Title
World-class research. Unmatched collaboration. A department built to push psychology and neuroscience forward.
Department highlights
Fewer silos, more interdisciplinary collaboration
The department fosters a culture of collaboration and mutual support, enhancing research and training through fluid exchanges of ideas across fields. By reducing the number of formal training areas, the department is reducing the impact of silos to promote greater interdisciplinarity and connectivity among faculty and students.
Exceptional research funding
Two-thirds of the faculty hold major grants from the National Institutes of Health and the National Science Foundation, underscoring the department's research strengths. Collectively, in terms of funding, we are in the 90th percentile of psychology departments among public R1 institutions, outpacing departments that have more than twice the number of faculty.
An apprenticeship model of graduate training and robust student support
Graduate students are working with their mentors and beginning their research careers from Day One. Our reduced emphasis on courses means that there is more time to focus on research. For students who want to create their own graduate experience, there is an individualized training track. Graduate students also benefit from competitive stipends in a town with a low cost of living, travel support for conferences, and innovative professional-development opportunities.
Innovative hiring and support for new faculty
Further demonstrating our commitment to interdisciplinarity, the department routinely conducts open-area hiring of new faculty to better attract top talent and build a more dynamic faculty. The 1:1 teaching load for assistant professors affords them more time for research and student mentoring. Faculty mentoring and support systems are in place to help our new colleagues succeed, creating a positive and productive work culture.
National recognition
Our clinical science program is among the best in the nation, and the cognitive control collaborative is one of the strongest such groups in the world. Our faculty are leaders in such fields as learning and memory, addiction, developmental psychopathology, stress neurobiology, sleep, computational neuroscience, vision science, and decision-making.
Modern facilities
The new Psychological and Brain Sciences Building, one of our three dedicated buildings, enhances research and teaching, with state-of-the-art labs and collaborative spaces designed for the needs of a modern psychology department.
Diverse opportunities for undergraduates
Many of our undergraduates participate in experiential learning and research as members of our laboratories, enhancing their educational experiences and preparing them for future careers.
Active community engagement
Many of our faculty members participate in outreach initiatives addressing mental health and education, strengthening connections with the local community and enhancing the department’s impact and public profile.