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Psychological Science

James Diller (left) and Saoirse Ward

Alumna-professor duo publishes on ‘chemical imbalance theory’
Ward, Diller examine beliefs on causes of depression

A recent graduate from Eastern’s Department of Psychological Science and her faculty mentor have published research examining popular opinions about depression and the enduring influence of...

Posted on March 17, 2026 by Noel Teter '24

Kristine Zlotnick '23 (left) and Liz Charnysh '17

Biology alumni forge careers in genetics and neurobiology
Charnysh ’17 and Zlotnick ’23 discuss careers post Eastern

Where does a biology degree at Connecticut’s public liberal arts university get you? For Liz Charnysh ’17 and Kristine Zlotnick ’23, an Eastern education helped launch careers in...

Posted on December 16, 2025 by Kyle Berson '26

Bachiochi

Bachiochi named Eastern’s Distinguished Professor of the Year
Serving psychology department, community for more than 25 years

Psychological science Professor Peter Bachiochi was named Eastern Connecticut State University’s 2025 Distinguished Professor of the Year, announced at the spring University Meeting this May....

Posted on June 10, 2025 by Noel Teter '24

Panorama of "Psychapalooza" poster presentations

‘Psychapalooza’ showcases undergraduate research

From examining the impacts of microaggressions to analyzing how videogames influence stress, more than 50 undergraduate psychology students gathered in the Student Center Betty Tipton Room (BTR) on...

Posted on May 14, 2025 by Kyle Berson '26

Barnard scholars

Eastern names 2025 Barnard Scholars
Two graduating seniors earn CSCU's top honor

Eastern Connecticut State University has named its two 2025 recipients of the Henry Barnard Distinguished Student Award, the most prestigious undergraduate honor given by the Connecticut State...

Posted on May 07, 2025 by Noel Teter '24

Hatshepsu Coutain-Julien presenting at "Psychapalooza" fall 2024

‘Psychapalooza’ showcases yearlong research projects

The Department of Psychological Science hosted its semesterly research showcase “Psychapalooza” on Dec. 2. Supervised by professors Peter Bachiochi, Phyllis Lee and Kristalyn...

Posted on December 09, 2024 by Kyle Berson '26

Professor Scisco with students

Psychology department represents at October conferences

Eastern’s Department of Psychological Science represented at two academic conferences this past October. At the annual meeting of the Berkshire Association of Behavior Analysis and Therapy...

Posted on November 13, 2024 by Darlene Orozco B. '28

honor society thumb

Eastern inducts hundreds into honor societies in spring 2024

More than 20 academic programs and departments at Eastern Connecticut State University recognized student achievements this spring 2024 semester during honor society inductions and award ceremonies.

Posted on May 16, 2024

Chris Krebs teaches class

Psychology recognized for behavior analysis program

A new recognition for the behavior analysis concentration in Eastern Connecticut State University’s Psychology Department is “a real mark of distinction for the University” and...

Posted on February 15, 2024 by Lucinda Weiss

Students reimagine liberal arts resume strengths

Workshop helps students articulate their liberal arts education

Students of all majors joined Arts and Sciences Dean Emily Todd on Nov. 30 to better understand the ways to market their skills to employers and graduate schools. The students, with the guidance of...

Posted on December 12, 2023 by Marcus Grant

Best Poster winners

Psychology students recognized for posters at research event

Six psychology students at Eastern Connecticut State University were recently recognized for the quality of their research posters, and senior Ali Junior Ezedine presented his research at a...

Posted on December 12, 2023 by Noel Teter

Krebs and Piro

Krebs and student present behavior analysis research

An Eastern Connecticut State University professor and his student research assistant recently shared their ongoing research on behavior analysis at a Massachusetts conference. Christopher Krebs,...

Posted on November 07, 2023 by Noel Teter

Global Field Courses for 2024

Students can travel the world via 5 global field courses in 2024

Students will be able to travel the world with their Eastern peers during five global field courses in the coming spring/summer 2024 semesters. Departments offering courses include education,...

Posted on September 26, 2023 by Marcus Grant

students at senior center

Psychology students volunteer at senior center

Psychology students at Eastern Connecticut State University recently helped the Ashford Senior Center celebrate special occasions. Students of Jennifer Leszczyński, professor of psychological...

Posted on May 16, 2023 by Noel Teter

NCUR group photo and thumbnail

Students present in Wisconsin at National Conference on Undergraduate Research

Eastern Connecticut State University sent eight students to the University of Wisconsin- Eau Claire on April 13 to present their research findings at the National Conference for Undergraduate...

