NDSU researchers awarded NIH grant to study how socioeconomics and perceived control can affect dementia-related diseases
9/26/22
Jeremy Hamm and Katherine Duggan, both assistant professors of psychology at NDSU, have received a National Institutes of Health Research Project Grant (NIH R01) of $1.6 million over four years.

NDSU professor co-edits special issue of Group Dynamics
9/21/22
Verlin Hinsz, Dale Hogoboom Presidential Professor of psychology, has co-edited a special issue of the journal Group Dynamics that was published this September.

NDSU's Next Big Move
8/31/22
Odalis Garcia is researching the relationship between stress and nightmares. She's one of many NDSU students seizing the exceptional research opportunities an R1 university offers. Learn about Odalis's research and what R1 means for NDSU's future.

Hilmert Lab Poster Presentation at the Summer Psychology Forum
7/8/22
Graduate student Garrett Byron and recently graduated undergraduates Olivia Wagendorf and Cadyn Hunter authored and presented the poster, “Heart Rate Variability During Pregnancy Moderates the Impact of Depressive Symptoms on Fetal Growth.”

Challey Spotlight: Rachel Delaney
4/19/22
Rachel Delaney is a first-year Ph.D. student in the Department of Psychology at NDSU. She received her B.A. in psychology and communication with a concentration in rhetoric and public advocacy at Purdue University Fort Wayne in 2021. Originally from Cleveland, Ohio, she is a first-generation college student who was hired as a graduate research assistant at the Challey Institute in January 2022.

Inspiring Teacher: Laura Thomas, associate professor of psychology
8/26/21
Inspiring teacher Laura Thomas relies on hands-on experiences to keep students engaged and prepare them for career success.

Psychology faculty recognized with Peltier Award
4/28/21
Clayton Hilmert, associate professor of psychology has been named as arecipient of NDSU’s Peltier Award for Teaching Excellence, which recognizes innovation in teaching.

Psychology professor honored with mentoring award
4/27/21
Mark Nawrot, professor of psychology, has been selected to receive NDSU’s Mentoring Excellence Award, which recognizes the vital role mentoring has in creating an academic culture of growth and excellence.

Congratulations to Dr. Robbie Klein who successfully defended his dissertation!
July 16, 2020
Robbie Klein accepted an NIH fellowship (T-32) to study emotion and co-occurring disorders at Dartmouth Medical School. A perfect spot for Robbie who is seeking more training with applied researchers.

Congratulations to Dr. Anna Strahm who successfully defended her dissertation!
July 2, 2020
Anna Strahm will become a Post-Doctoral Scholar within the Department of Institute for Behavioral Medical Research at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center. Specifically she will be working in Dr. Lisa Christian’s Stress, Behavioral Immunology, and Health Disparities Lab focusing on maternal psychoneuroimmunology in relationship to reproductive health and related outcomes.

Congratulations to Dr. Michelle Persich who successfully defended her dissertation!
May 15, 2020
Michelle Persich will heading to the University of Arizona as a postdoctoral research associate. Michelle will be working on an emotional intelligence intervention program with the Social, Cognitive, and Affective Neuroscience (SCAN) lab in the Department of Psychiatry.

Congratulations to Dr. Michael Mead who successfully defended his dissertation!
May 15, 2020
Mike Mead will be working as a postdoctoral fellow in the Center for Circadian and Sleep Medicine at Northwestern University where he will be researching the relationships between sleep and cardiometabolic health.

Congratulations to Dr. Bobby McManus who successfully defended his dissertation!
May 15, 2020
Bobby  McManus  will become a researcher with Exponent, a research consulting firm. While the company as a whole is involved with many different disciplines, clients come largely from the tech world. Bobby will be conducting user experience studies with new products, as well as possibly being involved in the legal aspects of failure analysis.

Psychology professor is consultant for documentary series
May 1, 2020
Clay Routledge, NDSU professor of psychology and faculty fellow at the Challey Institute for Global Innovation and Growth, is a consultant for a new documentary series on Shudder, a streaming service for AMC.

Michael Robinson has been selected as the incoming Editor of Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin.
May 1, 2020

Is That Nostalgia You’re Feeling?
April 1, 2020
Clay Routledge, professor of psychology at North Dakota State University who has studied the benefits of nostalgia, was interviewed by The Atlantic for a piece dealing with nostalgia for pre-quarantine life.

