98, Mary is currently living in Strathroy close to the new school site.
Posted April 24, 2013
Congratulation to PhD student Caroline Strang one of the winners of Western's 3-Minute Thesis Competition.
Posted March 28, 2013
Congratulations to Dr. Elizabeth Hayden upon winning a 2013 Faculty Scholar Award.
Posted February 8, 2013
Congratulations to Dr. Steve Lomber who has been awarded one of three Cattell Fund Fellowships. Dr. Lomber will continue to study the function of the auditory cortex and how the cortex responds to hearing loss. He will be spending portions of his sabbatical leave in Hannover, Germany at the Medical University of Hannover working with Prof. Andrej Kral and later in Philadelphia working with Prof. Yale Cohen at the University of Pennsylvania. The James McKeen Cattell Fund Fellowships, created in 1974, allow researchers to extend their sabbatical leave for one or two semesters to pursue new research.
Posted January 29, 2013
Congratulations to Dr. Scott MacDougall-Shackleton and Dr. David Sherry whose team (led by Chris Guglielmo) recently received a $1,371,999 Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI) grant for "AFAR takes flight". This project ($3.4 million total) will allow researchers to track small birds over the entire southwestern Ontario region, as well as globally from a new receiver being attached to the international space station in 2014.
Posted January 2013
Congratulations to Dr. Mel Goodale for being chosen as Canadians for Health Research "Researcher of the Month".
Posted January 25, 2013
Congratulations to Stephanie Montgomery-Graham (advisor Dr. Peter Hoaken) who won a Canadian Psychological Association Foundation Grant for her project "Narcissism and social media". Out of the five award winners Stephanie was the only undergraduate to receive the award. Details of the award can be found here.
Posted November 16, 2012
"In support some of these new discoveries, the Learning & the Brain Foundation and the International Mind, Brain, and Education Society (IMBES) will be presenting the 2012 Transforming Education through Neuroscience Award to Neuroscience Researcher Daniel Ansari, PhD, of the University of Western Ontario, during the second day of the conference. The award will be presented by Professor Kurt W. Fischer, Director of the Mind, Brain and Education Program at the Harvard Graduate School of Education and Past President of IMBES. The award of $5,000 is given annually to a researcher who has made significant contributions to growing field of neuroeducation. Dr. Ansari is being honored for his research contributions to the field of numerical cognition, including discoveries on the brain networks involved in mental arithmetic, brain structure differences in math disorders and the effects of math instruction on brain function. He seeks to both answer scientific questions as well as to generate data that could inform educational challenges such as diagnosis of mathematical difficulties as well as their remediation. Dr. Ansari’s research uses behavioral measures and brain-imaging methods." (Excerpt from https://www.learningandthebrain.com)
Posted November 12, 2012
The research of Dr. Adrian Owen was featured on the BBC-Tv program "Panorama".
Posted November 2, 2012
Dr. Ian Lyons, Western Psychology's recently-arrived postdoctoral fellow (Ansari lab) is making a splash with his research demonstrating that, for those high in math anxiety, anticipating doing math activates parts of the brain involved in pain processing.
The work, conducted at University of Chicago with Lyons's' Ph.D. advisor Sian Beilock, was recently published in PLOS One and was featured in GeekQuinox, CTV News, The Telegraph and CNN Health.
Dr. Lyons's research will also be featured during an interview with Bob MacDonald of CBC Radio 1's (FM 93.5) Quirks and Quarks which airs Saturday Nov. 3rd at 10 am.
Posted September 13, 2012
Dr. Stefan Köhler and graduate student Chris Martin were featured in a London Free Press article entitled "Deja vu explained, but you knew that".
Posted July 23, 2012
Congratulations to Anna Matejko who was one of eight Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarships.
Posted June 13, 2012
Dr. Adrian Owen was featured in a Nature article entitled "Neuroscience: The mind reader". The article can be read here.
Posted June 2012
Congratulations to Tara Morley who won LRPA Award for Outstanding Contribution by a Psychology Student.
Posted May 28, 2012
Congratulations to Dr. Vicki Esses who was awarded an SSHRC grant for the Pathways to Prosperity Partnership.
Posted May 4, 2012
Congratulations to Dr. Jessica Grahn who received an Early Researcher Award.
Posted April 30, 2012
Dr. Bertram Gawronski was featured in a Western News article entitled "Study: 'Undecideds' not necessarily impartial".
Posted April 30, 2012
Congratulations to Dr. Lorne Campbell who was chosen as one of thirteen faculty scholars.
Posted April 30, 2012
Congratulations to Livia Veselka who has been named as a winner of the Anna Anastasi award, which is given out by the APA Division One. This is a very prestigious award, and the winner is selected from a large pool of applicants from across North America by Fellows of the APA.
Posted April 24, 2012
Dr. Rhodri Cusack received a CHRP grant to better understand brain function in newborn children.
Posted April 16, 2012
Congratulations to Dr. Richard Neufeld who is on the list of Top 11 academically productive male clinical psychology professors in Canada.
Posted April 13, 2012
Dr. Jessica Grahn receives a grant from the Grammy Foundation for her research.
Posted April 12, 2012
Congratulations to Dr. John Meyer who has received a Hellmuth Prize for Achievement in Research.
Posted April 12, 2012
Dr. Natalie Allen's research featured in a Financial Times article. The article entitled "Productivity often hindered by teamwork" can be read here.
Posted March 2, 2012
Congratulations to a number of Western psychology graduate students after having received these following awards. Students listed are the most recent winners of the awards and more information regarding the awards can be found by clicking on the award name below.
