Tag: Faculty

Animal Behavior Major Tarryn Nutt helps make UNE a better place

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Tarryn Nutt (kneeling, second from the right), and other students and faculty members from the Women & Gender Studies program

Last spring, Tarryn Nutt (ANB ’21) enrolled in WGST 200: Introduction to Women’s Studies as part of her minor in Women and Gender Studies. In the class, students are asked to complete an activism project on a topic of their choosing. Tarryn had already been addressing the issue of access to feminine hygiene products at UNE and decided to expand on that for her project. She believes that easy and free access to feminine hygiene products is important and necessary. Menstruation is a biological factor for women and not having access to feminine hygiene products can have adverse effects on students’ academic success. Tarryn was quoted in the UNE news article about this (https://www.une.edu/news/2019/une-provides-students-access-feminine-hygiene-products) saying “’It’s important for me to be able to go to class and get an education,’ she explained, noting that without the proper coins for the former coin-operated dispensers, female students often needed to leave class  — sometimes at  critical moments — to trek across  campus to their dorm rooms to retrieve a tampon or pad”.

As they say, from there, the rest is history.

Tarryn successfully complete her class project but didn’t stop there. She took the information she had gathered to UNE’s Women and Gender Studies Club. After additional time and efforts, and with the support of the club, Tarryn presented a proposal to increase access to these products for UNE students to President James Herbert. Herbert was impressed with the work completed by Tarryn, and by her and the other students’ arguments, and took the idea to the senior leadership team, who created a budget to implement her proposed free tampon program .

The University of New England is now providing students with access to free feminine hygiene products on its campuses. Thanks to a partnership between university administrators and a group of students, tampons are now available in dispensers in several non-residential UNE buildings in both Biddeford and Portland. Under the new initiative, women’s bathroom tampon dispensers, which were previously coin-operated, have been retro-fitted to eliminate the need for money. They are stocked with Tambrands tampons, made in Auburn, Maine.

Our congratulations and thanks go out to Tarryn and the other members of the WGST Club for their hard work to address this need for our female students here at UNE! Thanks as well go to Dr. Julie Peterson, who offered the WGST course in which Tarryn started this work and for her support of the WGST club.


Dr. P – secret life as a stand up comedian?!

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Dr. Julie Longua Peterson, associate professor of psychology and director of women’s and gender studies program, will be joining comedians Shane Mauss, Ken Reid, and fellow scientist Ben Twinning (Bigelow Laboratory) for Stand Up Science.  Hosted and organized by Mauss, the show is intended as an evening of “brainy topics” and laughter during a 2 hour show at One Longfellow Square on February 26 at 7 pm.  

For more information about Stand Up Science:

http://www.shanemauss.com/club-dates-1/2019/2/26/portland-me

To purchase tickets for the show:

https://onelongfellowsquare.com/event-registration/?ee=1079
https://onelongfellowsquare.com/event-registration/?ee=1079

So will she be a great comedian – show up and see on Feb 26th!!!

Two UNE ANB majors and Dr. D publish article in Ecotoxicology

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Animal Behavior majors Rebecca Cram, (’17) and Jaslynn Lawrence (’19) and Dr. Teresa Dzieweczynski, associate professor in the Department of Psychology, recently published work completed here at UNE in the journal Ecotoxicology.

The study, titled “Mating under the influence: male Siamese fighting fish prefer EE2-exposed females,” explored whether exposing female Siamese fighting fish to the synthetic estrogen 17α-ethinylestradiol (EE2) changes mate choice in males, assessed if the dose and duration of female exposure matters, and examined if exposing males to EE2 influences their mating preferences.

EE2 is a common endocrine disrupting chemical found in birth control pills. Many of these compounds are not removed during the wastewater treatment process and enter bodies of water in their active forms.

The results of the study indicate that males were more responsive to EE2-exposed females than unexposed females, with males being most responsive to females exposed to low versus high doses. If EE2 concentration increases in the environment, the likelihood of successful mating could decrease and potentially lead to adverse population impacts.

Phinished? Not yet, but it’s a start: An update on my leave from UNE

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by Christina Perazio

It’s been a long time coming, but I’m finally nearing where I can see a shadow of the faint light at the far end of the Ph.D. tunnel. As many of you know, I was on leave from teaching at UNE last semester so that I could check the box that says “coursework” on the list of things I need to do before I can graduate with my Ph.D. The semester was filled with ecology, evolution, and conservation. I got to sit in seminars and discuss senescence and selection and succession. I got to learn about what it takes to put conservation plans into motion through the combined efforts of scientists, policy makers, and resource managers. I taught my first ecological methods lab course. I met and studied with wildlife biologists, geologists, and cognitive psychologists. I started working with two amazingly smart undergraduate research assistants who are helping with the analyses of humpback whale song for my dissertation. I presented a small portion of my dissertation at the Acoustical Society of America’s international conference in Victoria, BC, Canada.

