As part of the 2010 program, PSYCHOLOGY INSPIRE interns will have an opportunity to work with and be “mentored” by faculty and graduate students from the University of Memphis Department of Psychology. Some former faculty mentors include:

Charles Blaha, Ph.D., University of Oregon Professor, Director of Experimental ProgramExperimental (Behavioral Neuroscience)Psychology Building, Room 416901.678.1560 (telephone)901.678.2579 (fax)cblaha@mail.psyc.memphis.eduDr. Blaha’s research interests focus on neurological and psychiatric disorders, drug addiction research using state of the art in-vivo electrochemical and microdialysis recording techniques, and systems neuroscience approaches to understanding the neurobiological bases of incentive-motivated behavior.

Melloni Cook, Ph.D. 1996, Penn State University
Assistant Professor
Experimental, Behavioral Neuroscience
Psychology 406, 678-1516
mcook1@memphis.edu
Dr. Cook is interested in the genetic basis of complex traits.

Scotty Craig, Ph.D. 2005, University of MemphisProject Coordinator IIIExperimental, CognitivePsychology scraig@memphis.eduDr. Craig research focuses on how to enhance children’s learning and cognitive processes. He is particularly interested in using deep level reasoning to help students master science content.

Rick Dale, Ph.D. 2006, Cornell University)Assistant ProfessorExperimental, CognitivePsychology 442rdale@mail.psyc.memphis.eduDr. Dale’s research interests include language evolution, learning, and processing, Neural network and dynamical systems models of cognition, and the Philosophy of cognitive science.

Art Graesser, Ph.D. 1977, U. California San Diego
Professor
Experimental, Cognitive
FIT 436, 678-4857
a-graesser@memphis.edu
Dr. Graesser is interested in cognitive science, discourse processing, artificial intelligence, information processing, knowledge representation and organization, computational procedures, text comprehension, reading, question asking and answering, tutoring, inference generation, conversation, memory, learning, problem solving, human and computer tutoring, writing, expert systems, design of educational software, and human-computer interaction.

Xiangen Hu, Ph.D. 1993, U. California Irvine
Associate Professor
Experimental, Cognitive
Psychology 371, 678-3608
xhu@memphis.edu
Dr. Hu is interested in human learning and memory, mathematical modeling and statistical analysis in psychology.

Ron Landis, Ph.D. 1995, Michigan State University
Associate Professor/Director of Graduate Program in Industrial and Organizational
Psychology 440, 678-4690
rlandis@memphis.edu
Dr. Landis has research interests in the areas of research methodology and measurement as well as employee selection and work performance.

Max Louwerse, Ph.D. 2001, University of Edinburgh
Assistant Professor
Experimental, Cognitive
Psychology 212, 678-2143
mlouwers@memphis.edu
Dr. Louwerse is interested in cognitive science, psycholinguistics, computational linguistics, and discourse processing.

Danielle S. McNamara, Ph.D. 1992, University of Colorado
Associate Professor
Experimental, Cognitive
Psychology 434, 678-2326
d.mcnamara@mail.psyc.memphis.edu
Dr. McNamara is interested in text comprehension, learning from text, reading skill, human memory, knowledge, individual differences, expertise, computer automated reading strategy training, cognitive applications to educational practice, and human factors.

James G. Murphy, Ph.D. Auburn UniversityAssistant ProfessorDirector of Clinical Health AreaPsychology Building, Room 348901.678.2630 (telephone)901.678.2579 (fax)jgmurphy@memphis.eduDr. Murphy’s research interests focus on addictive and health risk behaviors, co-morbidity of substance abuse with PTSD and depressions, brief interventions with young adult populations, including college students and military veterans, and behavioral economic and genetic analyses of addictive and health risk behaviors.

Meghan McDevitt-Murphy, Ph.D. Auburn UniversityAssistant ProfessorClinical (Psychotherapy)Psychology Building, Room 356901.678.2891 (telephone)901.678.2579 (fax)mmcdvttm@memphis.eduDr. McDevitt-Murphy’s research interests includes work related to posttraumatic stress disorder, substance abuse, and cognitive behavioral therapy.

Theresa Montgomery Okwumabua, Ph.D. 1980, University of Memphis
Outreach Coordinator
Clinical, Child and Family
Psychology 369, 678-3677
Tokwumab@memphis.edu
Dr. Okwumabua is interested in child and adolescent risk behavior prevention and reduction, particularly positive youth development and ethnocentrically based ("Rites of Passage") initiatives.

Gilbert Parra, Ph.D. 2004, University of Missouri-Columbia
Assistant Professor
Clinical, Child and Family
Psychology 338, 678-4682
gparra@memphis.edu
Dr. Parra uses a developmental psychopathology perspective with an emphasis on family-systems principles guides his work. His current research is designed to increase understanding of emotion socialization processes (e.g., parental responsiveness to distress) during adolescence. He is also interested in how these processes contribute to the development of emotion regulation skills (e.g., regulation of emotional expression) and symptoms of psychopathology (e.g., deliberate self-harm).

Leslie A. Robinson, Ph.D. 1990, University of Memphis
Associate Professor
Clinical, Behavioral Medicine
Psychology 334, 678-1667
l.robinson@mail.psyc.memphis.edu
Dr. Robinson is involved with the Memphis Health Project and is interested in smoking cessation treatments designed for young people, tobacco prevention programs, and quantitative review methodology.

Jim Whelan, Ph.D. 1989, University of Memphis
Associate Professor
Director, Psychological Services Center
Director of Clinical Training
Psychology 126, 678-3736
jwhelan@memphis.edu
Dr. Whelan is interested in problem gambling, psychotherapy training and outcome, and health and exercise psychology.