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Psychology Research Poster Session
On Friday, April 24, the Psychology Deparment hosted its annual Research Poster Session during which psychology students showcased their research. Ten posters decorated the Johnson Center Lobby, and included research from seniors and juniors. Topics ranged from the use of adaptive instructional technology to the relationship of parenting styles to children's social behavior to the Implicit Association Task. Approximately 50 students, faculty, and other college citizens attended the session, including Rollins College President Lewis Duncan. For presenters, it was a chance to rehearse honors thesis defenses and showcase their hard work over the course of the year, and for attendees it was a chance to learn what's going on in the department and what opportunities are available to work closely with a faculty member in an area of active, cutting-edge psychological research. We congratulate the student presenters and encourage interested rising sophomores, juniors, and seniors to explore research opportunities at Rollins.
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Drs. St. John and Richard Honored By Res Life
On April 16, Residence Life hosted an Award Dinner for their Professing Excellence Award. Residential Life invited students to write a brief essay about a professor that had made a positive impact on their Rollins Experience. The 18 nominees were invited to a dinner that featured comments by Provost Casey and musical performances by psychology major Tim Brierley and his sister Molly. Dr. David Richard and Dr. Steven St. John received nominations. Dr. St. John and German Professor Dr. Nancy Decker were announced as this year's awardees. In the same week, Dr. St. John learned that his manuscript on hydroxide taste in mice was accepted for publication in Chemical Senses (see this month's Featured Journal Article).
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Psychology Awards Honors To Eight Students
One of the most rewarding experiences one can have at college is to conduct senior research. Students get a chance to work closely with a faculty mentor and take the reigns of a research project. Modeled after master's projects in graduate school, seniors persuing Honors in the Major design, execute, analyze, and communicate results of an original research project. Over the final two weeks of the semester, the students complete a thesis and defend their work in front of a faculty committee. The process can be intimidating, but students who complete the process look back on it - justifiably so - with a tremendous sense of accomplishment. We are pleased to announce the following honors recipients, which include 7 Arts & Sciences students and 1 Hamilton Holt student:
Melissa Bernardo, Kaitlin Causin, Cassandra Cook, Steven Herod, Nicole Hogan, Sara Jacobsen (pictured, left), Danielle Martin, and Matthew Pita. The fine work of these students is described on the Senior Honors Research In Psychology bulletin board in the Johnson Center Lobby. We invite you to take a look!
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Psychology Thanks Dr. Carnahan For Leadership
On Friday, April 24, the Deparment of Psychology publicly showed its appreciation to Dr. Sharon Carnahan for her tireless leadership as departmental chair over the past 6 years. Dr. Carnahan was department chair during a period of tremendous growth for the department. In that time, Psychology has become the first or second most popular major on campus, and has also expanded its faculty to 11 full-time members. She has been a tremendous advocate for the department, obtaining additional space for Psychology research in Orlando Hall, helping secure major funding for improvements to the Rollins College Animal Colony, and steering through an exciting renewal of the psychology curriculum that we expect to institute in two years. Despite the demands of the sometimes thankless job of Department Chair, Dr. Carnahan has continued to direct the Child Development Center, serve on major committees in the college (chairing, for example, the Academic Affairs Committee two years ago), and teach the demanding Developmental Psychology course and several RCC courses. After Dr. Carnahan made the decision to step away from her role as chair, the Department elected Dr. Paul Harris to serve as our next Chair, beginning in the Fall of 2009.
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CDC Kids Pedal Trikes For Charity
On Friday, April 17, the Child Development Center hosted its first annual Trike-a-thon. The children of the CDC rode their trikes on the Mills Lawn to raise money for St. Jude's Children's Research Hospital. Community members sponsored the 2 to 5 year olds as they pedaled their little hearts out for a good cause. St. Jude's Hospital is a remarkable organization that treats children regardless of their ability to pay for their medical care, and therefore operates almost exclusively on the generosity of its donors. The CDC's Early Childhood Specialist Diane Doyle organized the event, which raised $456 for St. Judes. We thank Diane, the kids, and the generous community members who supported this good cause. There is also an online donations page which you can still use to support St. Jude's (see below).
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One of the more pervasive myths in exercise physiology concerns fears about dehydration. While it is certainly true that exercise raises our body's need for water, exercisers run as big a risk of overhydration, or hyponatremia. A recent study found that 13% of Boston Marathon runners became hyponatremic during the race. Hyponatremia means "low salt". Blood volume and cell size thoughout the body are regulated by the correct balance of both solvent (mostly water) and solute (mostly sodium and chloride ions). An exerciser who replaces water without replacing salt runs the risk of low blood volume and bloated, even rupturing, brain and muscle cells. A considerable number of exercise-related hospitalizations (and rarely, death) are related to overhydration. The bottom line? Be sure to replace both water and salt when exercising, and don't overhydrate.
Dr. Maria R. Ruiz, B.C.B.A. was selected by the Behavior Analysis Certification Board to be a member of the task force responsible for updating job analyses for Board Certified Behavior Analysts and Associate Behavior Analysts. The task force determines the areas of knowledge and skills necessary to perform the work of a BCBA, and they will update the board certification exams accordingly. Dr. Ruiz traveled to San Francisco over spring break for the first round of this work.
•4/30 - 5/5 Final Exams
•5/9 Holt Commencement
•5/10 A&S Commencement
•5/11 Returning students: have a great summer!
•5/11 Graduates: have a great life!
•8/24 First day of Fall, 2009 (A&S)
LINKS
ABOUT THIS ISSUE
Shrink Rap is an email publication of the Rollins College Department of Psychology. This issue can also be found online. The newsletter is sent monthly during the academic year to Psychology majors and minors in A&S and Holt, students in A&S psychology classes, psychology faculty and staff, and friends of the department.
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