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Department of Psychology

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Undergraduate Study

The Department of Psychology's Courses & Honors Program offer study in clinical, social, and experimental psychology; personality; development; and behavioral neuroscience. Students may design programs that approach psychology as a social science, a natural science, or a combination of both. See more about

• BA Psychology with option for a combined BA/MA
• Minor Psychology
• Research & Internships

Graduate Study

• MA Psychology
• PhD Clinical Psychology
• PhD Behavior, Cognition, and Neuroscience (BCAN)

Faculty Experts’ Corner: Anthony Ahrens

Anthony Ahrens, professor of psychology, talks about the importance of gratitude, particularly during difficult times. He offers strategies and exercises to help us all become more grateful.

• Faculty Research Labs
• Faculty Research Fields
• Center for Neuroscience & Behavior
• Research Resources

Faculty Research Labs & Clinics

• Anxiety Disorders Research Lab
• Behavioral and Neural Homeostasis Lab  
• Behavioral Pharmacology & Health Promotion Lab
• Child Development Labs
• Clinic for Youth Anxiety & Related Disorders
• Clinical Psychology Research Lab
• Conditioned Taste Aversion Research
• Decision Sciences Lab
• Developmental Neuroscience Lab
• Emotions and Positive Psychology Lab
• Family, Work, Community, and Culture Research Group
• Human Memory and Cognition Lab
• Interpersonal Emotion Lab
• Program Evaluation Research Lab
• Psychopharmacology Lab
• Stress and Emotion Lab

Quick Links

• Institutional Review Board
• Registration open  for AU symposium on The Therapeutic Use of Psychedelic Drugs:  Legal, Policy, and Neuroscientific Perspectives at Washington College of Law, April 18.

Meet Undergrad Student Commencement Speaker Daniella Olivares

Alice Coyne was named the 2024 recipient of the  Society for the Advancement of Psychotherapy Early Career Award in recognition of “accomplishment and achievement related to psychotherapy theory, practice, research, or training.”  

Clinical Psychology PhD student Ramya Ramadurai  won an award from the DC Psychology Association for the development and pilot efficacy testing of a single-session intervention (SSI) targeting emotional health for Black Women.

Eric Turnquist  won the award for Graduate Social Sciences Final Work at the Mathias Student Research Conference.

Nicole Lorenzo  was awarded $43,817 from the University of Maryland for her project “2/2 Treating Mothers with ADHD and their Young Children Via Telehealth: A Hybrid Type I Effectiveness-Implementation Trail.”

Laura Juliano  talked with  CBC Radio  on the variety of symptoms people may experience when quitting caffeine.

Anthony Ahrens  was awarded $40,935, from Lubuto Library Partners, for his project called "Honesty and HIV Prevention: Promoting Adolescent Sexual Health through Traditional Storytelling."

Terry Davidson  has been appointed as a Distinguished Professor of Neuroscience by American University’s Board of Trustees. 

Linda Amarante  won the 2020  Outstanding Scholarship at the Graduate Level Award .

APA-Accredited Programs

Find a program that's right for you., search for accredited programs.

IMPORTANT NOTE REGARDING 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023 SITE VISITS: Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, site visits for the majority of programs scheduled to be visited in 2020, 2021, 2022, and 2023 have been shifted. Please note that the “next site visit date” listed for each program does not represent an expiration of accreditation. It represents a timeline for a program’s next periodic review. The accreditation status of the 2020, 2021, 2022, and 2023 programs will not be impacted by site visit delays. Cycle shifts are listed here . 

Other Accreditation Statuses

Accredited program lists, related pages.

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Office of Program Consultation and Accreditation

750 first st, ne  washington, dc 20002-4242 [email protected], telephone: (202) 336-5979  tdd/tty: (202) 336-6123  fax: (202) 336-5978 .

Offered by the Department of Government   , School of Public Affairs   .