H. J. Eysenck Memorial Fund’s Award: Livia Veselka
Leola E. Neal Award: Sarah Stanton
Ralph S. Devereux Award in Psychology: Tram Nguyen
Reva Gerstein Fellowship for Masters Study in Psychology: Tram Nguyen
Douglas N. Jackson Memorial Award: Joseph Choi
G. Keith Humphrey Memorial Award: Kazunaga Matsuki
Marilyn (Pack) McClelland Award in Psychology: Stephanie Bugden
Richard A. Harshman Scholarship: Matthew Shanahan
Posted February 12, 2012
Graduate student Justin Feeney was featured in The Economic Times in an article entitled "Why women do better than men in job interviews".
Posted February 9, 2012
Dr. Jessica Grahn was featured in a Western News article entitled "Song remains the same for researcher".
Posted February 9, 2012
Daniella Chirila was nominated for the 2012 Western Award of Excellence. Congratulations Daniella!
Posted January 24, 2012
Dr. Jessica Grahn was awarded a CFI grant to study links between music, the brain and how we move.
Posted January 19, 2012
PhD student Claire Salisbury has been awarded the IGH (Institute of Gender and Health) Award for Excellence in Gender, Sex and Health Research by the CIHR. Only one of these is awarded each year and Claire has won it for her research on women’s sexuality.
Posted January 16, 2012
Dr. Bertram Gawronski has been elected a Fellow of the Association for Psychological Science (APS) in recognition of "sustained and outstanding distinguished contributions to psychological science."
Posted December 14, 2011
PhD student Justin Feeney (supervised by Rick Goffin) has been announced as the winner of the prestigious John C. Flanagan Award by the Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology (SIOP). This award is given to the best first-authored student poster at the annual SIOP conference. Justin will receive the award at the upcoming San Diego SIOP conference in April 2012.
Posted November 3, 2011
Dr. Jim Neufeld gave a keynote address to the Japanese Psychological Assciation Annual Meetings in Tokyo on September 15, 2011. The title of his address was: "Quantitative Cognitive Science, and Cognitive Neuroimaging, of Schizophrenia".
Posted October 26, 2011
Dr. William Fisher has received the Society for the Scientific Study of Sexuality’s (SSSS; http://www.sexscience.org/about) 2011 Distinguished Scientific Achievement Award for his outstanding contributions to the field of sexology. Past award recipients have included William Masters and Virginia Johnson, Harry Harlow and John Money.
Dr. Fisher is a UWO distinguished University Professor in the Departments of Psychology and Obstetrics and Gynaecology at the University of Western Ontario. He is also a co-founder and research affiliate of the Center for Health, Intervention, and Prevention at the University of Connecticut and has published over 200 papers concerning human sexual behaviour. The SSSS award recognizes Dr. Fisher’s field-defining research in several areas, including the study of sex-related emotions; the study of male and female sexual function and dysfunction; the study of psychological factors that influence family planning behaviour; and his path-breaking research involving the prediction and prevention of HIV risk behaviour worldwide.
Posted October 11, 2011
Postdoctoral researcher Gavin Buckingham was featured in a Western News articl entitled "Left of Right? Weight of object not an issue".
Posted September 28, 2011
Dr. Greg Moran was appointed the new prevost of the Aga Khan University.
Posted September 23, 2011
Dr. Graham Reid was featured in a Londoner article entitled "Turning back the clock on bedtime".
Posted September 16, 2011
Dr. Ken McRae has been accepted to serve as a member of the Language and Communication Study Section (National Institutes of Health, Centre for Scientific Review) from July 1, 2011 until June 30th, 2015.
Members of this section are selected based on their demonstrated competence and achievement in their scientific discipline as evidenced by the quality of research accomplishments, publications and other scientific activities, achievement and honors.
Posted September 15, 2011
Dr. Gavin Buckingham a postdoctoral fellow in Mel Goodale's lab was awarded the prestigious Banting Fellowship.
Posted September 6, 2011
One of Dr. Bertram Gawronski's papers has been ranked among the top 1% (2000-2008) of most cited papers according to a recent bibliometric study of the Scopus database. The Scopus database is the largest abstract and citation database of peer reviewed literature in the world.
Posted August 19, 2011
Dr. Daniel Ansari on number processing deficits was featured in a Science Careers article. The article can be read here.
Posted August 3, 2011
PhD student Katie Kryski is awarded the prestigious Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarship.
Posted July 6, 2011
Dr. Adrian Owen's research was part of a Western News article entitled "Humour leads insight into vegetative state".
Posted May 30, 2011
Dr. Daniel Ansari's research was part of an online article from The Washington Post. The article entitled "Researchers say math anxiety starts early" can be read here.
Posted May 25, 2011
Dr. Mel Goodale was featured in a CBC online article "Blind people echolocate with visual part of brain". The article can be read here.
Posted April 26, 2011
Dr. Rod Martin was featured in Wired Magazine regarding his research on humour. The article can be read here.
Posted April 14, 2011
Dr. Daniel Ansari was awarded one of 12 Faculty Scholar Awards.
Posted April 14, 2011
PhD student Kim Edwards has been nominated for Western Humanitarian Awards.
Posted February 17, 2011
Dr. Marla Wolf received the Angela Armitt Award for Excellence in Teaching by Part-Time Faculty.
Posted February 9, 2011
Dr. Lorne Campbell's research is featured in a Canadian Foundation for Innovation article.
Posted January 19, 2011
Dr. Bertram Gawronski is featured in a Psych Central online article entitled "First Impressions Are More Lasting Than Once Thought".
Posted January 14, 2011
Dr. Daniel Ansari's research is featured in an online Globe and Mail article entitled "Why things just don't add up for some students".
Posted January 6, 2011
Robert D. Hare, a UWO Psychology PhD graduate from 1963 receives Order of Canada in 2011.
Posted December 24, 2010
Graduate student Ruby Nadler was featured in a Time Magazine online article entitled "Could Watching Viral Videos Enhance Creative Thinking?". Read the article here.
Posted October 29, 2010
Dr. Adrian Owen is featured in a Globe and Mail articled entitled "Vegetative patients may be aware, newly recruited researcher says".