Researchers find flooding stress impacts unborn children
March 3, 2020
NDSU researchers have discovered differences in child development based on how close mothers are to flooding during their pregnancies. The new study found that being pregnant near flooding has an impact on child development similar to the impact of PTSD symptoms during pregnancy.

NDSU professor invited to be visiting faculty fellow at Harvard University
January 24, 2020
NDSU professor of psychology and Challey Institute faculty fellow Clay Routledge has been invited to be a visiting faculty fellow at Harvard University and a visiting scholar at the American Enterprise Institute starting in August. He will work in the Human Flourishing Program at Harvard in Boston, and travel to Washington, D.C., to work on research as needed with AEI.

Challey Institute Faculty Fellows named
October 22, 2019
Dr. Verlin Hinsz & Dr. Clay Routledge named Challey Institute Fellows.

NDSU psychology professor to be Cato Institute panelist
October 4, 2019
NDSU behavioral scientist Clay Routledge, professor of psychology, is set to discuss “The Search for Meaning in the Age of Abundance” during a panel discussion at the Cato Institute in Washington, D.C.

Memorial Celebration for Dr. James Council
Jim Council, professor emeritus of psychology, died July 19. The campus community is invited to a celebration of his life and contributions on Thursday, Aug. 29, from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. in the McGovern Alumni Center atrium.

Dr. James Council, Emeritus Faculty in the Department of Psychology, passed away July 19th, 2019.  A celebration of life will be from 4-7 p.m. Tuesday, July 30, at Boulger Funeral Home in Fargo. Arrangements by Boulger Funeral Home and Celebration of Life Center.

Inspiring Teacher: Clay Routledge, professor of psychology
April 30, 2019
Clay Routledge teaches cultural psychology and experimental social psychology. He runs an active laboratory where students can be involved in all aspects of psychological research, conduct their own projects and present them at local and national conferences.

Congratulations to Dr. Andrea Bocincova who successfully defended her dissertation!
April 8, 2019

Graduate Student Teaching Award
April 2, 2019
Congratulations to Michelle Persich for receiving the College of Science and Mathematics' Graduate Student Teaching Award!

Congratulations to Dr. Valerie Douglas who successfully defended her dissertation!
April 1, 2019

Mentoring Achievement Award
March 28, 2019
Congratulations to Dr. Verlin Hinsz for being selected as the recipient of the Mentoring Achievement Award for the 2018-19 Academic Year.  The Celebration of Faculty Excellence will be held on May 9^th at 3:00 pm in the Plains Room, Memorial Union.

Science, Religion, and Lunch Seminars (SRLS)
Dr. Clayton Hilmert will present "Responding and reacting: The cardiovascular consequences of thoughtful and automatic actions" as part of the Science, Religion, and Lunch Seminars (SRLS) Lectureship series. The lecture will be Tuesday, March 5, 2019 from 12:00pm-1:00pm in the Memorial Union’s Room of Nations. The lecture is free and open to the public.

Inspiring Teacher: Mark Nawrot, chair and James A. Meier Professor of Psychology
February 12, 2019
Mark Nawrot wants to motivate his students to unlock their potential and better understand the world. He encourages students to seek out undergraduate research opportunities to apply classroom knowledge in a real-world setting.

Congratulations to Anna Strahm on being selected as a Scholar for the American Psychosomatic Society 2019 Young Investigator Colloquium!

Illusions in the Periphery
Parsing Science
November 27, 2018
Ben Balas from North Dakota State University talks about his research into the Flashed Face Distortion Effect, an illusion in which normal faces – when rapidly presented in people’s peripheral vision – are perceived as grotesque and distorted. His article, “Factors that do and don’t affect the strength of the Flashed Face Distortion Effect”, written with Hannah Pearson, was posted to the PsyArxiv pre-print server on June 5, 2018.  Listen here!

4th Annual NDSU Phi Kappa Phi Faculty Lectureship Series
Dr. Clay Routledge will present "Are Americans Really Becoming Less Religious?" as part of 4th Annual NDSUPhi Kappa Phi Faculty Lectureship series. The lecture will be Tuesday, November 27, 2018 at 7:00 p.m. in the Memorial Union Plains Room. The lecture is free and open to the public. Refreshments will follow in the Legacy Lounge.

People turn to nostalgia in times of stress, research shows
NBC Today Show - October 31, 2018
See Dr. Clay Routledge's appearance on the Today Show as he talks about the science behind the human need for nostalgia.

#NDSUintern Spotlight
Read about Psychology major Rachel Raush's experience with her Admission Counselor internship.

