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Department of Psychology

2004-2005 Academic Year Grants

(Students are underlined. Includes recent graduates.)

Craig Abrahamson received a grant from JMU General Education entitled “Internationalizing the CISAT General Education Curriculum.” $1,300.

Kristina Austin and Jonathan Slezak received a 2004 Virginia Academy of Science Undergraduate Research Award ($500).

Kristina Austin received a grant from the Psi Chi, the National Honor Society in Psychology to support her honors thesis research. The title of her project is, Investigating the spontaneously hypertensive rat (SHR) as an animal model of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (AD/HD): An observing procedure, $1488.

Kristina Austin Received a Psi Chi Professional Development Award in support of her project: Investigating the Spontaneously Hypertensive Rat (SHR) as an Animal Model of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (AD/HD): An Observing Procedure, $732.50

Steve Evans is conducting research funded by the following grants this year:

  • Preventing Youth Smoking Through Coordinated Community Based Care (Virginia Tobacco Settlement Foundation)
  • Developing School Based Treatments for ADHD Adolescents (National Institute of Mental Health)
  • Pilot funding for the School Mental Health Alliance (Klingenstein Second Generation Foundation)
  • Pilot funding for Virginia Tobacco Prevention Survey (Virginia Tobacco Settlement Foundation)

Bill Evans received two grants from the JMU Office of the Provost to conduct research necessary to develop an Leadership Minor at JMU.

Joann Grayson has received a renewal of her grant from the Commonwealth of Virginia Department of Social Services to fund production of three issues of the Virginia Child Protective Newsletter (VCPN) during 2005. $41,500.

Michael Hall and Christopher Watts received a grant from the Institute for Infrastructure and Information Assurance to study a Multi-Dimensional Model of Vocal Deception, $33,126.

Charles Harris and Aashir Nasim, received a grant from Center for Instructional Technology at JMU for Faculty Institute for Distance Learning in Undergraduate Psychology. $4,000.

Mary Huntsberry received a 2004 Professional Development Grant from the JMU Chapter of Psi Chi ($750) and a 2004 Student Presenter Grant from the Society for Advancement of Behavior analysis ($50).

Natalie Kerr received a 2005 CISAT Mini Grant to help defray the cost of attending a conference, $435, and a General Education grant to attend the Summer Institute on College Teaching at the College of William and Mary in June 2005..

Aashir Nasim is the 2004-05 Mosier Fellow. The JMU Mosier Fellowship is a $5,000 grant for development of a community-initiated after-school program for Harrisonburg adolescents.

Aashir Nasim is a Co-Investigator for the 2005 Internationalization at Home Grant Initiative, JMU Office of the Provost., Africana Studies Program., $10,000.

Aashir Nasim received a Supplemental Grant Award from the JMU Office of International Programs, Short-term Summer Enrichment Program for Psychology Students to study in Zambia, Africa., $2,000

L. Brooke Poerstel received a 2004 Maryland Association for Behavior Analysis Student Travel Award.

Erin Pitts received a 2004 Student Presenter Grant from the Society for the Advancement of Behavior Analysis ($50).

Sherry Serdikoff received the 2004-2005 Southeastern Region Psi Chi Faculty Advisor Grant for Analyzing Altered Reinforcement Processes in Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder, $2,000.

Melissa Shulleeta received a 2004 Professonal Development Grant from the JMU Chapter of Psi Chi ($750) and a Student Presenter Grant from the Society for the Advancement of Behavior Analysis ($50).

Jonathan Slezak received a Psi Chi Professonal Development Grant in support of his project entitled: Examining the Spontaneously Hypertensive Rat (SHR) as an Animal Model of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (AD/HD): Analyzing Delay-of-Reinforcement Gradients, $737.50

The following Department of Psychology Faculty have been awarded 2005-2006 CISAT Faculty Development Grants:

  • Aashir Nasim received a teaching grant entitled “Development of a Short-Term Summer Enrichment Program for Psychology Students in Zambia, Africa,” $2841.
  • Sherry Serdikoff received a research grant entitled “Analyzing Altered Reinforcement Mechanisms in Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD),” $4,187.
  • Cheryl Talley received a research grant entitled “The Vagus Nerve and Behavioral Modulation, $4,000.

The following Department of Psychology Faculty have been awarded General Education, Summer 2005 Development Grants:

  • Jeff Andre and Michael Hall received a grant for “Improving Gsci 122 by Team Teaching,” $2400
  • Charles Harris received a grant for “Internationalizing Gpsyc 160, Life Span Human Development, by Developing Intercultural Experiential Modules,” $1500.
  • Aashir Nasim and Cheryl Talley received a grant for “Effect of Multicultural Competency Training on General Education Cluster Five Faculty,” $5,800.
  • Sherry Serdikoff received a grant for “Scientific Perspectives: Behavior Analysis,” $2,000 plus equipment.

The faculty of the Department of Psychology is very pleased to announce that the following students will recieve small grants (up to $200) in support of their research or conference travel.

  • Rebekah Jones. Depression and Somatization Between Hispanic Children and Their Parents.
  • Magen Sier. Preferred Associates and Leadership Within a Captive Giraffe Herd.
  • Joshua Tarr (working with Graduate Student Jessica Vogt). Learning and Leadership Through Peer Advising.
  • L. Brooke Poerstel and Justin A. McWethy. Examining the Spontaneously Hypertensive Rat (SHR) as an Animal Model of Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) Using Delay-of-Reinforcement Gradients.
  • Ben Jarvis and Brian Marques. Mental Imagery.
  • Kristin Fries. Accuracy of Eyewitness and Earwitness Identification of a Crime.
  • Katie Howard, Bryan Altmire, Heather Brock, and Justin McWethy. Investigation of Ultimate Attribution Error.
  • Ashley Gentry. Internship Project at the National Aquarium in Baltimore.
  • Katherine Canatsey. Parental Control and Parent-Child Interaction Quality.
  • Jeanne Donaghy, Kellie Tucker, Nelly Yuen, and Christine Brady. Internal Attribution, Self-efficacy and Intrinsic Motivation.
  • Kimberly Masters. Talking with God: The Relationship Between Intrinsic Religiosity & Life Satisfaction.
  • Kristina Austin. Investigating the Spontaneously Hypertensive Rat as an Animal Model of Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (AD/HD): An Observing Procedure.
  • Jonathan Slezak. Examining the Spontaneously Hypertensive Rat (SHR) as an Animal Model of Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD): Analysis of Delay-of-Reinforcement Gradients.
  • Jamie Hoffmann. The Relationship of Disordered Eating Behavior Among College Women.
  • C. Stacey Armstrong. The Benefits of Mentoring Relationships Between Students and Professors.
  • Jessica Norman. The Relation Between Stress and Asthma-Related Respiratory Symptoms in a College-Aged Population.
  • Matthew Harpold and Brian Sorg. Adventure-Based Education research project.
  • Rebekah Jones. Depression and Somatization Among Hispanics.
  • Haley Gallinot, Emily Burgdof, Lauren Esposito, Inna Komarovsky, Abigail Lau, Veronica Rathi, Shay Richards, and Courtney Shiflet. The Effects of Self Esteem, Body Esteem, and Attachment Style on Hooking up in College Students - presentation at the Southeastern Psychological Association Convention

All award winners were selected by the Undergraduate Psychology Student Advisory Committee based on the merit of their proposals.

Visit the Archive of the 2003-2004 Grants .