Two scientists land leadership roles with national psychology group

Two UW–Madison psychologists were in June elected to top positions of leadership at the American Psychological Society (APS), together filling two of the society’s 10 governance slots.

Morton Gernsbacher is the new APS president-elect, and Patricia Devine will serve on the organization’s board of directors. Both UW–Madison psychology professors will serve three-year terms.

“I’m very proud to have our faculty so well regarded and to have them recognized for their leadership skills and scientific excellence,” said psychologist Charles Snowdon, chair of the UW–Madison psychology department.

Gernsbacher has earned recognition for work in psycholinguistics, the study of how psychological factors affect language acquisition, interpretation and use. At UW–Madison, Gernsbacher has spearheaded research on autism.

Devine is a leading expert on ideas of stereotype and prejudice and is currently organizing a national meeting devoted to such issues, to be held here later this year.

For 17 years, the APS has worked to elevate national awareness of the importance of academic psychological research.