Admission to the Program

Applicants are considered and admitted for the fall semester only. January 1 is the deadline for application for admission. All applicants must submit scores from the verbal and quantitative sections of the Graduate Record Examination (GRE). The normal minimum for consideration is a grade point average of 3.20 (on a 4.00 scale) in all previous academic work. Applicants are admitted for full-time study only.

Degree Requirements

• 36 credit hours of approved graduate work, exclusive of GOVT-898 Doctoral Continuing Enrollment (1-9)   / GOVT-899 Doctoral Dissertation (9)    
• Minimum 3.20 cumulative GPA is required to remain in good standing and to earn the degree
• Major Fields: American Politics, Comparative Politics, Political Methodology
• Advancement to candidacy is accomplished by successfully defending a qualifier paper after the first year, passing written comprehensive examinations in major and secondary fields, and by successfully defending a dissertation prospectus
• Comprehensive Examination in Major Field: Students, following completion of relevant graduate work, must pass a written comprehensive examination in American politics, comparative politics, or political methodology
• Students in the American politics or comparative politics major fields, following completion of relevant graduate work, must pass a secondary field comprehensive examination from another Department of  Government    field, or with written approval from the faculty advisor and department chair, may take a secondary field elsewhere in the School of Public Affairs (SPA)   , the School of International Service (SIS)   , or in another doctoral degree-granting teaching unit. Under special circumstances, students may take a secondary field outside American University, subject to the approval of the SPA graduate director, in consultation with the department’s faculty advisor for the PhD program. For a secondary field outside of Government, a minimum of 6 credit hours of approved graduate work is required
• Students in the political methodology major field, following completion of relevant graduate work, must pass a secondary field comprehensive examination in American politics or comparative politics
• The PhD is fundamentally a degree in preparation for an academic career of research and teaching. Understanding scientific inquiry and correctly using research techniques require extensive preparation. All students in the program take four courses in research methods designed to help doctoral students comprehend the nature of science and master tools of research
• It is the responsibility of the student to secure the agreement of a Department of  Government    full-time tenured or tenure-track faculty member to serve as the chair of the dissertation committee. One of the other two members of the committee may be from outside SPA. As part of this process, each student must publicly defend the research proposal before the dissertation committee and other interested faculty
• The committee and the chair of the department, in consultation with the SPA director of doctoral programs, must approve the research proposal in order for the candidate to advance to candidacy
• As work on the dissertation project progresses, students register for dissertation credit. Substantive graduate work may be used as part of this requirement where it contributes directly to the research specialization and is specifically recommended by the dissertation committee chair
• Upon writing the dissertation, the candidate submits the manuscript to the dissertation committee for review. If the committee members approve the dissertation, the candidate must complete an oral defense of it, including demonstrable mastery of related literature on the general field in which it lies before the committee and other interested faculty. After hearing the candidate’s defense, the committee decides whether the dissertation is acceptable as the culminating work of the student’s doctoral career
• The dissertation must consist of high quality original research directly relevant to the student’s doctoral program. A dissertation proposal may be rejected if the topic does not address a major research issue in political science, the research design is inadequate, the methodology is inappropriate, or because no full-time tenured or tenure-track faculty member in the Department of  Government    is academically competent or available to supervise the project. If the candidate fails to maintain satisfactory progress toward completion of the dissertation, his or her candidacy may be terminated

Course Requirements

Proseminars (6 credit hours).

• GOVT-710 Topics in American Politics (3) (topics)
• GOVT-730 Seminar in Comparative Politics (3)

Methodology (12 credit hours)

• SPA-612 Conduct of Inquiry I (3)
• SPA-613 Conduct of Inquiry II (3)

Additional Methodology

Complete 6 credit hours from the following, or other approved methodology coursework, including graduate-level foreign language coursework:

• GOVT-715 Research Design (3)
• SPA-614 Conduct of Inquiry III (3)
• SPA-615 Conduct of Inquiry IV (3)

Major Field (12 credit hours)

Complete one of the following major fields:

American Politics

• 9 credit hours from doctoral-level courses in American politics (in addition to GOVT-710 Topics in American Politics (3)    (topics))
• 3 credit hours from doctoral-level course in comparative politics (in addition to GOVT-730 Seminar in Comparative Politics (3)   )