Congratulations to Heidi Rued for successfully defending her Master's Thesis!
8/3/2018

Past Graduate Student News
June 2018
Shalee Lynn Hodgson, BS ’96 psychology, was appointed by Gov. Kate Brown to manage the implementation of the Governor’s Future Ready Oregon Initiative, an effort to close the gap between the skills Oregonians have and the skills Oregon’s growing businesses need. She lives in Salem, Oregon.

Suicides Have Increased. Is This an Existential Crisis?
The New York Times - June 23, 2018
Dr. Clay Routledge is an author, psychological scientist, and professor. His research focuses on the many ways that people gain and maintain perceptions of meaning in life and how these perceptions contribute to psychological wellbeing, physical health, and intergroup relations.

Congratulations to Alisson Lass for successfully defending her Master's Thesis!
June 19, 2018

Congratulations to Asenath Huether for successfully defending her Master's Thesis!
May 15, 2018

Congratulations to Shanda Lauer for being the first winner of the Peltier Award for Graduate Teaching!
May 1, 2018

Congratulations to Taylor Nelson for successfully defending her Master's Thesis!
May 1, 2018

Angry online: The Internet can be a mean, angry place. Here's why
April 29, 2018
Michael D. Robinson is a professor of psychology at North Dakota State University. Though his work is based in the offline world, Robinson is an expert in the field of social behavior, particularly aggression and how we regulate our emotions.

Congratulations to Anna Strahm who has been awarded the American Psychological Foundation’s 2018 Henry David Research Grant!

Congratulations to all the 2018 Honor's Day award recipients!

April 17, 2018
Dr. Linda Langley helping to raise money for The Boys and Girls Club of the Red River Valley by participating in Pie-a-Professor Day 2018. The event was hosted by the NDSU chapter of Delta Upsilon.

Retirement celebration to honor longtime psychology faculty member
The NDSU Department of Psychology is scheduled a host a retirement celebration honoring James R. Council, professor emeritus and former chair of psychology, Wednesday, May 2, from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. at the Harry D McGovern Alumni Center. Remarks are planned at 5 p.m.

Council joined the NDSU faculty in 1985 after earning his doctorate at the University of Connecticut and post-doctoral training at the Brown University School of Medicine. He was promoted to professor in 1998, and served as psychology department chair twice (1998-2004 and 2011-16), associate dean of the College of Science and Mathematics (2008-11) and dean of NDSU Libraries (2006-08).

Other important campus service included the Behavioral Intervention Team, Program Review, University Senate (president, 2005-06), Institutional Review Board (chair 1995-99), and College of Science and Mathematics PTE committee (chair 1996-97).

He was honored with the College of Science and Mathematics’ Excellence in Service Award in 2000 and Research Award in 1994.

Council is a fellow of the American Psychological Association and the Society for Clinical and Experimental Hypnosis, and was president of APA Division 30, Society of Psychological Hypnosis in 1995-96. He was recognized with APA Division 30 awards for distinguished early career contributions in 1993 and distinguished contributions to professional hypnosis in 2016.

Red River Psychology Conference
2018 Red River Psychology Conference
April 13, 2018
Minnesota State University Moorhead

Past Graduate Student News
March 13, 2018
Nora Gayzur was recently tenured and promoted to Associate Professor in the Department of Psychology at the University of Central Oklahoma. Dr. Gayzur earned her Ph.D in 2013 from NDSU. She was a doctoral student in the Cognitive and Visual Neuroscience program working with Dr. Linda Langley.

Past Graduate Student News
March 13, 2018
Dr. Renee Magnan, Ph.D. 2008, was just appointed Associate Professor with tenure in the Department of Psychology, Washington State University (WSU-Vancouver).  Dr. Magnan graduated from the health/social psychology Ph.D. track at North Dakota State University, and she teaches those courses as well as experimental methods in psychology at WSU.  Her research interests include the emotional benefits of physical activity, how to motivate health behavior changes, and understanding alcohol and cigarette use.  The psychology department faculty are proud of her!

Psychology student gains great experience through independent research project
November 13, 2017
Anna Montgomery’s love of research started early. She found research papers fascinating in high school and read them in her spare time. That hasn’t changed for Montgomery at NDSU, but now she’s the one doing the research, writing the papers and presenting to experts.

Hilmert Lab awarded $5,000 seed grant
November 10, 2017
Dr. Clayton Hilmert’s lab was awarded a $5,000 seed grant from the NDSU office of Research and Creative Activities to carry out a study on “The Impacts of a Natural Disaster During Pregnancy on Child Development: Following Up with the Children of the 2009 Red River Flood.”

