蜜桃传媒

Ellen Peters is an academic expert in decision making and the science of science communication. Her primary research interests concern how people judge and decide, and how evidence-based communication can boost comprehension and improve decisions in health, financial, and environmental contexts. She is especially interested in the basic building blocks of human judgment and decision making鈥攕uch as emotions and number abilities鈥攁nd their links to effective communication techniques. These processes are also central to the effects of adult aging on decision making as well as to public policy issues, such as how to communicate about the health effects of smoking or about the pros and cons of cancer screenings and treatments. She is also interested in methods to increase number ability, a.k.a. numeracy, to improve decision making and, in turn, health and financial outcomes. 

As Philip H. Knight Chair, Director of the Center for Science Communication Research (SCR), and Professor in both the School of Journalism and Communication and the Psychology Department at the University of Oregon, she explores how policy makers, physicians, and other experts can enhance public understanding of science and technology by advancing the science of science communication.

Her book, Innumeracy in the Wild: Misunderstanding and Misusing Numbers, was published by Oxford University Press. 

Dr. Alayna Park is an expert in youth mental health and behavioral health, evidence-based psychotherapies, mental health literacy, and mental health disparities. She completed her Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) and her predoctoral internship at the VA Long Beach Healthcare System. A licensed clinical psychologist and an assistant professor of psychology at the University of Oregon, her research is driven by the goal of improving the accessibility, quality, and effectiveness of mental health services. She is particularly interested in re-designing, disseminating, and implementing evidence-based mental health programs for diverse and dynamic school and community mental health settings. Dr. Park has published more than 30 scientific papers on the topics of clinical decision-making, racial and ethnic mental health disparities, and the dissemination and implementation of evidence-based psychotherapies. Her work has been recognized with awards from the Association of Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies (ABCT), Delaware Project, Society of Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology (SCCAP), Society of Implementation Research Collaboration (SIRC) and Society for a Science of Clinical Psychology (SSCP).

Nicholas Mazza, PhD, is Professor and Dean Emeritus at the Florida State University, College of Social Work, Tallahassee, FL. Dr. Mazza holds Florida licenses in psychology, clinical social work, and marriage and family therapy. He's been involved in the practice, research, and teaching of poetry therapy for over 40 years. He says that poetry’s unique use of language, symbol, story and rhythm has been effective in therapeutic settings. And while typically a solitary act, sharing poetry can provide additional healing and support. Dr. Mazza is the author of Poetry Therapy: Theory and Practice, 3rd Edition (2022); and Editor of a 4-volume series, Expressive Therapies (published by Routledge). He is also the founding (1987) and continuing editor of the Journal of Poetry Therapy: The Interdisciplinary Journal of Practice, Theory, Research, and Education. He is president and continuing board member of the National Association for Poetry Therapy (NAPT). In 1997, Dr. Mazza received the Pioneer Award; and in 2017, the "Lifetime Achievement Award" from NAPT. He can: -Discuss why poetry is in a “full on” renaissance -Discuss why poetry is such a simple yet powerful therapeutic practice -How writing poetry impacts positive mental and emotional health -Poetry’s unique ability to express emotions and provide release -How poetry can assist in coping with loss, recovery, trauma, violence and more -Yet, it can also connect people and build community and support -Offer tips and advice on getting started with poetry for therapy Dr. Mazza is a widely published scholar and poet. He can offer tips and advice for getting started with poetry, discuss why it is such a therapeutic practice, why it is seeing a renaissance. In addition to poetry therapy, Dr. Mazza has practiced, taught, and published in the areas of crisis intervention, death and trauma, family therapy, group work, clinical theories and models, and the arts in community practice. Dr. Mazza, a marathon runner, is the founder of the College of Social Work Arts and Athletics Community Outreach Program for At-Risk Youth established at Florida State University (FSU) in 2011.

Julia Hormesis is a clinical and health psychologist and direct the Health Behaviors Laboratory at the University at Albany. The primary areas of focus of research in the lab are as follows: The psychology of human food choice behavior - pathological and non-pathological aspects of eating behavior, including eating disorders, obesity, food addiction, food cravings (in particular in pregnancy, the perimenstrum, and the migraine prodrome), and food avoidance (in particular of meat and other animal products). Interventions targeting diet, nutrition, and weight Other health-promoting and health-compromising behaviors related to food intake and body weight (e.g., exercise) Non-substance/ behavioral addictions (e.g., to the Internet, social media, video gaming) The status of women in academia and ways to promote the successful retention of women in academic careers Clinical interests include eating disorders and obesity, addiction, and psychosocial adjustment to living with chronic illness.