Comparative Politics

• 9 credit hours from doctoral-level courses in comparative politics (in addition to GOVT-730 Seminar in Comparative Politics (3)   )
• 3 credit hours from doctoral-level course in American politics (in addition to GOVT-710 Topics in American Politics (3)    (topics))

Political Methodology

• 6 credit hours from approved methods coursework in addition to standard methodology requirement
• 6 credit hours from doctoral-level coursework in American politics or comparative politics (in addition to GOVT-710 Topics in American Politics (3)    (topics) and GOVT-730 Seminar in Comparative Politics (3)   )

Electives (6 credit hours)

• 6 credit hours from coursework selected in consultation with the department

Dissertation

• GOVT-898 Doctoral Continuing Enrollment (1-9)
• GOVT-899 Doctoral Dissertation (9)

PhD in Clinical Psychology curriculum

The composition of our rigorous curriculum.

Our PhD in Clinical Psychology program curriculum includes foundational, research and clinical courses that meet the requirements of New York State Department of Education and the American Psychological Association , as well as a structure that provides for content that continues the distinctly Derner tradition.

The program requires 106.5 credits for graduation, including six elective courses, which permits the curriculum to evolve and stay current with the demands of the clinical psychology field.

Gordon F. Derner School of Psychology

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Best Undergraduate Psychology Programs

The undergraduate psychology program rankings were based solely on peer assessment surveys. To appear on these surveys, undergraduate psychology programs must have awarded a medium to large number of bachelor's degrees in psychology. Read the methodology »

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Stanford University

Stanford, CA

• #1 in Psychology Programs  (tie)
• #1 in Psychology  (tie)

The sunny campus of Stanford University is located in California’s Bay Area, about 30 miles from San Francisco. The private institution stresses a multidisciplinary combination of teaching, learning, and research, and students have many opportunities to get involved in research projects.

(fall 2022)

SAT, GPA and More

University of California, Berkeley

Berkeley, CA

The University of California, Berkeley overlooks the San Francisco Bay in Berkeley, Calif. Students at this public school have more than 1,000 groups to get involved in, including more than 60 fraternity and sorority chapters.

(out-of-state)

Harvard University

Cambridge, MA

• #3 in Psychology Programs  (tie)
• #3 in Psychology  (tie)

Harvard University is a private institution in Cambridge, Massachusetts, just outside of Boston. This Ivy League school is the oldest higher education institution in the country and has the largest endowment of any school in the world.

University of California, Los Angeles

Los Angeles, CA

The University of California, Los Angeles is just five miles away from the Pacific Ocean. The public institution offers 5,000 courses, 140 bachelor's degree programs and 97 minors.

University of Michigan--Ann Arbor

Ann Arbor, MI

The university boasts of Ann Arbor, only 45 minutes from Detroit, as one of the best college towns in the U.S. Freshmen are guaranteed housing but not required to live on campus. Students can join one of the school’s more than 1,500 student organizations or 62 Greek chapters. Athletics play a central role at Michigan, including the football team’s fierce rivalry with Ohio State. Michigan also offers highly ranked graduate programs, including the Stephen M. Ross School of Business, College of Engineering, Law School and Medical School, in addition to the well-regarded School of Dentistry and Taubman College for Architecture and Urban Planning. The University of Michigan Hospitals and Health Centers is ranked among the top hospitals in the country.

Yale University

New Haven, CT

Yale University, located in New Haven, Connecticut, offers a small college life with the resources of a major research institution. Yale students are divided into 14 residential colleges that foster a supportive environment for living, learning and socializing.

Columbia University

New York, NY

• #7 in Psychology Programs  (tie)
• #7 in Psychology  (tie)

Columbia University has three undergraduate schools: Columbia College, The Fu Foundation School of Engineering and Applied Sciences (SEAS), and the School of General Studies. This Ivy League, private school guarantees students housing for all four years on campus in Manhattan’s Morningside Heights neighborhood in New York City.