Posted October 11, 2010
Dr. Steve Lomber is featured in a National Geographic article entitled "Why the Deaf Have Enhanced Vision". The article can be read here.
Posted 2010
Dr. Vicki Esses and PhD student Caroline Bennett- AbuAyyash have received theHarold Crabtree Foundation Award in Public Policy. Information about the Harold Crabtree Foundation Award in Public Policy, the research team and project can be read here.
Posted June 17, 2010
PhD graduate and psychology cross-appointee Dr. Peter Jaffe receives Order of Canada.
Posted June 1, 2010
Dr. Jody Culham was awarded an NSERC E.W.R. Steacie Memorial Fellowship.
Posted May 12, 2010
Congratulations to Psychology Graduate Students Livia Veselka and Matthew Maxwell-Smith who have been awarded Certificates of Teaching Excellence for their outstanding contributions as Teaching Assistants, from the Council of Canadian Departments of Psychology.
Posted April 27, 2010
Dr. William Roberts was featured in a London Free Press article entitled "Attitudes on Animals often Extreme".
Posted April 17, 2010
Dr. Kali Trzesniewski was featured in a Psychology Today article "Self-esteem highest among middle-aged boomers".
Posted March 31, 2010
Dr. Lorne Campbell, Dr. Greg Moran and Dr. Lynne Zarbatany were a part of a lecture series highlighted in the Western News.
Posted March 26, 2010
Dr. Bertram Gawronski is a part of the research renewal funding at Western. Dr. Gawronski has been awarded a Canada Research Chair in Social Psychology
valued at $500,000.
Posted March 24, 2010
Psychology and Biology postdoctoral fellow Raymond Thomas was featured in a London Free Press article "Slather on those spicy BBQ sauces".
Posted March 22, 2010
Dr. Kali Trzesniewski was featured in a Globe and Mail article "How to motivate your kids in school".
Posted March 8, 2010
Dr. Vicki Esses and Dr. Steve Lomber have been named as "Faculty Scholars", an award that is given to those who have demonstrated "outstanding scholarly achievements and leadership within their disciplines".
Congratulations!
Posted February 20, 2010
Dr. Daniel Ansari along with his colleagues have published a study in the Journal of Cognition dealing with "mathematics anxiety". The study was featured in a Globe and Mail article.
Posted January 20, 2010
Several faculty members in the department have made the University Students' Council 2008-2009 Teaching Honour Roll.
We congratulate:
Dr. Mike Atkinson
Dr. Shelley Cross-Mellor
Dr. Peter Hoaken
Dr. Albert Katz
Dr. Steve Lomber
Dr. Gary Rollman
Dr. David Sherry
Dr. Mary Lou Vernon
Dr. Tony Vernon
Posted December 14, 2009
Dr. David Dozois was featured in a Western News article entitled "Cognitive therapy key to tackling depression".
Posted November 4, 2009
Dr. Jody Culham was featured in a Western News article entitled "More than the eye can see".
Posted November 2, 2009
Dr. Mel Goodale was featured in a Western News article on "contagious yawning".
Posted September 2, 2009
Dr. Mel Goodale was featured in a Western News article entitled "Those blinded by brain injury may still 'see'".
Posted September 2, 2009
The government of Ontario is giving $11.5 million to support 82 emerging researchers and their teams at 21 institutions across Ontario. Each lead researcher will receive $140,000 through the Early Researcher Awards program (http://www.mri.gov.on.ca/english/programs/era/program.asp).
Dr. Elizabeth Hayden is the recipient of one of these prestigious awards for her research program on:"Emerging Childhood Vulnerability to Depression: Biological, Emotional, and Cognitive Pathways"
Depression is a widespread, chronic disorder with great costs to society. Identifying vulnerability markers is critical, since early identification can lead to cost-effective prevention strategies. Dr. Hayden will use longitudinal methods to examine early childhood depression vulnerability. Specifically, she will examine whether genes, hormones, emotional traits, and cognitive styles predispose children to depression. Dr. Hayden and her team will also examine whether contextual factors, including parenting and life events, exacerbate childhood vulnerability. This research will assist in preventing depression and increase Ontario’s international stature in this area of research.
Posted August 27, 2009
Advocacy Through Action: Students Bringing Psychology to our Community" (AtoA) has been selected as one of the three finalists for the Pillar Community Innovation 2009 award. The two other finalists are the Fairy Godmother Project and Special Olympics London.
Pillar Nonprofit Network (http://www.pillarnonprofit.ca/) supports nonprofit organizations in the London area by providing leadership, advocacy and support through the promotion of volunteerism, professional development, networking, and information. Taward recipient will be announced the night of the Awards Gala on Thursday November 12 at the London Convention Centre.
Posted August 14, 2009
Dr. Bertram Gawronski in a Psychology Today online article entitled "A little science on positive energy".
Posted August 10, 2009
Dr. Vicki Esses has been selected as one of the winners of the 2009 Distinguished Service to SPSSI (Society for the Psychological Study of Social Issues) award. The award will be given, and the citation for her service to SPSSI read, as part of SPSSI programming at the upcoming APA Conference to be held in August 2009, this year in Toronto.
Congratulations to Dr. Esses!
Posted July 20, 2009
Three faculty members from the department have been successful in their CIHR research applications. The faculty members and their areas of research are listed below.
Dr. Mel Goodale: The functional architecture and neural substrates of perception and action. (5 year grant)
Dr. Steve Lomber: Functional Organization of Auditory Cortex Following Cochlear Implant. (5 year grant)
Dr. Tutis Vilis: Interactions and transformations within dorsal and ventral streams. (3 year grant)
Posted May 29, 2009
Dr. Jim Neufeld has been elected Fellow of the Canadian Academy of Health Sciences
Fellows elected to the Canadian Academy of Health Sciences (CAHS) have “been recognized by their peers nationally and internationally for their contributions to the promotion of health science, and for having demonstrated leadership, creativity, distinctive competencies and commitment to advance academic health sciences”.