Dr. Julia F. Hastings joined the University at Albany as an Assistant Professor in the Schools of Public Health and Social Welfare in 2012. Her scholarship concentrates on addressing disparities in health and mental health outcomes for underserved populations. Her research focuses on the interrelationships between race, mental health outcomes (depression), health conditions (Type II diabetes), risk and protective factors, and poverty. The research findings suggest ways for public health social work professionals to practice with awareness of cultural reality, appropriateness, and responsiveness. It is her goal to produce research that enhances health, lengthens life, and reduces the burdens of illness for racial and ethnic populations. Dr. Hastings has published on culturally competent research methods within African American communities, welfare participation, depression, body weight, and Type II diabetes. Recently, she completed a NIMHD funded K-22 DREAM grant which utilized qualitative and quantitative research approaches to examine service utilization outcomes among low-income African Americans diagnosed with diabetes and depression in California and New York. In 2015, Dr. Hastings published a co-authored book entitled, African Americans and Depression: Signs, Symptoms, Awareness, and Interventions (https://rowman.com/ISBN/9781442230323/African-Americans-and-Depression-Signs-Awareness-Treatments-and-Interventions). In 2017, Dr. Hastings was inducted as a Society for Social Work and Research Fellow. Dr. Hastings' research grant portfolio includes funding from the National Institute of Minority Health and Health Disparities (NIMHD), NIMH, the Ford Foundation, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, the University at Albany, and several community initiatives.

Areas of Interest: The Center for Autism and Related Disabilities (CARD) specializes in research, education, and training on topics associated with autism spectrum disorders, sleep disturbances, challenging behavior, parenting, and inclusion. CARD is also home base for the Regional Center for Autism, a program created to address the limited availability and rising costs of specialized services related to the education of children with autism. This community-based agency provides program development, training, and support for individuals, families, professionals and peers of people with autism and related disabilities in 10 counties throughout the Capital Region. Specific areas of interest follow: The Autism Program Quality Indicators (APQI) - Core components for educating children with autism Social Support for Siblings of Children with Autism Non-Aversive Behavioral Interventions for Reducing Sleep Disturbances in Children with Disabilities Feeding and Eating Disorders in Children with Autism Peer Victimization in Students with Disabilities Improving Inclusion Opportunities with Positive Educational Intervention Preventing Challenging Behavior with Positive Family Intervention

Angeliki Damilou is a developmental neuroscientist with a background in psychology. Angeliki obtained her MSc Diploma in Clinical Neurodevelopmental Sciences at King’s College London and currently she is finishing her PhD studies at the Brain Research Institute at the University of Zurich. Angeliki’s PhD research aims to uncover developmental mechanisms that shape the typical brain connectivity in order to identify critical periods that lead to Autism Spectrum Disorder diagnosis.

Dr. James Arruda, professor of psychology, teaches courses in cognitive neuroscience, biological psychology, sensation and perception, research methods, and behavioral statistics. Arruda is a research neuropsychologist whose research focuses on brain-behavior relationships, including Alzheimer's dementia, mild cognitive impairment, sustained human performance, and the validity of statistical analyses when applied to quantitative electroencephalogram data. For the past several years, he has been developing a biomarker for Alzheimer’s dementia. The biomarker involves the presentation of a series of strobe flashes that evoke a timed electrophysiological response from the brain. Delayed signaling suggested that participants with mild cognitive impairment—an early stage of Alzheimer’s dementia—have compromised cholinergic functioning that resulted in impaired visual processing. Study results, published in the International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, support the theory that mild cognitive impairment is an intermediate stage between normal healthy aging and the neuropathology present in Alzheimer’s disease. Arruda has also been working on developing a quantitative electroencephalographic measure that reliably indexes a sustained attention system in the human brain. He has published numerous articles detailing the psychometric properties of a specific quantitative electroencephalographic measure and is working to confirm the role of this measure along with cortical noradrenaline, a neurotransmitter, in the sustained attention process. This and other research can be found in the International Journal of Psychophysiology. In addition to his research, he is an editorial board member of the Journal of Applied Psychophysiology and Biofeedback. Before coming to UWF in 2004, he was a faculty member of Mercer University. He received a bachelor’s and master’s degrees in psychology, and doctorate in experimental psychology, all from the University of Rhode Island. He also completed a postdoctoral fellowship in neuropsychology from Brown University School of Medicine.

