April 15, 2015 | SharkAdmin [image 1]“What graduate school are you currently attending….what university do you teach at” were two questions seven current and former Northwest Vista College students received after presenting their research at the Southwestern Psychological Association’s (SWPA) annual meeting held April 10-12 in Wichita, Kan. [image 2]Alex Gurian, Zach Hanich, Scott Lee, Anthony Sanchez, Melany Higdon, Gerona Nylander, and Callie Roberts presented their research to standing-room only audiences. Their presentations were titled, “Full-Spectrum Lighting’s Behavioral and Emotional Effects on a Word Search Task” and “Human Sexuality Education in America Today: Myth, Oxymoron, or Real?” Don “Dr. Don” Lucas, Ph.D, professor of Psychology and coordinator of NVC’s Psychology department, said beyond the student’s presentations, “the rich experiences the students had by being a part of a professional research conference will help guide and motivate them for years to come in their academic journeys.” [image 3]Dr. Don has been mentoring students’ research and facilitating their presentations at professional conferences for more than 10 years. This year’s SWPA meeting had over 1,000 attendees. At its annual meetings, SWPA offers paper, poster, continuing-education sessions, workshops, symposia, and invited talks from speakers. SWPA also promotes and strengthens psychology's scientific, professional, and educational facets. In addition to the SWPA conference, Melany Higdon, Gerona Nylander, and Callie Roberts will be presenting their research in May at the annual meeting of the National Institute for Staff and Organizational Development. NISOD is a membership organization that celebrates excellence in teaching, learning, and leadership at community and technical colleges.