Nostalgia - Its Benefits and Downsides
The Art of Manliness - November 2, 2017
Listen to Dr. Clay Routledge talk about the benefits and downsides of nostalgia on the popular Art of Manliness podcast.

Nostalgia Isn't Just A Fixation On The Past - It Can Be About The Future, Too
Listen to Dr. Clay Routledge on NPR's Hidden Brain
Is nostalgia an emotion that's bitter, or sweet?  Psychologist Clay Routledge explains what causes us to feel nostalgic and how nostalgia affects us.

Why Are Millennials Wary of Freedom?
The New York Times - October 14, 2017
Dr. Clay Routledge is an author, psychological scientist, and professor. His research focuses on the many ways that people gain and maintain perceptions of meaning in life and how these perceptions contribute to psychological wellbeing, physical health, and intergroup relations.

"Your Childhood, Your Health, Our Greatest Investment"
See Dr. Clayton Hilmert’s recent TEDx talk regarding how research on childhood stress shows the health-related importance of having paid parental leave in the U.S.

Don’t Believe in God? Maybe You’ll Try U.F.O.s
The New York Times - July 21, 2017
Dr. Clay Routledge is an author, psychological scientist, and professor. His research focuses on the many ways that people gain and maintain perceptions of meaning in life and how these perceptions contribute to psychological wellbeing, physical health, and intergroup relations.

NDSU researcher receives $5 million grant for neuroscience center
NDSU researcher Mark McCourt recently secured a $5 million grant to fund the Center for Visual and Cognitive Neuroscience at North Dakota State University for another five years. The center generates scientific discoveries that can be applied to treatments and interventions for disorders, such as schizophrenia, Parkinson’s disease, autism, dementia, traumatic brain injury and dyslexia.
https://www.ndsu.edu/news/view/detail/27565/

Why do we feel nostalgia? - Clay Routledge
 View full lesson: http://ed.ted.com/lessons/why-do-we-feel-nostalgia-clay-routledge
Nostalgia was once considered an illness confined to specific groups of people. Today, people all over the world report experiencing and enjoying nostalgia. But how does nostalgia work? And is it healthy? Clay Routledge details the way our understanding of nostalgia has changed since the term was first coined in the late 17th century.

NDSU study shows major flooding affects growth of unborn babies
New results of an NDSU study indicate devastating floods can have an effect on the next generation. The big question is, “why?”
https://www.ndsu.edu/news/ndsu_app/floodstudy/
The research, led by Clayton Hilmert, associate professor of psychology, examined the Red River Valley’s historic 2009 flood and analyzed how it affected the pregnancies of local women living near the rising waters.

Open house, colloquium set for driving simulator facility
The Center for Visual and Cognitive Neuroscience in the Department of Psychology has scheduled an open house for the Driving Simulator Core Facility. It is set for Friday, March 31, from 10 a.m.-noon and 1-3 p.m. in Minard Hall 126C8.

Available Now!Dr. Clay Routledge'snew book,Nostalgia: A Psychological Resource.
"Clay Routledge manages to combine a scholarly approach with anecdotal detail and wit, which makes this insightful and comprehensive overview of nostalgia research highly accessible to a wide audience." - Tim Wildschut, Associate Professor of Psychology, University of Southampton

Bullying Report
Prairie Public Radio
November 4, 2015
Wendy Troop-Gordon was interviewed on the Prairie Public Radio show "Main Street" about her work on bullying. Dr. Troop-Gordon's interview begins at 26:15. Listen here!

Are You a Head Person or a Heart Person?
July 16, 2015 - Science of Us
By Christian Jarrett
Dr. Michael Robinson Lab research showcased on popular Science web site:
Imagine meeting a stranger and having a chance to learn what sort of person they are by asking just one question. You might try the obvious: “Are you an introvert or an extrovert?” Or you could probe their political leanings: “Are you Republican or Democrat?” In each case, you’d hope the answer would tell you a fair bit about the person’s psychology. Here’s a question you probably wouldn’t think of, but which new research suggests could be surprisingly informative: “Do you Read the full story

Cheyenne Brady named Miss Indian World
NDSU Psychology major Cheyenne Brady from New Town, North Dakota, was recently crowned Miss Indian World in Albuquerque, New Mexico.  Cheyenne is a member of the Sac and Fox tribe and has ancestors from the Cheyenne, Pawnee, Otoe, Kiowa, Apache, Hidatsa, Arikara and Tonkawa tribes.  For the next year, she will represent Native Americans and Native American cultures around the world.  Cheyenne has been accepted in the NDSU Masters of Public Health Program and will begin her studies this fall, while fulfilling her duties of Miss Indian World.