Dr. Neufeld’s CAHS citation reads:
"He is internationally recognized as a pioneer in applying mathematical methods to measure and study cognitive functioning in mental disorders, notably schizophrenia; and for inaugurating a comprehensive chaos-theory model of stress and coping, applicable to normal and clinical populations. He is credited for adapting mathematical methods: to translate research findings from groups of subjects to individual patients; to evaluate the efficiency of treatment programs in improving cognitive functioning of treated groups; to monitor the cognitive functioning of individual patients over the course of treatment; and to improve the measurement and interpretation of mental operations in modern brain imaging technology.”
The induction ceremony takes place in Ottawa, Sept. 2009.
Posted May 25, 2009
Psychology graduate student Matthew Shanahan was among other graduate students featured in SOGS "The Western Graduate Review".
Posted May 7, 2009
Dr. Elizabeth Hampson has been awarded the highly prestigious Senior Investigator Award from CIHR. This award, only one of two funded, is a salary award to support "international leaders in women's health" . It is for $500,000 over 5 years.
Congratulations Elizabeth on receiving this well deserved honour!
Posted May 1, 2009
The Vanier Scholarship is a new tri-council graduate student funding program and is awarded to only 166 students across the entire country. Only 6 graduate students at Western were selected as recipients of this program and Ian is the only international student at Western to receive this honor. Here is a description of the program:
"The Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarships program aims to attract and retain world-class doctoral students by supporting students who demonstrate a high standard of scholarly achievement in graduate studies in the social sciences and humanities, natural sciences and engineering, and health, as well as leadership skills."
Congratulations Ian!
Posted April 27, 2009
Dr. Vicki Esses recently received a research award for her "Welcoming Communities Initiative" by SSHRC.
Posted April 20, 2009
Dr. Derrick MacFabe was recently featured in an article in Vantage Online Magazine(Canada). The article details the collaboration between Dr. MacFabe and David Patchell-Evans to seek answers to autism.
Posted April 17, 2009
Dr. Bertram Gawronski Among Twelve Faculty Scholars recognized campus-wide for significant achievements in teaching and research.
Posted March 31, 2009
Dr. Daniel Ansari's research on dyscalculia was recently featured in a Globe and Mail article.
Posted March 25, 2009
The John Dewan Prize recognizes outstanding Ontario Mental Health Foundation (OMHF)-supported scientists whose unique laboratory or clinical research significantly contributes to knowledge bearing on mental health.
Dr. David Dozois was granted the award for his programmatic research on cognitive vulnerability to depression, the measurement of depression and anxiety, the treatment of these disorders and their prevention.
Posted March 13, 2009
Ben Bowles, who is a PhD student in the Neuroscience Program working under the supervision of Dr Stefan Köhler, just received the Brain Star Prize from the CIHR Institute of Neurosciences, Mental Health and Addiction.
This highly competitive prize recognizes the excellence of research done in Canada by graduate students (M.A., M.Sc. and Ph.D), postdoctoral fellows, and residents. Ben received this award for the article 'Impaired familiarity with preserved recollection after anterior temporal-lobe resection that spares the hippocampus', which was based on his MSc thesis and appeared in the prestigious Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences USA (PNAS) in 2007, with Ben being first author.
Information about the research was published in the October 25, 2007 edition of Western News.
Posted March 13, 2009
Dr. Vicki Esses has been awarded an SSHRC Community-University Research Alliance Grant for the project "Welcoming Communities: Working to Improve the Inclusion of Visible Minorities and Immigrants in Second and Third Tier Ontario Cities." The grant is for 1 million dollars over 5 years, and the project includes several other Western people (including from our Department, Dr. Xinyin Chen) as well as researchers at other Ontario universities.
Posted March 12, 2009
Dr. Daniel Ansari's research was featured in a Western News article entitled "Looking for the seeds of creativity".
Posted March 2, 2009
Psychology Graduate Student Pralle Kriengwatana wins 2nd place in the SOGS Western Research Forum:
"Alumni Association Multidisciplinary award for oral presentations"
Posted February 12, 2009
In 2006, recognizing that there was a need in the community for access to and information about child, adult and family mental health services and information about relevant psychological research, a group of Clinical Psychology graduate students decided to directly respond to this need by creating the "Advocacy through Action: Students Bringing Psychology to our Community" group.
As part of their initiatives, this group organized, in 2008, a series of free lectures at the London Public Library entitled "Finding Your Way: A series on the Psychology of Everyday Life" aimed at providing practical information based on established scientific evidence shown to enhance emotional and social well being. The series will be repeated and expanded in 2009.
The Ontario Psychological Association (OPA) has just announced that the group has been awarded the 2008 OPA Public Education Award for this lecture series. The award will be presented to the group at the annual convention of the Ontario Psychological Association in Toronto, Feb. 21st, 2009.
The Advocacy Through Action Group is also actively participating in University-Community efforts to provide mental health services to Londoners who are disadvantaged and underserved.
The founding members of the group (Aimee Coulombe, Vanessa Hamill, Vivien Lee, Patricia Jordan, Agnes Massak, Erin Ross, Alex McIntyre-Smith, and Kathryn Turnbull) have since been joined in their efforts by Francois Botha, Lyndsay Evraire, Naomi Gryfe, Megan Hancock, Sol Rovillard, Katie Kryski, Tara Morley, Kathleen O’Connor, Pamela Seeds, Matthew Shanahan, Juliana Tobon, and Ya Xue.
