Three California State University, Dominguez Hills (CSUDH) professors have been recognized by California State University (CSU) with the 2018-19 Faculty Innovation and Leadership Award for their commitment to student success.
The CSU has honored Professor of Communications Nancy Cheever, Professor of Psychology L. Mark Carrier, and Emeritus Professor of Psychology Larry Rosen for their collective research and mentorship of undergraduate and graduate students in the area of applied cognitive psychology. The field focuses on information processing and its application in real-world contexts and everyday environments.
The CSUDH professors were among 26 faculty leaders awarded throughout the 23-campus CSU system who have implemented innovative practices that significantly improve students’ academic careers. As part of the recognition, the professors split a $5,000 cash prize and $10,000 was split between the Psychology and Communications Departments to support ongoing innovation and student collaboration.
“We are humbled and honored to receive this award, which represents 10 years of working with undergraduate and graduate students from a variety of majors in the neuroscience and media psychology-oriented George Marsh Applied Cognition (GMAC) Laboratory,” said Cheever. “It is our goal to enhance and enrich our students’ university research experience through mentoring and collaboration. This award validates the efforts of all involved and will provide us the resources to continue and strengthen the shared vision of the students and faculty mentors.”
Cheever’s research focuses on smartphones and how they affect people psychologically. Rosen studies the impact of the proliferating digital world on the brain and brain chemistry, while Carrier is an expert in applied cognitive psychology with research interests in technology and psychology, and culture and learning.
Journalists who have visited the GMAC include Anderson Cooper, television personality and correspondent for “60 Minutes,” the nation’s longest-running television newsmagazine, who participated in an experiment for his feature “Why can’t we put down our smartphones?,” which aired in April 2017.
The “60 Minutes” piece led to even more media coverage, including National Geographic Channel’s “America Inside Out with Katie Couric,” which airs April 25, 2018. Cheever was interviewed exclusively by reporter T.J. Holmes for ABC’s “Good Morning America” story “Excessive cellphone use may cause anxiety, experts warn.”
The lab has also garnered top-tier international coverage with stories on BBC, and national television news shows in France and Australia.
The professors, who founded the GMAC Lab, always involve students in their research and encourage them to conduct their own research experiments. Their students have collaborate with them on writing book chapters, peer-reviewed journal articles, and developing conference presentations. Of the more than 50 students who have worked through the GMAC, 19 are currently in Ph.D. programs, 13 went on to pursue master’s degrees, and three have completed their doctoral degrees.
“World-class CSU faculty are leading the charge as our university continues its remarkable progress in improving student learning and degree completion,” said CSU Chancellor Timothy P. White. “These exceptional recipients demonstrate leadership in their respective fields and incorporate cutting-edge techniques into curriculum. Their commitment to student success ensures that the value of a CSU degree continues to increase.”