2015 Red River Psychology Conference
The 2015 Red River Psychology Conference will be April 23-24 at Minnesota State University Moorhead. MSUM Psi Chi is pleased to announce that this year’s key note speaker will be Dr. Susan Everson-Rose from the University of Minnesota.  Dr. Everson-Rose is Associate Professor of Medicine and Associate Director of the Program in Health Disparities Research. Her research investigates psychosocial stressors that impact cardiovascular disease risk. For more information, click on the link above.

NDSU Faculty Lectureship Series
Dr. Verlin Hinsz will present "Schemes and Scheming: How Groups Think, Feel and Decide" as part of NDSU Faculty Lectureship series. The lecture will be Tuesday, April 28 at 7:30 p.m. in the Memorial Union Great Room. The fundamental question to be addressed in this lecture is "How are the characteristics of group members (their thoughts, feelings, preferences) combined and transformed to result in a shared group response?" The lecture is free and open to the public. Reception to follow.

Dr. Thomas Joiner to Present Community Lecture
Please join us on Wednesday, April 29th for the next presentation in the College of Science and Mathematics Community Lectureship series. The lecture will be at the Fargo Theater at 7:00 p.m.  Dr. Thomas Joiner will be presenting "Why People Die By Suicide." Dr. Joiner is the Robert O. Lawton Distinguished Professor of Psychology at Florida State University. For more information on Dr. Joiner, please click on the link above.

NDSU Master of Public Health director to receive honor
March 26, 2015
Congratulations Dr. Warne! Psychology faculty members Clayton Hilmert and Leah Irish have been working with Dr. Warne and the NDSU American Indian Health Resource Center to investigate psychosocial influences on American Indian health. Read more about Dr. Warne's recent award using the link above.News Archive

UND professor spearheads research that finds men have murky perception of rape
The Forum - January 13, 2015
"About a third of the men responding in a recent study said if there weren't any consequences... The research was spearheaded by Sarah Edwards [in collaboration with NDSU Professor Verlin Hinsz].

On Repeat: Why People Watch Movies and Shows Over and Over
The Atlantic - September 10, 2014
Clay Routledge, associate professor of psychology, spoke with Derek Thompson of The Atlantic about how nostalgia applies to entertainment, such as movies or TV shows.

Dalrymple Recognizes State Employees for Excellence in Public Service
September 8, 2014
Congratulations to our very own Laura Thibert, who was recognized in the Office Support category of the State Employees for Excellence in Public Service Award this year!

Ku Klux Klan: The Psychology Behind Racism
Guardian Liberty Voice-Jul 23, 2014
Clay Routledge, an associate psychology professor at North Dakota State University, explores the motives and the psychology behind why ...

June 26, 2014
Congratulations to Dr. Benjamin Balas for receiving +$400,000 funding from the NIH National Eye Institute for his R15 project titled "Visual summary-statistic processing in infancy." NIH RePORT

NDSU researcher warns of physical toll of stress
The Forum - June 9, 2014
“Clayton Hilmert, an associate professor in psychology, shows off a lab where stress tests are done in Minard Hall on North Dakota State University’s campus in Fargo.”

May 14, 2014
Congratulations to NDSU psychology graduate students Ai Ni Teoh and Jessica Holmin for each being awarded a NDSU Graduate School Doctoral Dissertation Fellowship for the 2014-15 academic year!

May 7, 2014
Congratulations to Dr. Robert Dvorak for receiving +$200,000 funding from the NIH National Institute on Drug Abuse for his R15 project titled "Response inhibition training in smoking cessation." NIH RePORT

April Science Café to look at the effect of stress on the human body. 
March 28, 2014
“Clayton Hilmert, NDSU associate professor of psychology, will discuss at the April Science Café research that highlights the many ways stress affects people’s lives and ways in which we can attempt to short circuit some of these effects.The event, titled “Why stress is bad for our health and what we can do about it,” is scheduled for Tuesday, April 8, at 7 p.m.”

Undergraduate studies how brain understands basics of language
Published February 19, 2014
How do children’s representations of language differ from those of adults? That’s the question NDSU student researcher Katie Dockter wants to answer.
Erin Conwell, NDSU assistant professor in psychology...