Cornell University

Cornell University, a private school in Ithaca, New York, has 14 colleges and schools. Each admits its own students, though every graduate receives a degree from Cornell University. The university has more than 1,000 student organizations on campus.

University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

Champaign, IL

The University of Illinois is located in the twin cities of Urbana and Champaign in east-central Illinois, only a few hours from Chicago, Indianapolis and St. Louis. The school's Fighting Illini participate in more than 20 NCAA Division I varsity sports and are part of the Big Ten Conference. The university boasts one of the largest Greek systems in the country, and almost a quarter of the student body is involved. It’s not hard to find something to do on campus with more than 1,600 student organizations, including professional, political and philanthropic clubs. All freshmen are required to live on campus.

University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, PA

Founded by Benjamin Franklin, the University of Pennsylvania is a private institution in the University City neighborhood of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Students can study in one of four schools that grant undergraduate degrees: Arts and Sciences, Nursing, Engineering and Applied Sciences, and Wharton.

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More Schools in this List (Alphabetical)

Abilene Christian University

Abilene, TX

• in Psychology Programs
• in Psychology

Abilene Christian University is a Texas institution affiliated with the Churches of Christ. Students are required to attend daily chapel sessions and take Bible courses.

Adelphi University

Garden City, NY

Alabama A&M University

Founded in 1875, Alabama A&M University is a public institution.

American University

Washington, DC

Students at American University benefit from the school's location in the political hub of the nation. Washington, D.C., is a playground for the politically and socially oriented with its countless museums, restaurants, clubs and year-round events. The university, located in a suburban pocket of northwest Washington, is close to a stop on the D.C.-area Metrorail transit system. Rides downtown take about 15 minutes. Students at American have been rated among the most politically active in the nation, and there are more than 270 student clubs and organizations on campus. The school also has a sizable Greek system, with more than 25 fraternities and sororities.

Appalachian State University

Appalachian State University is a public school tucked in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina. Students at Appalachian have many programs, sports, and clubs to choose from, including the Appalachian Popular Programming Society, which plans campus events. 

Arizona State University

Arizona State University’s Tempe campus offers more than 200 research-based programs in the arts, business, engineering and more. The campus is located just outside of Phoenix, in the suburb of Tempe, Arizona.

Arkansas State University

State University, AR

Arkansas State University offers more than 160 degree programs. At Arkansas State, students can get help with difficult classes through the Structured Learning Assistance program.

Arkansas Tech University

Russellville, AR

Founded in 1909, Arkansas Tech University is a public institution.

Auburn University

Auburn, Alabama, has been ranked one of the best places to live, and life at Auburn University can be similarly enjoyable for students. Football is a particularly big attraction in the fall, as fans support the Auburn Tigers with the help of school mascot Aubie the Tiger. The Tiger sports teams compete in the NCAA Division I Southeastern Conference, and the influx of football fans makes Auburn the fifth-largest city in the state on game days. Pep rallies are held in the downtown Toomer's Corner, and the area is covered in toilet paper by fans after every big victory. There are more than 500 student organizations on campus, and about 6,000 students are involved in the school's Greek system. Auburn freshmen ease into the college transition through Camp War Eagle, a two-day, overnight summer orientation program. Transition help continues on Hey Day, an annual effort to get students to wear name tags and say hello to one another. Freshmen do not have to live on campus; in fact, a dorm room isn't even guaranteed. Because of space restraints, first-year students are awarded on-campus living assignments on a first-come, first-served basis.

Auburn University at Montgomery

Montgomery, AL

Founded in 1967, Auburn University at Montgomery is a public institution. The school has 65.9% of its classes with fewer than 20 students, and the student-faculty ratio at Auburn University at Montgomery is 15:1.

Psychology, PHD

On this page:, at a glance: program details.