Posted February 11, 2009
The Early Research Contribution Awards, were established in 2002, this award is made to a person or persons who distinguish themselves as researchers and scholars, as evidenced through research, publications, and scholarly activity. Nominees should ordinarily be no more than six years beyond the Ph.D. or equivalent degree. Award recipients are invited to participate in the Society's Oral History Project immediately after the awards presentation with repeat interviews at a appropriate intervals in their careers. Congratulations to Dr. Daniel Ansari for this award!
More information regarding the Society for Research and Child Development can be found here.
Posted January 31, 2009
Psychology graduate student Alex McIntyre-Smith is featured in a London Free Press article that talks about Mindfulness meditation.
Posted January 16, 2009
Dr. William Fisher was featured in a Western News article about reducing the HIV infection.
Posted November 21, 2008
Dr. Richard Sorrentino was featured in a New York Times article about uncertainty. The article can be found here.
Posted November 20, 2008
Dr. Daniel Ansari's research on dyscalculia was featured in a Science News article.
Posted November 19, 2008
The University Students' Council has just issued their Teaching Honour Roll for the 2007-2008 academic year.
This recognition is presented to the most outstanding teachers on campus (having received an accumulated average of 6.3 or higher (out of 7) on the first 14 questions on their teaching evaluation forms.
The recipients from Psychology are:
Dr. Daniel Ansari
Dr. Mike Atkinson
Dr. Betty Hampson
Dr. Rod Martin
Dr. Harry Murray
Dr. Tony Vernon
Congratulations to all the winners!
Posted November 10, 2008
Psychology Graduate Student Bethany Butzer won The 10th Annual Martin E.P. Seligman Award for Outstanding Dissertation Research in Positive Psychology.
Posted October 9, 2008
Dr. Bertram Gawronski's research on racial stereotypes was recently featured in a Western News article.
Posted August 21, 2008
Dr. Bertram Gawronski is featured in a New York Times article entitled "Undecideds More Decided Than They Think, Study Says".
Posted August 6, 2008
Dr. Bill Roberts is featured in an online news article titled "Lassie, Get Help! or probably not".
Posted June 12, 2008
Agnes Massak, a Western psychology graduate student will receive an award on June 17th from the London Regional Psychological Association (LRPA) for an "Outstanding Contribution by a Psychology Student". The award, in part, recognizes Agnes's leadership role in the clinical psychology graduate students' "advocacy through action" initiative, which included “Finding your way: A lecture series on the psychology of everyday life”, at the London Public Library.
Congratulations Agnes!
Posted May 22, 2008
Rachel Lechcier-Kimel and Matthew Shanahan are two psychology graduate teaching assistants who were recently honoured at a ceremony which took place on May 13th. Of the over 800 teaching assistants nominated, only 20 were given the award with winners being decided by the number of nominations and feedback from their students.
Congratulations to Rachel and Matthew!
Posted May 20, 2008
Dr. Scott MacDougall-Shackleton has been awarded one of NSERC’s one hundred 2008 Discovery Accelerator Supplements (DAS), to facilitate the AFAR (wind tunnel for birds) project. The DAS program represents a new component of the Discovery Grants Program and aims at providing substantial and timely additional resources to accelerate progress, and maximize the impact of outstanding research programs.
Congratulations Scott!
Posted April 7, 2008
Dr. Bill Roberts is featured in an online article from Science Daily titled "Animals Are 'Stuck In Time' With Little Idea Of Past Or Future, Study Suggests".
Posted April 4, 2008
Dr. Bill Roberts was recently featured in a Western News article highlighting his research with animals.
Posted March 28, 2008
Dr. William Fisher and Dr. Jody Culham have been honoured with Distinguished University Professorship and Faculty Scholar awards respectively.
Dr. Fisher has already been recognized with the Pleva teaching award and the Hellmuth research awards. The Distinguished University Professorship adds to this list and recognizes Dr. Fisher for exceptional scholarship.
Dr. Culham has received a Faculty Scholar award as nominated by the Dean of Social Science. Winners of this award are considered all around scholors and are able to hold this title for two years.
Congratulations to both Dr. Fisher and Dr. Culham on their continued excellence!
Further information on these awards can be found in this week's Western News.
Posted February 15, 2008
An article was posted in this week's Western News that centers around Dr. Mel Goodale and his involvement with The Centre for Brain and Mind. The article provides an interesting read on The Centre and showcases the research and history of Dr. Mel Goodale and other researchers at The Centre for Brain and Mind.
Posted January 17, 2008
Dr. Kali Trzesniewski was recently featured in an online news article from The New York Times. The article details findings from Dr. Trzesniewski's collaborative research.
Posted October 25, 2007
Dr. Stefan Köhler and PhD student Ben Bowles were featured in a Western News article that featured their research on human memory.
Posted September 28, 2007
Dr. Stefan Köhler and PhD student Ben Bowles Show that Assessment of Familiarity Has Distinct Neural Substrate.
Most people can identify with the eerie experience of recognizing a person as familiar, yet failing to recollect any information pertaining to a previous encounter with that person. Recognition based on familiarity can be contrasted with recognition when we can spontaneously conjure up contextual details about the episode in which we encountered the person before, such as where we met the person or when it happened. New research by PhD student Ben Bowles and Psychology Professor Stefan Köhler shows that the assessment of familiarity during recognition relies on a distinct brain mechanism and does not just reflect a weaker form of memory.
The study was conducted in collaboration with researchers at the London Health Sciences Centre, McGill University, and at the University of California. The resulting article just appeared in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences USA (PNAS). The authors report that a rare form of brain surgery that can be highly effective for treatment of epilepsy can selectively impair the ability to assess familiarity, while leaving fully intact the ability to recollect episodic detail. This research is based on Ben Bowles Master’s thesis and was supported by a grant from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research to Dr. Stefan Köhler.
Congratulations to both Dr. Köhler and PhD student Ben Bowles!
Posted August 17th, 2007
Dr. Daniel Ansari and Dr. Bertram Gawronski have each received funding from the Ontario government to assist with their research.
