Alumni Newsletter, WSU Has Welcomed a New Nevertheless, the Conception of the Public University Is Radi- Dean for the College of Liberal Arts
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Department of Psychology College of Liberal Arts a l u m n i Psychologyn e w s l e t t e r spring 2010 Ryan McMeans graduated from Washington State University in 2006 with a bachelor of science degree in psychology. Since then, he has remained in contact with several members of the department. Recently, we caught up with Ryan and asked him to talk about his current employment, his future goals, and how he felt his experience at WSU prepared him for these opportuni- ties. The following are Ryan’s thoughts, in his own words: At some point in our lives, we ested in the possibility of conducting have an epiphany about our truest psychological research. I joined Dr. passions. In that moment, our dreams Frances McSweeney’s operant con- for the future begin to take shape. ditioning laboratory during my soph- I was fortunate to realize as early as omore year where I conducted animal high school that I wanted to pursue research on the habituating effects of a career that involved helping others. repeated reinforcement. Eventually, I Though I would not take a psychology developed my own research question course until college, I knew then that and designed a set of experiments to psychology would be my future career. test it. I presented the results of my I choose to pursue that future at work at the Department of Psychol- Washington State University. To be ogy’s Undergraduate Symposium in truthful, I struggled at first to balance the spring of 2004. The following year, my academic responsibilities and I joined both Dr. Maureen Schmit- social life, but with the support of my ter-Edgecombe’s Cognitive Aging fraternity brothers at Delta Chi, I soon Laboratory and Dr. Lisa Fournier’s found my footing. After taking a few Visual Attention Laboratory. In Dr. psychology courses, I became inter- Schmitter-Edgecombe’s lab, I had the See McMeans page 2 Message from the Chair Dear Alumni, ground and accomplishments are featured in this newsletter. Since the last Alumni Newsletter, WSU has welcomed a new Nevertheless, the conception of the public university is radi- dean for the College of Liberal Arts. Dean Doug Epperson comes cally changing, in part due to economic factors and in part due to WSU by way of Iowa State University, where he was on the to innovations of the information age in which we live. If present faculty in the Department of Psychology. Dean Epperson has his trends continue the next generation of college students will find primary academic appointment as professor of psychology. Thus, an academic landscape fundamentally different from the one expe- we welcome Doug as a new colleague in our department as well. rienced by earlier generations. It is clear that decisions now being Epperson is one of the administrative leaders whose primary made are determining the shape of things to come. I hope that all responsibility is to guide WSU through the current state and uni- of you will make your opinions known to educational and political versity budget crises. As you read the newsletter you will find that leaders. Whatever you find desirable about the past, whatever you most of the usual functions of the department continue regardless believe could be improved, whatever your beliefs are about the of circumstances, and many of these activities are maintained at a value of WSU in particular, or a liberal arts education in general, high level of quality despite extreme budgetary stress. For example, now is the time to speak. This will always be your university and we are pleased to welcome Katie Witkiewitz as a new assistant your department. professor at WSU Vancouver. Details of Katie’s professional back- —John Hinson, Professor and Chair McMeans continued from cover opportunity to conduct face-to-face assessments with adults experi- rational. I quickly realized the importance of the research I was doing encing age-related cognitive decline. In Dr. Fournier’s lab, I developed with Providence and I welcomed the increased responsibility and my statistical skills working with large datasets. These experiences patient involvement it entailed. expanded my understanding of methodology and statistical analysis. The opportunity to work in a field that has directly impacted my They allowed me to apply what I had learned in my classes. Finally, family is a dream come true for me. Currently, our program has 15 they strengthened my confidence in my own research ability. physician investigators in medical, radiation, surgical, and thoracic With the support of Dr. Fournier and her graduate students, I oncology, and more than 30 national trials are under way. Each designed my second research project, “The sharing of codes between study addresses scientific questions and tests new techniques in the actions stored in memory and actions requiring immediate execu- prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of cancer. In addition, we are tion.” I was awarded an undergraduate research grant to fund this exploring new ways to improve the overall comfort and quality of life project in the spring of 