• Location: Tempe campus
• Second Language Requirement: No

Program Description

Degree Awarded: PHD Psychology

The PhD program in psychology offers comprehensive training in innovative research methods and the application of psychological principles across various human conditions. This program stands out with six highly ranked areas of study:

• behavioral neuroscience and comparative psychology
• clinical psychology
• cognitive psychology
• developmental psychology
• quantitative research methods ( formal degree concentration )
• social psychology

Each specialization shapes the core curriculum for its students, encouraging interdisciplinary learning opportunities across the university.

Faculty engage students in groundbreaking research, fostering theoretical exploration in areas such as evolution and behavior; cognitive processes such as attention and memory; personality studies; and societal issues such as stigma and prejudices. Students investigate diverse topics, including individual resilience, cultural influences, neurobiological and psychosocial factors impacting behavior and health, child mental health prevention and life span developmental aspects of emotion and cognition.

A unique strength of this doctoral psychology program is the wealth of outstanding faculty who excel in quantitative methods. No matter their specialized area of focus, students gain access to a wide variety of courses and hands-on experiences, seamlessly integrating quantitative methodologies into their work.

Psychology PhD specializations

Behavioral neuroscience and comparative psychology, clinical psychology, cognitive science, developmental psychology, social psychology, quantitative research methods, degree requirements.

84 credit hours, a written comprehensive exam, an oral comprehensive exam, a prospectus and a dissertation

Required Core (3 or 4 credit hours) PSY 502 Professional Issues in Psychology (3) or PSY 531 Multiple Regression in Psychological Research (4)

Electives and Research (68 or 69 credit hours)

Culminating Experience (12 credit hours) PSY 799 Dissertation (12)

Additional Curriculum Information In addition to required coursework pertaining to the training area, students take courses related to their area of interest, as determined in consultation with their supervisory committees. Requirements vary across training areas.

Admission Requirements

Applicants must fulfill the requirements of both the Graduate College and The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences.

Applicants are eligible to apply to the program if they have earned a bachelor's or master's degree in psychology or a related field from a regionally accredited institution.

Applicants must have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.00 (scale is 4.00 = "A") in the last 60 hours of their first bachelor's degree program or a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.00 (scale is 4.00 = "A") in an applicable master's degree program.

All applicants must submit:

• graduate admission application and application fee
• official transcripts
• SlideRoom application and fee
• statement of purpose form
• curriculum vitae or resume
• three letters of recommendation
• proof of English proficiency

Additional Application Information An applicant whose native language is not English must provide proof of English proficiency regardless of their current residency.

To apply to the doctoral programs, applicants must follow the instructions on the doctoral program admission instructions and checklist. It is strongly recommended that applicants download and print this form to ensure completion of the application process and include all of the required supplemental forms.

The Department of Psychology application process is completed online through ASU's graduate admission services, which includes the application form and official transcripts. Application to Department of Psychology doctoral programs is also completed via SlideRoom, for processing of supplemental application materials. The SlideRoom account requires an additional fee.

Applicants must submit three academic letters of recommendation from faculty members who know the student well. Three letters are required, but four letters of recommendation may be submitted.

Next Steps to attend ASU

Learn about our programs, apply to a program, visit our campus, application deadlines, career opportunities.

The doctorate in psychology opens up diverse career opportunities across academia, education, health care, industry, government and community organizations. This program equips students with a versatile skill set in research design, data analysis, measurement, mental health assessment, treatment and program evaluation.

Program Contact Information

If you have questions related to admission, please click here to request information and an admission specialist will reach out to you directly. For questions regarding faculty or courses, please use the contact information below.

• [email protected]
• 480/727-4561

888-506-1106 [email protected]

T h e  G r a d u a t e  U n i v e r s i t y  o f  A m e r i c a

The new school of positive psychology.

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Welcome to Our Internet Home!

The new science of the mind, human nature and well-being, a new paradigm in higher education for the nontraditional student.