Dr. Ansari has been awarded funds from the Ontario Research Fund to assist with his research including lab space and various equipment. Dr. Ansari's research "Assessing the development of mathematical ability" will look at how society comprehends and manipulates numbers and try to understand why some people have difficulty with mathematics.
Dr. Bertram Gawronski has been awarded an "Early Researcher Award" by the Ontario Ministry for Research and Innovation. The award is used to support promising, recently appointed Ontario researchers in their cutting-edge research and to help build their research teams of graduate students, postdoctoral fellows and research associates. Dr. Gawronski's research will look at automatic and controlled processes underlying evaluative responses.
Congratulations to both Dr. Ansari and Dr. Gawronski!
Posted July 25, 2007
After being located for 34 years in the Social Science Centre on Western's Main Campus, the Dr. Mary J. Wright University Laboratory School (or "the lab school") will be picking up its roots and transplanting them this summer to their new location in Westminster College. The move will be completed in time to start another school year in September and parents and children alike will appreciate the new facilities which allows for easy access to the school. Dr. Mary Lou Vernon and the staff and teachers at the school are excited about the move and look forward to opening the doors in September.
Coupled with the physical move to Westminster College, the lab school has also moved "virtually" by recently unveiling its new web site. The new updated site has a fresh new look that ties in nicely with the fresh new look of the lab schools new location. The new web site brings further focus to the school by showcasing what has always been important to the school...the children. Using photos taken over the years, the site offers families a "sneak peek" in to the schools daily life as well as providing an assortment of information to help parents make an ever important decision.
Posted June 20, 2007
Dr. Natalie Allen and Dr. John Meyer have been awarded the "Distinguished Contributions to I-O Psychology in Canada” award. The award will be presented at the annual CPA convention in Halifax in 2008 where Dr. Allen and Dr. Meyer will address CSIOP delegates and receive their plaque.
This award is presented to an individual who has made a substantial contribution to the field of I-O Psychology in Canada.
Congratulations to Dr. Allen and Dr. Meyer!
Posted June 14, 2007
Some members of the fourth year graduating class in psychology were recently awarded by the department for their excellence. Congratulations to all the award winners!
Laurie Bertrand (McClelland Award -most outstanding thesis of the year)
Megan Johnston (Clark and Mary Wright Scholarship)
Talia Troister (Psych 385 f/g)
Stephanie Reid (Linda Smith-Holbert Award)
Posted June 1, 2007
Dr. Natalie Allen and Dr. John Meyer explore Job Commitment and Happiness.
Posted May 23, 2007
Dr. Daniel Ansari has been awarded Tier 2 Canada Research Chair.
Posted April 30, 2007
Dr. Mel Goodale was honoured as a Distinguished University Professor (DUP) at a recent ceremony. The award is Western's highest recognition for a professor.
Posted April 5, 2007
Two publications from the department have made NSERC's inaugural list of of the Top 50 Discoveries for 2006.
The first publication entitled "Do dogs (Canis familiaris) seek help in an emergency" was authored by Dr. Bill Roberts and Krista Macpherson. The paper was featured in the Journal of Comparative Psychology (120(2): 113-119).
The second publication entitled "Neurobiological effects of intraventricular propionic acid in rats: Possible role of short chain fatty acids on the pathogenesis and characteristics of autism spectrum disorder" was authored by Dr. Derrick MacFabe and the autism group. The paper was featured in Behavioural Brain Research (176(1): 149-169).
Congratulations to Krista, Dr. Roberts, Dr. MacFabe and the autism research group!
More information on the researchers involved with these publications can be found by following one of the links below.
Dr. Bill Roberts
Dr. Derrick MacFabe and the Kilee Patchell-Evans Autism Research Group
Posted March 30, 2007
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Dr. Bill Fisher has been awarded the 2007 Hellmuth Prize for Scientific Achievement. Dr. Fisher and his research team at Yale University and the University of Connecticut have also received a $7 million (US) NIH grant to support HIV prevention/intervention research in South Africa over the next 5 years. This research is designed to help HIV+ patients who are receiving anteretroviral therapy to avoid transmission of HIV to uninfected others. |
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In other news, the Province of Ontario has announced $23 million in support of UWO and the Robarts Research Institute (RRI) to support the Brain and Mind Research Group (headed by Dr. Mel Goodale) and to help integrate the RRI into the Western family. Congratulations to Mel as this allows the MRI project to proceed. |
Posted March 21, 2007
Dr. Lorne Campbell has been awarded a Donald D. Harrington Faculty Fellowship from the University of Texas at Austin ( http://www.utexas.edu/harrington/faculty/ ).
This preeminent research program is designed to attract outstanding faculty that are near the beginning of their professional careers. Fellowships are awarded annually to the most highly qualified applicants from universities throughout the United States and around the world. A Harrington Faculty Fellow is on leave from her or his home university and is appointed as a visiting member of the UT Austin faculty. These Fellows visit UT Austin to pursue their research and collaborate with colleagues. Dr. Campbell expects to commence his Fellowship in the fall of 2008.
Congratulations Dr. Campbell!
In other news, Dr. Mel Goodale has been given a Distinguished University Professor Award and Dr. Scott MacDougall-Shackleton has received a Faculty Scholar Award. Additionally, Dr. Daniel Ansari has been successful in obtaining a Canada Research Chair (Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience), Tier II Award.
All of these awards are highly deserved and highlight the strengths of this department in both research and teaching.
Congratulations to each of these outstanding faculty members!
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Posted March 20, 2007
Sheri Madigan (a recent graduate student in the clinical psychology program) has received one of CIHR's Brain Star Awards for a recent publication in Developmental Psychology.
The award recognizes research done in Canada by a graduate student, post-doc or resident. The $1000 award is given bi-weekly and includes a profile of the recipient's research on CIHR's website.