And now I’m back at UNE, and it simultaneously feels like I was never gone and yet was gone for an eternity. I am excited to be melding in my new experience and knowledge with the courses that I teach here, and especially with my new course in animal communication. I have had a chance to catch up with many of my students, as they stop by my office to say hello and update me on the last 7 months of their lives at UNE and elsewhere. This is one of my favorite aspects of teaching here, and what I think I missed the most while I was on leave: knowing what our students are studying, what their career passions are, and making an impact on their academic careers and lives as they make the trek from freshman in college to life after college, whatever that looks like for them. And I am thrilled to be back in the classroom teaching them this semester!

You can contact Professor Perazio at cperazio@une.edu

UNE undergrads publish with Dr. Julie Peterson in JESP

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Julie Longua Peterson, Ph.D., associate professor in the Department of Psychology and director of the Women’s and Gender Studies program, recently published an article with psychology student co-authors, Alex Bellows (PSY ‘15), Beth Giguere (PSY ‘15) and Jannelle Sherman (PSY ‘17).  The paper, entitled “Partner self-esteem and interpersonal risk:  Rejection from a low self-esteem partner constrains connection and increases depletion,” appears in the Journal of Experimental Social Psychology.  

Using experimental, observational, and daily diary methodologies, this work reveals that rejection from a low (vs. high) self-esteem partner reduces accessibility to connection related thoughts in memory, increases connection-inhibiting behavior during conflict, and is experienced as mentally exhausting.  These effects emerge despite evidence from both self-report and independent coding that rejection from a low self-esteem partner is not more painful than rejection from a high self-esteem partner.  Instead, people appear to use impressions of others’ self-esteem to determine whether they should reduce dependence on that partner following rejection. 

Peterson’s current work challenges traditional assumptions about the importance of self-love in healthy relationships.  Instead, how people’s partners feel about their worthiness of love and acceptance may be the ticket to understanding people’s own responses to relationship threat. 

Citation:

Peterson, J.L, DeHart, T., Bellows, A., Giguere, B., & Sherman, J. (2019).  Partner self-esteem and interpersonal risk:  Rejection from a low self-esteem partner constrains connection and increases depletion.  Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, 80, 17-30. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jesp.2018.09.006

Congratulations to Dr. Peterson and our students!

Dr. Burman – the Brain Fair guy!

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Mike Burman, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Psychology and Neuroscience K-12 Outreach Coordinator for the Center for Excellence in the Neurosciences, was recently featured in a video online as part of the “Community Neuroscience” series on the Dana Foundation YouTube channel! In this video, Dr. Burman talks about how to organize a successful brain fair.

You know you want to hear Dr. Burman talking about sheep brains and jellybeans, don’t you??

Dr. Burman has helped organize the UNE Brain Awareness Week Brain Fair for several years. At this events kids, teens, and adults can learn about memory, the senses, addiction, and brain injuries through a number of interactive activities. Quite a few of our psychology and neuroscience majors and faculty have helped out with the fair as well.

Learn more about Dr. Burman in the Dana Foundation blog interview.

Watch the video at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EOWOwOUbGWk

Dr. Julie Peterson featured on News Center Maine video

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January, 2019

Yesterday, Dr. Julie Longua Peterson, Associate Professor of Psychology and Director of the Women and Gender Studies Program at UNE, was interviewed by reporters with Channel 6, News Center Maine about the new Gillette ad.

Watch Dr. Peterson’s conversation about this bold new ad.

You can also read the UNE news article about the feature and hear Dr. Peterson’s thoughts about the issue here.

NEU students and faculty present at Neuroscience meeting

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UNE students, faculty and professional staff attend neuroscience meeting

December, 2018

Congratulations to our Neuroscience students and faculty who recently presented their research at the annual Society for Neuroscience meeting in San Diego, California. Approximately 30,000 scientists, from more than 80 countries, attended the annual event.

Taylor Paquin (ANB, ’20) and Michael Burman, Ph.D., associate professor of psychology, presented their work on the effects of neonatal pain on maternal behavior.

Burman lab members Makaela Rice (NEU, ’19), Seth Davis, Ph.D., post-doctoral fellow, and lab manager Jared Zuke also presented on the research they are doing on neonatal pain.

Research presentations at the conference by UNE faculty, students and professional staff were supported, in part, by the Center of Biomedical Research Excellence (COBRE) for the Study of Pain and Sensory Function, the Center for Neuroscience, and the Departments of Biology & Psychology.

Congratulations on this work!

PSY students and faculty present research at professional meetings

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UNE students Nicole Martin, Courtney Parent, Ellie Leighton, Aubrey Sahouria and clinical professor Trish Long (middle) at NEPA

November 2018

A number of students from the Psychology major as well Psychology faculty members presented their research at the annual meetings of the New England Psychological Association (NEPA) and the Northeast Conference for Teachers of Psychology (NECTOP) in Worcester, Massachusetts. The meetings attract faculty and students from Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, Rhode Island and Vermont.