• We offer traditional earned degree programs as well as a fast track degree program.
• Please see our new Fast Track Degree Program at the bottom third of this page!
• Tuition is only $1,998!
• Our programs are APPROVED by and Tuition paid for by the U. S. Federal Government for employees!
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If you are adequately trained in the techniques of coaching, in the theories of positive psychology, in valid measurement of

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Tuition Investment Plans

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PhD or PsyD Degree – Ten Courses

Positive Psychology, Neuropsychology, Positive Neuropsychology, Evolutionary Psychology, Human Behavior

Full Program Tuition (Books are in addition) – Please request the Program Guide for tuition details

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Full Program Tuition (Books are in addition) Please request the Program Guide for tuition details

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Board certification programs – 5 courses.

Master’s Graduate Certificate:  Board Certified Master Practitioner

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Please request the Program Guide for tuition details.

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This program is not a walk-in-the-park. It requires real effort, real study, and concentrated writing efforts.

You must have a bachelor’s degree or higher in any field to enroll.

Read and study the Handbook of Human Nature, the Mind, and Happiness .

Take the open book exam of 205 questions on the content of the book.

Upon satisfactory completion of the exam, you will be awarded a PhD or PsyD.

Tuition is $1,998 which includes the book, test, transcript, and degree.

An enrollment fee of $98 is in addition to tuition. A graduation fee of $250 applies.

The degree will be granted by the New School of Positive Psychology at the Graduate University of America.

Our degrees are valid in all states and countries.

You may call yourself “Doctor.”

You may put your degree on your website, business card and anywhere else you choose.

This program is accredited, approved, and sponsored by The American Positive Psychology Association , the

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Published Author Program

Students enrolled in our traditional programs are required to write a minimum 25 page paper for each of ten courses (2

page summaries per chapter perbook). Upon completion of the program, students will have written a minimum of 250

pages. The compilation of these papers will constitute a record of what you have learned and how you plan on applying

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Why Study With Us?

The Graduate University of America, New School of Positive Psychology

Enrollment Options

Click here to learn about our programs

Enroll Today!

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Forest Grove, Hillsboro & Eugene Campuses Closed

Update: Pacific University’s Forest Grove, Hillsboro and Eugene campuses, and all Pacific healthcare clinics, remain closed all day Friday, Jan. 19. More Details

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• Bobadilla Lab
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Fatema Colombowala

2 nd Year | PhD Program | Olney, MD

Email  | [email protected]

Faculty Lab/Mentor  | Dr. Emily Bower

Research Focus  | Attitude Towards Aging, Cognitive Concerns, Cognitive Abilities, Psychological Factors (Depression, Anxiety, Suicidality, etc)

Undergraduate Institution  | University of Maryland

Why I chose Pacific  | I chose Pacific University for a number of reasons. First, the PhD program offered in-depth clinical training as well as research opportunities geared toward my interests. Additionally, the program's collaborative nature was particularly appealing to me.

Favorite PhD course  |  Applied Clinical Psych I  – This course introduces students to the knowledge base of psychopathology, systems of evidence-based practice, and basic clinical skills. This course provided me with a thorough understanding of the DSM-V Disorders and introduced evidence-based practices for their treatment. The practical approach of the course allowed me to hone basic clinical skills, leaving me well-prepared for my practicum at our training clinic.

Hobbies  | I enjoy reading, traveling, hiking, trying new foods, tennis, football, and any sort of quality time with family and friends. 

Taylor Loskot

3rd Year | PhD Program | Orange County, CA

Email  |  [email protected]

Research Focus  | older adult social and behavioral health; social connectedness in late life 

Undergraduate Institution  | University of California, Berkeley  

Why I chose Pacific  | I chose Pacific University because there are 3 PhD research labs focused on aging, one of which is led by Dr. Emily Bower who had ongoing social connection intervention research that aligned perfectly with my interests. I also wanted to stay on the West Coast and live somewhere that my dog and I would enjoy. 

Favorite PhD course  | Anything taught by adjunct professor Dr. Harold Rosenberg. His teaching style, his anecdotes, his humor, and his love for dogs make him one of the best professors I’ve ever had. He respects his students and creates safe and inviting opportunities for thoughtful discussions. 