Posted March 19, 2007
Dr. Susan Pepper will be honoured with the Edward G. Pleva Award for Excellence in Teaching at an upcoming convocation ceremony in June.
Dr. Pepper has been a prominent member of the industrial/organizational area of psychology for a number of years. Dr. Pepper has long been a favourite among students and colleagues alike, consistently scoring high marks on yearly evaluations.
In addition to this prestigious award, Dr. Pepper has also received four Western Psychology Association Professor of the Year awards and two Teaching Honour Roll Awards of excellence from the University Student's Council.
Dr. Pepper and other award winners were also featured in the March 15th issue of the Western News.
Posted February 27, 2007
Dr. Mary J. Wright recently received a YMCA London Women of Excellence Award.
Posted January 15, 2007
Dr. Bertram Gawronski receives the 2006 Early Career Award by the International Social Cognition Network (ISCON). The annual award aims to recognize and encourage distinguished junior scientists who have made outstanding theoretical and empirical contributions to the understanding of social cognition. The award decision is made on the basis of originality, quality, and impact of scientific research in the study of social cognition. The award winner will be invited to present a distinguished address at the Social Cognition Pre-Conference at the Annual Meeting of the Society for Personality and Social Psychology.
Posted November 30, 2006
Dr. Scott MacDougall-Shackleton and Dr. David Sherry awarded CFI grant to build wind tunnel for birds.
Posted November 27, 2006
Western's Department of Psychology has received a third place ranking among medical/doctoral Canadian Universities according to a recently released report issued by Research Infosource (a Canadian consulting firm and provider of research data for buisness and higher education).
Canadian University Publications 2006 is a report that highlights the total number of publications of researchers at universities and affiliated teaching hospitals. The third place ranking for the department is very impressive and highlights the quality of the faculty and researchers within the Department of Psychology.
Posted November 2, 2006
A research team that is comprised of some members of the department of psychology at Western has recently discovered a possible link between Autism and food.
The multi-disciplinary research team at Western will study the involvement of a number of environmental factors, particularly those involving diet and the digestive system, in the causes and symptoms of autism spectrum disorders.
The research group has the goal of finding the basic processes underlying the cause of autism. Headed by Dr. Derrick MacFabe, the Kilee Patchell-Evans Autism Research Group hopes to uncover the workings of specific brain areas that may be responsible for autistic behavior. The group’s long-term goal is to develop screening methods to identify infants who may be “at risk” for autism and possibly to devise treatment strategies to prevent autism or lessen its severity.
Dr. MacFabe says, "Many studies report abnormalities of the digestive system in autistic patients and many caregivers report that some patients’ symptoms are worsened by certain dietary factors, particularly milk or wheat products. Furthermore there is a possible increased incidence of autism with exposure of antibiotics following many routine bacterial infections." Ultimately, MacFabe says, the research team hopes that their findings will lead to novel treatment interventions.
Another aspect of the research team’s work will be to assess environmental factors or genetic sensitivity in large populations of those with autism and their families. With the assistance of Dr. Jeanette Holden, Director of the Canadian American Autism Research Consortium, the group will have access to a patient registry of more than 7,000 participants.
MacFabe cautions that this work is in its infancy and is currently limited to rodent studies. However, the observed effects of these bacterial compounds may provide an important framework in linking digestive and dietary factors to the brain, immune and behavioral effects found in human autism spectrum disorders, he says.
The Kilee Patchell-Evans Autism Research Group was started by MacFabe and prominent businessman David, Patchell-Evans, president and CEO of GoodLife Fitness Clubs, Inc. Patchell-Evans is also the father of Kilee, a child with autism,
for whom the group was named. Patchell-Evans and the Autism Canada Foundation provided donations of $1.5 million to fund the group. Researchers participating include University of Western Ontario Psychology Chair Dr. Klaus-Peter Ossenkopp, and Drs. Donald Peter Cain, Martin Kavaliers, Elizabeth Hampson and Fred Possmayer, research scientists specializing in the effects of a variety of compounds on brain development, function and complex behavior. In addition, strong collaborative alliances have been formed with other academic institutions in Canada and the United States. A paper outlining the group’s work (MacFabe et al., “Neurobiological effects of intraventricular propionic acid in rats: Possible role of short chain fatty acids on the pathogenesis and characteristics of autism spectrum disorders," Behavioural Brain Research) is in press.
Posted November 2, 2006
Dr. Bertram Gawronski and his collaborators Frederica Conrey (Indiana University), Jeffrey Sherman (University of California, Davis), Kurt Hugenberg (Miami University) and Carla Groom (KRC Research) will receive the 2006 Theoretical Innovation Prize awarded by the Society of Personality and Social Psychology (SPSP). The SPSP Theoretical Innovation Prize recognizes articles judged to provide the most innovative theoretical contribution to social/personality psychology within a given year. The prize will be awarded for the authors' Quad-Model of implicit task performance, which quantitatively disentangles the influence of multiple processes on implicit measures of evaluative and conceptual associations.
Posted October 2006
Dr. Lorne Campbell will be awarded the 2007 Early Career Award by the Relationship Researchers Interest Group (RRIG). This award is presented each year to a relatively new researcher who conducts original, important work in the field of personal relationships. Dr. Campbell will provide an award address and be honored at the Close Relationships Preconference of the Society of Personality and Social Psychology in Memphis, TN in January 2007.
Posted August 22, 2006
Dr. David Sherry and PhD student Michael Boisvert have recently published a study that demonstrates that bumble bees can estimate time.
Posted May 8, 2006
Dr. Bertram Gawronski (University of Western Ontario) and Dr. Fritz Strack (University of Wurzburg, Germany) have been awarded an international grant from the TransCoop Program of the Alexander-von-Humboldt Foundation. Drs. Gawronski and Strack will be studying the role of cognitive consistency in social information processing during the years 2006-2009.
