Department of Psychology & Neuroscience
“There are a lot faculty who wish they had course evaluations that look half this good.” Reviews that positive are not something you expect to hear from a professor about teaching by undergraduate students, but it’s just what Bridgette Martin Hard said about the Costanzo Teaching Fellows. Spearheaded by Hard, an associate professor of the practice of Psychology & Neuroscience who teaches Psych 101 to more than 600 Duke students each academic year, the Costanzo Fellows are a team of Duke seniors who assist… read more about What Happens When Duke Seniors Lead First-Years Through Psych 101? »
It’s common to witness campus visitors stroll the quad and stare at the Chapel in awe ––- especially those whose children are interested in attending Duke. Graduating senior Camila Saavedra was once one of those young-aged tourists to gleam at the beautiful campus sites. While her parents brought her to campus as a rite of passage as a North Carolinian, they also set her on the first steps on her path to an exceptional journey at Duke University. Camila at… read more about Circling Back: The Journey of This Year's Student Commencement Speaker »
Gerald Grant, Trinity’ 89, will become the chair of the department of neurosurgery at the School of Medicine on April 1. Grant, endowed professor and chief of pediatric neurosurgery at Stanford University, previously served as an associate professor in the department of surgery at Duke before leaving to serve on active duty in the United States Air Force. The Chronicle spoke with Grant about how he discovered a passion for neuroscience, his experience serving in the U.S. Air Force and… read more about Alumni Spotlight: Meet Gerry Grant, Duke’s Incoming Chair of Neurosurgery »
Our trips to Starbucks, Dunkin' Donuts or Beyu Blue now have an additional charge: Pay it forward. Psychology major Anna Greenleaf, '23 was inspired by the small act of generosity that often takes place during the routine act of grabbing a daily pick-me-up. Greenleaf presented "Paying It Forward: How Unequal Access to Resources Reduces Generosity," a social experiment that examines circumstantial generosity. She and a few other Blue Devils traveled to the 2022 ACC Meeting of the Minds conference to… read more about Psychology Major Presents at National Conference »
On Saturday, April 2, Raia Lockerman, Kerry Rork and Anna Greenleaf all had the same two fears: presenting their undergraduate research at a big conference and being away for the Duke vs. UNC game. They were the three Trinity students selected to participate in the 2022 ACC Meeting of the Minds conference, hosted by the University of Virginia between April 1 and 3. The nomination and selection process are extremely competitive, and only five students represented Duke: Lockerman, Rork and Greenleaf from Trinity, as well as… read more about Trinity Students Go on the Road to the ACC Meeting of the Minds Conference »
The sun is out more now that it is Spring; so it's only fitting to feature a Blue Devil from the city known as the "Valley of the Sun": Phoenix, AZ. Senior Krishna Sinha, secretary and treasurer of the Neuroscience Majors Union (NMU), has some shiny days ahead with graduation right around the corner! Krishna's dedication to and leadership within the major has made him a well-known, shining light in the (Psychology &) Neuroscience Department. His favorite course within the Department has been NEURO 223 (… read more about Student Spotlight: Krishna Sinha, Neuroscience '22 »
In early 2022, the Duke Career Center proposed the idea to form a network of faculty and staff from across campus who are having meaningful conversations with students about career development. Through the network, additional tools and training can be provided to further expertise and the resource will help students identify Duke's campus leaders who are open and willing to talk about students' career goals. After an initial call for nominations, an anonymous recommendation placed Natalia Silva Harwood… read more about Natalia Silva Harwood Named Career Influencer by the Duke Career Center »
Each year, Duke Service-Learning recognizes undergraduate students, graduate 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… read more about 2022 Alden Award Winners Represent the Best of Service-Learning »
DURHAM, N.C. – Curious about why some people have been so passionately, often angrily, opposed to vaccination against the COVID-19 virus, a team of researchers with access to rare and unusual insights into the childhood forces that shape our adult lives thought they’d try to find out. “We had so many friends and family who initially said that the pandemic was a hoax, and then refused to wear a mask or social-distance, and kept singing in the choir and attending events,” said Terrie Moffitt, the senior author on a new study… read more about Duke-led Study Finds Vaccine Resistance Comes From Childhood Legacy of Mistrust »
Graduate and professional programs across the university scored highly in U.S. News and World Report’s list of “2023 Best Graduate Schools.” The Duke University School of Nursing ranked second overall in the country. In addition, several MSN Nurse Practitioner specialty programs were highly ranked: Family (first) Adult-Gerontology Primary Care (first) Nursing Administration (first) Psychiatric/Mental Health Across the Life Span (first) Adult-Gerontology Acute Care (second) Duke was ranked second… read more about Duke Graduate Programs Get High Marks in 2022 US News Rankings »
Duke Psychology & Neuroscience Ph.D. alumni Jessica Cantlon ’07 and Kevin Myers ’99 have received two of the four James McKeen Cattell Fund Fellowships awarded this year. The Cattell award, which has existed for more than half a century, provides financial support of up to $40,000 for each recipient to take an extended sabbatical period to pursue new research in psychological science. Both Cantlon and Myers were consensus top choices among the Cattell review committee, which included Duke professor of… read more about Duke Ph.D. Alumni Win Sabbatical Award to Pursue New Research in Psychological Science »
“March Madness” has just begun and our Student Spotlight feature for this month, Senior Carla Guedikian, is definitely excited! Carla is an avid basketball player and lover. The Los Angeles native was impressed at how Duke offers a great balance of academics and fun activities upon her campus tour. While this was a heavy influence on her decision to become a Blue Devil, she decided on a study track for Neuroscience prior to her arrival. “Neuro 223 was my favorite course. We met weekly with… read more about Student Spotlight: Carla Guedikian, '22 (Neuroscience) »
Spring Break conjures up images of trips to the beach, but in 2016 Provost Sally Kornbluth had a different idea of how students could get away from the stress of the regular school year. She wanted students to have a chance to explore a subject intellectually without the pressure of grades or credits. Spring Breakthrough gives students a chance to use their week off to learn from a professor and with students outside of their major path. They engage with a course in ways that stimulate curiosity while… read more about Spring Breakthrough Gives Students an Opportunity to Stretch Their Academic Interests »
DURHAM, N.C. -- In 1923, lead was first added to gasoline to help keep car engines healthy. However, automotive health came at the great expense of our own well-being. A new study calculates that exposure to car exhaust from leaded gas during childhood stole a collective 824 million IQ points from more than 170 million Americans alive today, about half the population of the United States. The findings, from Aaron Reuben, a PhD candidate in clinical psychology at Duke University, and colleagues at Florida State University… read more about Lead Exposure in Last Century Shrunk IQ Scores of Half of Americans »
read more about Duke Study Shows Lead from Gasoline Blunted the IQ of About Half the US Population »