Hobbies  | cooking, reality TV, gardening, reorganizing kitchen cabinets, and spending time with my dog

Melissa Zammitti

1 st Year | PhD Program | Charlotte, NC and Boston MA

Email  | [email protected]

Faculty Mentor  | Emily Bower

Research Focus  | Topics surrounding older adults, neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease and risk factors for age-related cognitive impairment. 

Undergraduate Institution  | Cornell University

Why I chose Pacific  | I felt a sense of belonging on the campus! During my interview, the program members seemed to be supportive and kind. Furthermore, a few students were warm enough to answer my many questions before and after my interview. One student took the time to meet me at a quaint local cafe for a coffee chat about the program. I appreciated how welcoming the students were.

The natural beauty of Oregon was also a factor in my decision to choose Pacific. The rivers and gorges are accessible to unwind after class, lab, and clinic. Finally, my research interests in geriatrics and cognitive impairment aligned well with Dr. Emily Bower's, thus I was excited about engaging in her research lab.  

Favorite PhD Course  | Applied Clinical Psychology 

Hobbies  | Running, thrifting, playing pickle ball, and exploring nature spots 

Jessica Logan: a meta-scientist on a mission

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Apr 5, 2024, 2:56 PM

By Jenna Somers

Associate Professor of Special Education Jessica Logan has always been interested in child development, specifically the growth of academic skills in young children at risk for learning disabilities. She seeks to understand how children learn and the contexts in which they learn, exploring questions such as, “Why do some kids struggle with learning to read?”

But for Logan, it’s not enough to ask a research question and then develop a methodology. The methodology itself must be studied to understand whether it is best for answering the question. As new questions arise, new statistical methods may need to be designed and implemented. Likewise, new designs may generate new questions that otherwise could not be answered.

In graduate school, Logan’s passion for developmental science spurred her passion for quantitative methodology. Now she uses her skills not only to improve her own work but to study the statistical methodologies used in her field, and to support her colleagues in developing and refining their research designs. In short, Logan is a meta-scientist on a mission.

“Metascience is really at the heart of everything I do. I study what methods researchers are using to understand questions about child development and how we can innovate and improve methods to better align with those questions. If we want to ensure the best outcomes for children, we should study problems using the methods that best address each question,” Logan said.

To support her colleagues, Logan leads workshops on best practices for data management and data sharing , and how to implement novel statistical methods to rescue research projects marred by missing data .

In a recent project supported by a $837,860 grant from the National Institutes of Health, Logan and her colleague Sara Hart , professor of psychology at Florida State University, are developing intensive short courses in data management and data sharing for researchers in children’s learning and development. Data management concerns processes for collecting, organizing, validating, and securing data. Data sharing refers to the practice of sharing research data for use by other investigators.

Logan says that roughly 80 percent of researchers in the field of children’s learning and development do not share their data, but interest in developing best practices for data sharing is growing. As part of this grant, Logan will host 20 investigators in the field of developmental science for a five-day course in data management and data sharing at Vanderbilt Peabody College of education and human development in August. Courses supported by this grant have the potential to improve data management and sharing practices in the field of children’s learning and development, which ultimately could improve the work of practitioners and outcomes for the children they serve.

Logan and Hart don’t just educate colleagues through workshops. In the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, when physical isolation was hindering the professional growth of many early-career researchers, Logan and Hart began cohosting the podcast Within and Between . They wanted to reach a wide audience of young developmental scientists, many of whom peppered them with questions about the methods and metascience of developmental science and professional development concerns. As the tagline for the inaugural episode states, “When one person asks for advice, you give it to them. When five people ask you for advice, you start a podcast.” Through four seasons, Logan and Hart have offered advice on topics such as the open science practice of preregistering research plans publicly, developing research questions, deciding on which conferences to attend and why, preparing for annual faculty reviews, and of course, all things data management.

And when Logan, Hart, and several of their colleagues asked each other for advice on navigating systemic inequities in their field, they started POWER (Providing Opportunities for Women in Educational Research), a non-profit organization to connect, support, and advocate for researchers who identify as women or non-binary in the fields of education and child development.

