Department of Psychology & Neuroscience
Is hope everything Disney promises it is? Does hope really have an impact on seemingly unattainable dreams? Through gripping anecdotes and illuminating revelations, our speaker grapples with her views of hope and redefines its meaning in the context of her father’s own battle with a terminal illness. Jothi Gupta is a Robertson scholar and freshman at Duke. She plans to study neuroscience, psychology and journalism. Jothi is a staff writer for The Chronicle focusing on student life and… read more about Is Hope Overrated? Jothi Gupta Shares Her Story From the TEDx Stage »
DURHAM, N.C. – A simple shift from a high-pressure mindset to a curious one improves people’s memory. New research from Duke found that people who imagined being a thief scouting a virtual art museum in preparation for a heist were better at remembering the paintings they saw, compared to people who played the same computer game while imagining that they were executing the heist in-the-moment. These subtle differences in motivation — urgent, immediate goal-seeking versus curious exploration for a future goal — have big… read more about This One Simple Brain Hack Might Boost Learning and Improve Mental Health »
Florence Wang graduated this past May with dual degrees in Statistical Science and Neuroscience and minors in Chemistry and Dance. Immersed in STEM throughout her time at Duke, she enhanced her course loads by adding quantitative statistical and life science classes. “That additional coursework really helped me gain a better understanding of the neural mechanisms behind how humans think,” she explains. During her senior year, she added a research assistant position at the Center for Cognitive Neuroscience, where she was… read more about Divergent Thinking by Dint of Dance »
Summer is a great time to catch up on reading. Books from more than a dozen Duke authors offer insight on a range of topics – from gratitude for everyday life to the antislavery writings of Henry David Thoreau. Below is a roundup of some of the most recently published and soon-to-be-out titles. Many of the books, including new editions of previous titles, can be found on the “Duke Authors” display shelves near the circulation desk in Perkins Library. Some are available as e-books for quick download. Most can also be… read more about Hot Off the Press: Summer Reading From Duke Authors »
Five members of the Class of 2024 have been named to the third class of Nakayama Scholars. The Nakayama Public Service Scholarship bolsters the university’s efforts to encourage students to use their Duke experience to engage with significant challenges facing communities around the world. The students represent multiple disciplines across Duke’s academic departments as well as a variety of future careers pursuits. Juniors Nhu Bui, Grace Endrud, Jacob Hervey, Chloe Nguyen and Ronit Sethi were chosen for their strong… read more about Duke Names Third Class of Nakayama Scholars »
Three undergraduate students who found an engaging intellectual topic and worked with Duke faculty to conduct original research that advances knowledge in that field were honored with Faculty Scholar Awards, the highest honor bestowed by university faculty on undergraduates. The award was established to highlight students with an exceptional record of independent research and scholarship and who show promise of a scholarly career. Marcos Hirai Catao is recognized for the study of the relationship between… read more about Three Students Honored as Faculty Scholars »
Seven faculty members have been named 2023 Bass Chairs and inducted into the Bass Society of Fellows in recognition of their demonstrated excellence in both undergraduate teaching and research. The group was celebrated Monday evening during a reception at the J.B. Duke Hotel. The chairs were created in 1996 when Anne T. and Robert Bass gave $10 million as a matching gift to encourage Duke alumni, parents and friends to endow the positions. Candidates are nominated by faculty and evaluated by a faculty committee for… read more about Three Trinity Faculty Named 2023 Bass Chairs »
Makeba Wilbourn, associate professor of the practice of Psychology and Neuroscience, presents a lecture on language development to the flagship course, Psych 101. (Photography by John West, Trinity Communications)It’s not often that a Duke professor is introduced with a bio that boasts attending middle school with Snoop Dogg, but that’s just how Makeba Wilbourn rolls. A photo of Wilbourn, associate professor of the practice of Psychology and Neuroscience, and rapper Snoop Dogg flashes across… read more about Makeba Wilbourn is Helping Students Find Their Voice »
Elizabeth Wise came to Duke like many students — excited to be in a place where academics and athletics blended, but unsure what she wanted her path to be. “When I came to Duke kind of always thought I'd end up in the business world though,” she said. While MMS was on her radar from the beginning, she spent her first couple of semesters trying courses before deciding on Psychology as her major. “Spring of my freshman year I took Psych 101 and loved it and could tell it that would be applicable to anything I wanted to… read more about Class of 2023: MMS and Psychology Senior Finds Her Path to Business »
On April 15, the MIT Harvard Club Colombia honored Felipe De Brigard with a 2023 Beyond Leadership Award. Recognizing those who “who have made valuable contributions to society in Colombia,” including “outstanding individuals who have demonstrated creativity, innovation and a commitment to social, economic, or environmental progress in Colombia,” the awards were announced at the MIT Harvard Club Summit in the capital of Bogotá. Featured guests included former president of Colombia and 2016 Nobel Peace Prize winner Juan… read more about De Brigard Honored for Work in Colombia »
The Jerome S. Bruner Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Research is presented each year to an undergraduate Psychology major who exemplifies “excellence in intellectual curiosity with emphasis on research experience and potential for future scholarly activity.” This academic year, two graduating seniors — Pranav Athimuthu and Anna Greenleaf — have been selected to receive the honor, the highest award that can be presented by the department to undergraduate researchers. Bringing… read more about Two Undergraduate Researchers Receive Highest Honor from Department »
Each year, Duke Service-Learning recognizes students, faculty and community partners with the Betsy Alden Outstanding Service-Learning Awards. Betsy Alden was a pioneer in service-learning, beginning her work at Duke during the 1980s. Read more about the legacy of Betsy Alden HERE. Recipients are chosen because they represent an exceptional commitment to the ideals of service‐learning. Each winner receives $150 to further develop his/her community-building and leadership skills. They are also recognized at the Duke In… read more about 2023 Alden Award Winners Represent Exceptional Commitment to Service-Learning »
Three exceptional ways of building a stronger community at Duke: Rabbi Elana Friedman heard from students that they wanted to have a single service that joined the traditions of the Reform, Conservative and other various movements of Judaism into shared religious celebrations. She helped bridge the differences to bring Duke’s diverse population of Jewish people together in spiritual community. Bijan Abar made mentorship and advising a core part of his work as a M.D./Ph.D. candidate in the School of Medicine and Pratt… read more about From the Moment They Arrived on Campus, Sullivan Award Winners Have Strengthened Community »
DURHAM, N.C. –- Most kids know it’s wrong to yell or hit someone, even if they don’t always keep their hands to themselves. But what about if that someone’s name is Alexa? A new study from Duke developmental psychologists asked kids just that, as well as how smart and sensitive they thought the smart speaker Alexa was compared to its floor-dwelling cousin Roomba, an autonomous vacuum. Four- to eleven-year-olds judged Alexa to have more human-like thoughts and emotions than Roomba. But despite the perceived difference in… read more about Kids Judge Alexa Smarter than Roomba, But Say Both Deserve Kindness »
Sofia Guerrero, a Duke junior majoring in neuroscience with a minor in computer science, has been named a 2023 scholar by the Barry M. Goldwater Scholarship and Excellence in Education Foundation Program. Originally from Seattle, Washington, Guerrero is among 413 students awarded Goldwater Scholarships for the 2023-2024 academic year. The Barry M. Goldwater Scholarship is a federally endowed award that encourages students to pursue careers in the fields of mathematics, the natural sciences and engineering. Goldwater… read more about Duke Junior Sofia Guerrero Named Goldwater Scholar »