Dr. David Strohmetz, chair and professor of the Department of Psychology, teaches research methods in psychology and social psychology. A social psychologist by training, Strohmetz's research interests center on social factors that influence people's generosity, particularly with respect to restaurant tipping behaviors. He has also written about the "social psychology of the experiment." An advocate for quality undergraduate education, Strohmetz is active in the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning. He has co-authored a research methods in psychology textbook and numerous instructional resources to support quality teaching in the classroom. He is currently a Councilor for the Psychology Division of the Council on Undergraduate Research. He received his bachelor’s degree in psychology from Dickinson College (Carlisle, PA) and his masters and doctorate in social/organizational psychology from Temple University (Philadelphia, PA).

Dr. Sherry Schneider, assistant professor, teaches social psychology, psychology of workforce diversity, industrial and organizational psychology, group dynamics in organizations, and organizational change and development. Schneider’s research involves studying the effects of positive organizational leadership in social-dilemma situations where significant individual incentives exist that are at odds with the long-term collective good. Within this broad context, Schneider directs a variety of research in her leadership lab, such as how leadership, social identity, and diversity and affect culture in primarily non-profit and volunteer organizations. Within this framework, she has studied leadership of volunteers, teachers, doctors, lawyers, and university faculty and staff. As part of her role on an NSF ADVANCE grant to advance women faculty in the STEM disciplines, she has developed a faculty culture survey to measure faculty culture conducive to enhancing a supportive and inclusive culture for recruiting, retaining, and advancing women faculty in STEM, with special attention to women of color and leadership positions. Survey development is one of her particular strengths. Schneider has significant international experience in organizational psychology. She is writer and co-writer of peer-reviewed journal articles that have addressed work-life leadership, virtual and face-to-face teamwork differences, and managing workforce diversity. She has taught or given presentations at international conferences in numerous countries such as France, Germany, Hungary, Poland, Japan, Hong Kong, and Australia. Before coming to UWF, she was senior lecturer and coordinator of the Psychology, Management and Marketing Program at Monash University in Melbourne, Australia. Prior to immigrating to Australia, she was a faculty member in the Department of Management and Policy at the University of Arizona, and has been a visiting professor at Clark-Atlanta University, a historically black university. She received a bachelor’s degree in psychology and biology from Central College in Iowa, and master’s and doctorate degrees in psychology from the University of California in Los Angeles.

Dr. Valerie Morganson, associate professor, teaches advanced organizational psychology, industrial psychology, research methods and the psychology of workforce diversity. Morganson specializes in industrial and organizational psychology. Her research interests focus on the application of psychology in the workforce, gender issues in organizations, and understanding how employees manage work-life balance issues. Specifically, she engages in research to identify individual and organizational mechanisms for reducing work-life conflict, such as coping, leadership and job analysis. Additionally, she researches the underrepresentation of women in science, technology, engineering, and math fields. She has written and co-written many refereed journal articles and book chapters on various aspects of work-life balance and gender issues. She was the lead author of a recent study, "A Multilevel Examination of the Relationship Between Leader–Member Exchange and Work–Family Outcomes," published in the Journal of Business and Psychology, where she analyzed leader–member exchange and conservation of resources theories as frameworks for optimizing subordinates’ work-family experiences. Before coming to UWF in 2012, she was a visiting assistant professor of psychology at Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Virginia. She also has applied experience, including having served as a research fellow for ICF International. She received a bachelor's degree in Psychology and French from University of Connecticut, and master's in Experimental Psychology and doctorate in Industrial/Organizational Psychology from Old Dominion University.