2006. When my project was completed, for cancer patients. The majority of my studies evaluate either new I again presented the findings at the Department of Psychology’s combination treatments or new chemotherapy drugs for metastatic Undergraduate Symposium as well as WSU Academic Showcase. In breast and prostate cancer, lymphomas, and myeloproliferative addition, I was selected as one of only three undergraduate students disorders. I coordinate all aspects of these studies including patient from the state of Washington to present my research at the sixth visits, participant consent, investigational drug administration, annual Stanford Undergraduate Psychology Conference in California. medical chart documentation, electronic data entry, and schedul- There I had the unique opportunity to meet and speak with lead- ing. I also provide necessary oversight, direction, and support to the ers in the field, including the famous social psychologist Dr. Philip medical staff and physicians. This ensures that the procedures are Zimbardo. Eventually, my research was combined with the results of done according to protocol. I perform these tasks under continuously two other experiments conducted in Dr. Fournier’s lab and recently changing circumstances due to the evolving needs of our patients, published in the journal Psychological Research. physicians, and staff. Being able to multitask and work proactively Following graduation from WSU, I moved to Seattle and accepted are skills I learned as an undergraduate at WSU. The opportunities I a position as a clinical research assistant at Providence Regional Medi- had as a research assistant provided the type of real-world, hands-on cal Center in Everett. My appointment was in the Behavioral Health training that enabled me to develop a unique and highly market- Services unit. My primary responsibility was to oversee medication able set of skills. I would encourage any student to take advantage of and behavioral intervention trials for prescription opiate dependence. similar opportunities, as they will allow him/her to develop the skills In addition to coordinating all aspects of the clinical trials, my posi- and knowledge needed in a competitive job market. I will be forever tion involved direct arbitration with the National Institute on Drug grateful to my mentors in the Department of Psychology for the Abuse and the University of Washington Alcohol and Drug Abuse numerous ways they have helped me pursue my goals and surpass my Institute. As the trials were nearing completion, Dr. Stephanie own expectations. Abbott, manager of the Clinical Research Department and fellow When Ryan is not working, he enjoys volunteering WSU alumna, promoted me to a permanent research coordinator with the Special Olympics and spending time with position at Providence Regional Cancer Partnership where I began his girlfriend, WSU alumna Allison Zoccola. Ryan working with patients afflicted with cancer. That same summer, I lost my grandfather to metastatic prostate cancer. It was an emotion- is currently taking night classes at North Seattle Com- ally devastating experience for me. And though it was difficult to munity College to complete the necessary prerequisites continue my work with individuals who were themselves battling for medical school. Once in medical school, he plans to cancer, in the wake of my grandfather’s passing, it was also very inspi- specialize in oncology. 2 | Psychology Alumni Newsletter Focus on Faculty The Department of Psychology Welcomes Katie Witkiewitz This January, the Department of Psychology depending upon the temporal arrangement of specific environmen- welcomed its newest faculty member, Dr. tal events. Katie Witkiewitz, at the WSU Vancouver Dr. Witkiewitz graduated summa cum laude with a bachelor of campus. arts degree in psychology from the State University of New York in Dr. Witkiewitz’s research focuses on the fac- 1999. She went on to complete a master’s of art degree at the Univer- tors related to alcohol relapse. Specifically, she sity of Montana with John Caruso and Michael Hufford and later a uses advanced statistical models to examine the doctoral degree at the University of Washington under the direction patterns of drinking behavior that emerge following treatment. Based of Dr. G. Alan Marlatt. She was an assistant professor at the Univer- on research findings from numerous empirical studies, as well as her sity of Illinois in Chicago for two years before returning to the north- clinical work with alcohol-dependent individuals, Dr. Witkiewitz has west as a research scientist for the University of Washington’s Alcohol proposed a model of relapse that emphasizes the role temporal influ- and Drug Abuse Institute and an affiliate assistant professor for the ences may play in the relapse process. Specifically, she argues that UW Department of Psychology. Her research has been supported by relapse is best conceptualized as a fluid form of behavioral change grants from the National Institute on Mental Health, the National in which the timing of particular events, and their interconnection Institute on Drug Abuse, the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse to one another, determine the efficacy of treatment.