Hannah Christian discusses her research on narcissism and cosmetic use

Hannah Christian (PSY, ’20) presented research on the role of narcissism and interpersonal rejection in women’s willingness to purchase cosmetics. The research was conducted with Mackenzie Deveau (PSY, ’19) and Allie Symonds (PSY, ’18).

Mackenzie Deveau and Kana Colarossi speak with a conference attendee about their research

In addition, Christian, Deveau, Kana Colarossi (PSY, ’20), Lacey Durkee (PSY, ’18), and Jill Cassazza (PSY, ’17) presented research on the role of gender and narcissism on college students’ engagement with social media.

Both projects were conducted in the lab of Julie Longua Peterson, Ph.D., associate professor of psychology and program director of Women’s and Gender Studies.

Courtney Parent, Nicole Martin and Ellie Leighton discuss their research on e-readers

Ellie Leighton (PSY, ’19), Nicole Martin (PSY, ’21), and Courtney Parent (PSY, ’19) presented their work on individual preferences and comprehension skills when using electronic readers for fiction and non-fiction texts. Their work was conducted with Jennifer Stiegler-Balfour, Ph.D., associate professor of psychology.

Trish Long, Ph.D., clinical professor of psychology and affiliated faculty in Women and Gender Studies, presented research on individual’s perceptions of men who respond appropriately after sexist remarks are made by others. The work was conducted in Long’s lab with Julia Beebe (PSY, ’19), Kristin Macek (PSY, ’19), Olivia Kudas (PSY, ’21), Savannah Van Duyn (PSY, ’22), Jade Glidden (PSY, ’17), Abigail Beaulieu (PSY, ’17), Ben Katz (PSY, ’17), and Jacob Barry (PSY, ’17).

Long also presented research on the effectiveness of the Immediate Feedback Assessment Technique in enhancing students’ preparation for and success in undergraduate coursework.

Here are some thoughts from some of the students who attended the meeting:

“Attending NEPA was one of my first experiences with presenting research in the field of Psychology. I am so grateful for the opportunity to attend as a freshman. Even though I did not present, I was able to attend talks by other researchers and see the pride that they take in their work. It was inspiring to see what strides students have made in the field, and I am eager to learn more about what other institutions are working on. Having the opportunity to attend conferences, especially so early in my college career, has opened my eyes to the possibilities of what I can do with my time at UNE.” – Aubrey Sahouria (PSY, ’22).

“Having the opportunity to travel throughout New England to share our findings has been an invaluable experience. Presenting in front of different audiences allows us to hone in our public speaking skills and better prepares us for a future in research. These conferences also provide us with knowledge, as we get to attend talks that discuss other research going on around the region. Lastly, they provide us with the opportunity to network within our area of interest to better equip us to enter our field after graduation.” -Ellie Leighton (PSY, ’19). 

“Being able to attend research conferences and to present our findings has been a treasured experience. The skills I’ve learned while presenting at NEPA and learning about research being conducted at other institutions in New England will carry with me throughout the rest of my undergraduate and graduate career. This experience has been truly humbling, and I am forever grateful to be able to have the opportunity to attend as well as present.” -Courtney Parent (PSY, ’19).

Funding for these research projects was provided by the Center for the Enrichment of Teaching and Learning and the College of Arts and Sciences Summer Research Experience. Funding for students’ conference registration and travel was made possible by the Office of Research and Scholarship.

NEPA is dedicated to the advancement of psychology as a science, profession and means of promoting human welfare through a peer review process.

Katz (PSY ’17) and Long present research at ABCT

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UNE alumnus Ben Katz speaks with a meeting attendee

November 2018

Congratulations to Ben Katz (PSY major, MHR minor, ’17) who presented research conducted with Trish Long, Ph.D., Chair and Clinical Professor, Department of Psychology, at the annual meeting of the Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies (ABCT) on November 17, 2018, in Washington, D.C.

Katz and Long presented research conducted with UNE undergraduate students that demonstrates that experiential avoidance helps to explain why college women who have experienced more incidents of sexual violence face greater psychological distress.

Patricia Long and Ben Katz at the annual meeting of the Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies

ABCT is a multidisciplinary organization committed to the enhancement of health and well-being through the treatment of human problems by applying global applications of behavioral, cognitive and biological evidence-based principles. This annual meeting allows researchers and clinicians to share innovations, promote the utilization and dissemination of evidence-based approaches to behavioral health, facilitate networking among members and promote health and well-being through a commitment to diversity and inclusion at all levels.

Funding for this research project was provided by the College of Arts and Sciences Summer Research Experience.