Dr. Lisa Blalock, associate professor, teaches research methods in psychology, professional development in psychology, and sensation and perception. Blalock conducts basic and applied research in visual and spatial working memory, which is a short-term mental storage that helps people remember and process visual and spatial information. Specifically, her research explores the processes involved in encoding, maintaining and retrieving visual information, and how those processes interact with visual selective attention, controlled attention and long-term memory. She is also interested in applying the basic principles of visual working memory to real-world situations, such as training and driving. Dr. Blalock was involved in a study, published in the "Journal of Applied Research in Memory and Cognition," showing driving under a cognitive load, such as talking on a cell phone, led to diminished knowledge of moving, but not stationary objects in the scene. She has written and co-written articles in peer-reviewed journals on various aspects of visual working memory. She recently published a study in the journal Attention, Perception, & Psychophysics, examining how training on specific shapes facilitated the consolidation of visual representations in working memory. In addition to her research, she mentors undergraduate students in the Visual Cognition Lab by involving them in various types of projects that provide valuable research experience. She received a bachelor’s degree in psychology from the University of Central Florida, and master’s and doctorate in cognitive psychology from Colorado State University.

Dr. Andrea Mraz Nelson, Clinical Assistant Professor and Dean's Fellow for High Impact Practices, teaches online courses in the Health Sciences and Administration department including Medical Terminology, Gerontology, Health Ethics and Professionalism, and Current Issues in the Health Sciences. Dr. Nelson has been teaching at UWF since 2013, first as an adjunct instructor then, as of 2015, a full-time faculty member. She has worked as a physical therapist for 21 years and taps into her clinical background to share real-world learning experiences with her students. She received the Geriatric Certified Specialist designation from the American Physical Therapy Association and is also a Certified Lymphedema Therapist. Dr. Nelson received her B.S. degree in psychology from Florida State University, M.S. degree in physical therapy from University of Alabama at Birmingham and her Doctor of Physical Therapy degree from University of South Alabama. She also completed a year-long faculty scholar program in geriatrics at the UAB Geriatric Education Center in 2016. She is a Quality Matters certified online instructor.

Dr. Steven Kass, professor, teaches industrial and organizational psychology, human factors, training and development in the workplace, and psychology of learning. Kass is a researcher in the psychology department who studies human factors (interaction between people and systems), primarily issues of attention including boredom, distracted driving, and situation awareness. His interest in situation awareness derived from the research he conducted as a graduate student at the Institute for Simulation and Training at the University of Central Florida in the early 90’s. Over the years, Kass has expanded this line of research by conducting numerous studies investigating the impact distractions, such talking on a mobile phone, on a person’s ability to drive. He was first author on the study “The Effects of Distraction and Experience on Situation Awareness and Simulated Driving,” published in the Transportation Research Part F: Traffic Psychology and Behavior. In 2013, the Transportation and Highway Safety Subcommittee of the Florida House of Representatives invited Kass to present information on distracted driving before drafting a bill to ban texting while driving. In the future, he hopes to explore the impact of situation awareness on performance in health care professions. He was a keynote speaker at the 60th annual meeting of the Southeastern Psychological Association in Hilton Head, South Carolina in 2015. Before coming to UWF in 1998, he was a research psychologist for the Naval Air Warfare Center Training Systems Division and an adjunct instructor at the University of Central Florida and Valencia Community College in Orlando. He received a bachelor’s degree in psychology from the University of Florida, master’s in industrial and organizational psychology from UWF, and doctorate in human factors psychology from the University of Central Florida.

Dr. Kimberly Day, assistant professor, teaches research methods in psychology, child development, psychology of adolescence, and developmental psychology. Her research focuses on individual and contextual factors that influence young children's development. Her interests include prenatal and postnatal stressors, children’s self-regulation, children’s private speech, and other areas related to parenting and child development. Her research at UWF continues to focus on parenting and preschoolers’ regulatory abilities. Day has published her research in Pediatrics, Journal of the American Medical Association: Pediatrics, Journal of Experimental Child Psychology, Child Abuse & Neglect, and other peer-reviewed publications. She received a Bachelor of Science with honors in Psychology magnum cum laude from George Mason University in Fairfax, VA and a master's and doctoral degree in Human Development with a concentration in Child and Adolescent Development from Virginia Tech in Blacksburg, VA. She also completed a two-year Lawson Postdoctoral Fellowship with the Offord Centre for Child Studies at McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.