“Women have held the majority of Ph.D.’s in education for a very long time—it’s a unique field in that way—but they hold fewer positions of power, so they are less likely to remain in the field. Early in their careers, researchers are postdocs and assistant professors, and female researchers who have children during this time are often held back. The tenure clock gets pushed back, but that pushes back raises and promotions, which affects their perception within their departments and their ability to contribute to science. They might get entry-level academic positions, but they occupy fewer leadership roles, are less likely to achieve tenure, and are less likely to receive federal funding than their male peers,” Logan said.

To help close the gap, POWER has a database to connect women and non-binary researchers in education and child development. The database can help users find potential research collaborators, mentors, colleagues who can write letters of support, and more.

Additionally, POWER provides a list of resources and hubs to connect researchers based on geographic locations and research specializations. The organization also hosts online and in-person networking events and has an active email listserv. Membership is free and open to any researcher in the field of education or child development.

As a researcher, podcaster, and leader of a non-profit, Logan wears many different hats, but no matter which one she wears at any given time, her mission is the same: to help improve the scholarship of education and developmental science researchers, so that their work can lead to better outcomes for children.

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University of Pittsburgh Awards Tenure to Benjamin Handen, PhD

We are delighted to announce that Benjamin Handen, PhD , has received conferral of tenure at the rank of professor by the University of Pittsburgh.

Dr. Handen is an internationally recognized leader in the study of autism and other intellectual and developmental disabilities. His early work focused on investigating the safety and efficacy of stimulant medication to treat attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in children with intellectual disability. He subsequently conducted psychopharmacological research in the autism population, and has shaped how autism is treated in terms of both psychopharmacology and psychosocial intervention. Dr. Handen has led clinical trials that provided the first evidence for new treatment approaches in childhood autism, which included both pharmacological interventions and training programs for parents and caregivers. Dr. Handen’s research additionally incorporates neurobiological approaches to understanding biomarker changes related to the development of cognitive impairment among individuals with Down syndrome.

Dr. Handen’s research has contributed to clinical care guidelines, and he is a recipient of the International Autism Coordinating Committee Top Autism Research Advances Award. He has led and co-led large and impactful studies, including the National Institute on Aging (NIA) Alzheimer’s Biomarkers Consortium–Down Syndrome (ABC-DS) U19 grant, focused on examining biomarkers for Alzheimer’s disease in adults with Down syndrome. The University of Pittsburgh is the lead ABC-DS site, which involves nine Pitt departments and 16 external collaborating sites. In addition, Dr. Handen leads grants funded by Autism Speaks and the Health Resources and Services Administration, and is site PI for the multicenter Autism Care Network. He co-leads the clinical core of the Department’s Autism Center of Excellence (P50) grant, “Mental Health in Autistic Adults: An RDoC Approach,” which provides data to all of the P50’s projects to characterize the sample. As the director of research and clinical services at the UPMC Center for Autism and Developmental Disorders (CADD), Dr. Handen has established a valuable clinical site contributing to effectiveness trials led by fellow investigators. 

An outstanding teacher, Dr. Handen’s roles as an educator include didactic and clinical teaching and research mentorship. He developed an Applied Behavior Analysis Certificate Program for the Pitt School of Education’s Division of Special Education, and teaches four courses annually as part of this program. He teaches psychiatry residents and clinical psychology interns, as well as psychology graduate students, and has served on numerous graduate thesis committees across the University. 

“Dr. Handen has sustained a very important and generative research career focused on autism and other intellectual and developmental disabilities, and in recent years has engineered a greatly expanded program to explore the course of Alzheimer's disease pathology in individuals with Down syndrome,” said David Lewis, MD (Chair, Department of Psychiatry). “His research is complemented by his superb clinical and educational leadership and service at CADD. He has been, and continues to be, a key contributor to our Departmental mission.”

Please join us in congratulating Dr. Handen!