Posted April 5th, 2006
Dr. Elizabeth Hayden has received a Young Investigator Award from NARSAD, The Mental Health Research Association. Dr. Hayden's project involves looking at the molecular genetics of childhood temperament traits that have been implicated in the development of major affective disorders. Congratulations to Dr. Hayden!
NARSAD is a non-profit charity that raises funds for research into psychiatric brain disorders in order to find causes, treatments and cures for such disorders. You can visit NARSAD by clicking here.
Posted April 5th, 2006
Dr. Bertram Gawronski, Dr. Stefan Köhler and Dr. Bruce Morton have received a grant from the Academic Development Fund (ADF) at the University of Western Ontario. Drs. Gawronski, Köhler and Morton will be investigating Mathematical Modeling of Self-Regulation Processes during the 2006-2007 year. Congratulations to Drs. Gawronski, Köhler and Morton!
Posted April 5th, 2006
Dr. Lorne Campbell has received a grant from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) to fund research on relationship processes for a period of three years. Dr. Campbell's research will focus on the day-to-day fluctuations in romantic partner's perceptions of the quality of their relationships, and how over time these fluctuations lead to relationship dissolution.
Posted April 4th, 2006
Dr. Mel Goodale has been honoured with The British Psychological Society Book Award.
Posted February 16th, 2006
Dr. Mike Atkinson will be honoured with the Edward G. Pleva Award for Excellence in Teaching.
March 16th, 2005
Dr. Peter Hoaken will be exploring the ties between alcohol and human aggression by collecting data via a Personal Data Assistant (PDA).
July 21st, 2004
Dr. David Dozois has been awarded a National Alliance for Research on Schizophrenia and Depression (NARSAD) Young Investigator Award valued at $60,000.
June 29th, 2004
Dr. Stefan Köhler was awarded a new Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) operating grant for $71,201 per year for 3 years. The grant, entitled "Medial temporal-lobe contributions to novelty detection and recognition memory". The goal of Dr. Köhler's CIHR-funded research program is to understand the brain mechanisms that underlie human memory and its disorders. The program is concerned with a particular part of the brain, the medial temporal lobe, and its role in memory functioning. The studies have been designed to test the idea that the medial temporal lobe continuously assesses the novelty of information in the environment. Such assessment may allow humans to select critical information for storage and also distinguish between what is novel and what is familiar. An additional hypothesis examined relates to the notion that different brain structures within the medial temporal lobe assess the novelty of different types of information. The research program involves functional neuroimaging studies that investigate brain activity in relation to memory processing in healthy individuals; these studies will be conducted using the 4T fMRI scanner of the Robarts Research Institute. The program also includes research on memory impairments in neurological patients who underwent surgical removal of the medial temporal lobe for treatment of epilepsy; these studies involve a collaboration with clinicians at the London Health Sciences Center . The results of the proposed research program are expected to provide crucial new insight into the brain mechanisms that allow humans to process information in long-term memory. On the clinical level, the anticipated findings hold promise to allow for better prediction of the memory outcome that follows different neurosurgical interventions for treatment of epilepsy.
Posted June 29th, 2004
Several Faculty Members from the Department of Psychology were recently awarded $2.3 M over five years from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR). The group known as the CIHR Group on Action and Perception (GAP) is comprised of the following members:
Mel Goodale (Director)
Brian Corneil
Doug Crawford
Jody Culham
Stefan Everling
Paul Gribble
Stefan Köhler
Ravi Menon
Doug Tweed
Tutis Vilis
Summary
Why do we need vision? As it turns out, there are two answers to this question. On the one hand, we need vision to give us detailed knowledge of the world beyond ourselves – knowledge that allows us to recognize things from minute to minute and day to day. On the other hand, we also need vision to guide our actions in that world at the very moment they occur. These are two quite different job descriptions, and nature seems to have given us two different visual systems to carry them out. One system, vision-for-perception , allows us to recognize objects and build up a ‘database' about the world. This is the system we are more familiar with, the one that gives us our conscious visual experience – and allows us to see objects and events in the world. The other, much less studied and understood system, vision-for-action , provides the visual control we need to move about and interact with objects. This system does not have to be conscious, but does have to be quick and accurate. Converging lines of evidence suggest that t hese dual functions of vision – perception and action – are mediated by separate neural systems . Both systems work together in the creation of everyday behaviour.
The CIHR Group on Action and Perception (GAP) are investigating the neural bases of these visual mechanisms on a broad front. GAP includes experts in neuroimaging, single-cell recording, computer modeling, and behavioural studies in humans and animals. GAP's long-term goals are:
• to explore how visual information is transformed into perceptual representations and motor acts, and how perception and direct visual control of action are integrated in the production of behaviour
• to identify the neural circuitry for these different transformations, particularly in the cerebral cortex, using complementary multidisciplinary imaging, recording and stimulation techniques in both humans and animals
• to develop computational models for visual object recognition and for the visual control of a range of motor acts from saccades to grasping, with a particular eye toward using these models to develop testable hypotheses that can be addressed experimentally.
A multidisciplinary approach to the study of vision, simultaneously examining its role in both perception and action (and the way the two systems interact) has the potential to provide a much clearer understanding of the principles underlying the functional and neural organization of the human visual system than do traditional approaches alone. The research findings also have clinical relevance and could provide a useful framework for understanding perceptual and visuomotor deficits – leading to more efficient clinical diagnosis and rehabilitatio n. Understanding the neural coding that underlies the transformation of visual information into action is also an important first step in the development of implanted ‘neuroprosthetic' devices for “locked-in” patients or individuals with spinal-cord damage. There are potential commercial applications as well: the models of visu al function that emerge from our research could be applied to the development of more efficient human-machine interfaces and robotic control systems.
June 18th, 2004
Dr. Graham Reid is the principal investigator in a study involving children with sleep and discipline problems.