April Schantz, assistant professor, teaches group/team dynamics, industrial psychology, and research methods. April D. Schantz, Ph. D., completed her studies in Industrial-Organizational Psychology with a minor in Quantitative Methods from Florida International University. Her research focuses on action- or performance-based teams (i.e., crisis response, elite sports, musicians) and health and well-being outcomes for those employed in high stress industries. Published work has appeared in the Journal of Workplace Behavioral Health, Work & Stress, and The Industrial-Organizational Psychologist, as well as a book chapter, “Collective Fit for Emergency Response Teams”. In progress research usually includes interdisciplinary projects and project collaborations with local organizations. Students with an interest in Occupational Health Psychology (OHP) or high-reliability teams should consider applying for consideration as a research member in Dr. Schantz’ lab. Previous courses lead by Dr. Schantz have included Organizational Psychology, Senior Seminar (Psychology), and Research Methods. She is also involved in student groups (e.g., mini-lectures, brown-bag workshops) to encourage students in developing their core research methodology and to explore alternative methods and designs, as well as practical application of work-related skills (e.g., resume building workshops). She is an active member of Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology (SIOP), Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), Interdisciplinary Network for Group Research (INGRoup), Academy of Management - Research Methods Division (AOM-RM), and Faculty Advisor for the UWF SHRM Student Group.

Dr. Vanessa Rainey, associate professor, teaches developmental psychology, human development across the lifespan, and research methods. Rainey is a developmental psychologist who is interested in understanding how cognitive control impacts development across a person's lifespan. Specifically, she is examining the impact executive function (brain basis of self-control) has on various populations and neuroplasticity (ability of the brain to rewire itself) throughout the lifespan. She has written several journal articles on the connection between executive functions and aspects of language development. Her current work expands on previous research she conducted with researchers at Loyola University Chicago. They evaluated the differential development of bilingual children who serve as the primary language translator for their family, also known as a language broker. Rainey is the lead author of a chapter that addresses cognitive, socioemotional, and developmental neuroscience perspectives on language brokering, which will be published in the book "Language Brokering in Immigrant Families: Theories and Contexts." Before coming to UWF in 2014, she taught several psychology courses at Loyola University Chicago. She received a bachelor’s in psychology, and a master’s and doctorate in developmental psychology and statistics from Loyola University Chicago. She also conducted post-doctoral research on executive function development using neuroscience methodologies at Loyola University Chicago’s Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience Lab.

Dr. Rob J. Rotunda, professor, teaches a wide range of undergraduate and graduate courses focused on clinical/applied areas of psychology. As a licensed clinical psychologist he is also involved in training master’s level counselors. He is also a member of the Center for Applied Psychology, a research and consulting arm of the department. Rotunda’s research and clinical interests are in the areas of addictive disorders, trauma and post-traumatic stress disorder, crisis intervention and response to disaster, couple and family therapy, and sport and exercise psychology. Among his publications in various areas, he has authored several articles, conference presentations and book chapters related to the description and treatment of addictive behaviors, including alcohol abuse, gambling, internet usage, shopping and work. He was awarded a grant as principal investigator to conduct a statewide epidemiological study of gambling and gambling problems by the Florida Council on Compulsive Gambling, which was completed in 2012. He is an associate editor of the Journal of Sport Behavior, and has been an ad hoc reviewer for 10 other psychology journals and book publishers. Before coming to UWF in 1996, he was a lecturer and research associate at the Harvard Families and Addiction Program at Harvard University Medical School. Rotunda earned his bachelor’s degree from the State University of New York at Albany, majoring in both psychology and social welfare. He received a doctorate in clinical/community psychology from the University of South Carolina in 1993 after completing a clinical internship at the Brockton and West Roxbury Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Boston, Massachusetts, and then completed postdoctoral clinical and research training at the Harvard Families and Addiction Program.

Iuliana researches sleep behaviour and public health. Iuliana is working large datasets for patterns of daytime activity, sleep behaviour and long-term health outcomes; and studies which examine the role of sleep duration in metabolic health.

Emma's research focuses on parent-child interactions in the context of feeding, eating and mealtimes. Topics she can talk about include: children's eating behaviours; fathers' roles in child feeding; parents' feeding practices and behaviours; childhood obesity; peer influences on eating behaviours; eating and exercise in children and adolescents; young mothers' infant feeding decisions; parenting styles and practices; and mental health and parenting practices.