Posted on April 27, 2023 by Jack Jones

Education researchers

Education research looks at autistic toddlers’ social turn-taking

A new method for parents of autistic toddlers to encourage their children to take turns in social communications is the focus of an Eastern Connecticut State University research team in the Center...

Posted on April 25, 2023 by Lucinda Weiss

awardees with Nunez

2 Eastern seniors win CSCU’s top undergraduate award
Barnard award goes to Emily Barata and Judith Arroyo Cervantes

Two seniors at Eastern Connecticut State University, Emily Barata of New Fairfield and Judith Ariana Arroyo Cervantes of Manchester, are recipients of the 2023 Henry Barnard Distinguished Student...

Posted on April 10, 2023 by Lucinda Weiss

Career Fair Thumbnail Image

Students explore opportunities at spring Career & Internship Fair

Eastern Connecticut State University gave students an opportunity to network and conduct pseudo-interviews with companies spanning multiple fields of concentration at the Career and Internship Fair...

Posted on April 05, 2023 by Jack Jones

SRCD

Psychology researchers present in Utah on parent-child relationships

Recently, Gianna DeSante and Cailey Fay, psychology majors at Eastern Connecticut State University, presented their own research at the Society for Research in Child Development Biennial Meeting....

Posted on April 04, 2023 by Noel Teter

Smirnow

Psychology department represents at annual EPA meeting

Several psychology students and faculty from Eastern Connecticut State University presented at the Eastern Psychological Association’s (EPA) annual meeting on March 2–4 in Boston, MA

Posted on March 30, 2023 by Noel Teter

students at conference

Student leaders attend IMPACT Conference on civic engagement

Six student leaders at the Center for Community Engagement (CCE) at Eastern Connecticut State University attended the recent IMPACT Conference on civic engagement for students from colleges around...

Posted on March 08, 2023 by Lucinda Weiss

Felicisima (Ping) Serafica

Eastern professors contribute to book on Women of Color in Psychology

Two Eastern Connecticut State University professors of psychology contributed to an upcoming book, “Early Psychological Research Contributions from Women of Color, Volume 1,” being...

Posted on February 13, 2023 by Molly Boucher

counseling staff

Task force moves ahead on campus mental health needs

A year after a mental health task force formed on the Eastern Connecticut State University campus, the group has a strategic plan for meeting students’ mental health needs identified in a...

Posted on February 13, 2023 by by Lucinda Weiss

Psychology faculty

Psychology faculty publish 'open educational resources' for teaching online

James Diller, Christopher Krebs and Jenna Gray, faculty members in Eastern’s psychological science department, have published in Behavioral Pedagogies and Online Learning, an open educational...

Posted on November 07, 2022 by Noel Teter

Treadmill desk

Study finds that treadmill desk use improves work performance

Eastern Connecticut State University Psychology Professor Jenna Scisco has completed compelling research that may impact the way people work from home in a post-COVID world. Titled...

Posted on October 25, 2022 by Molly Boucher

Students sit in a circle at STEP/CAP

Students reflect on STEP/CAP experience

This past summer, 52 students from towns and cities across Connecticut enrolled in Eastern Connecticut State University’s STEP/CAP program -- Summer Transition at Eastern Program/Contract...

Posted on April 08, 2022 by Dwight Bachman

EPA Students

Psychology researchers present on parent-child relationships at NYC conference

Eastern Connecticut State University psychology majors Paulina Hernandez Galindo, Jordyn Powell, Meganlyn Delaney and Melissa Valenzuela, along with professor T. Caitlin Vasquez-O’Brien,...

Posted on March 22, 2022 by Bobbi Brown

Noelle Ciccarelli

Psychology researchers present on daughter-parent mate preference

Eastern Connecticut State University psychology student Noelle Ciccarelli presented at the Society for Personality and Social Psychology (SPSP) convention on Feb. 18. Ciccarelli’s project was...

Posted on March 09, 2022 by Bobbi Brown

Three Eastern psychology alumni visit to discuss life after graduation.

3 psychology alumni speak on career paths and life after Eastern

Eastern Connecticut State University’s Department of Psychological Science held a series of three alumni events this fall. The events featured presentations from three alumni who spoke with...

Posted on December 06, 2021 by Bobbi Brown

Heart rate monitor

4 faculty, alumni behavior analysts publish physical activity studies

Three Eastern Connecticut State University alumni and one faculty member have been published in a special edition of the academic journal “Behavior Analysis: Research and Practice."...

Posted on September 29, 2021 by Molly Boucher

Psychology lab

Psychology faculty direct 6 research labs this fall

The faculty in Eastern Connecticut State University’s Psychological Science Department mentor undergraduate students in a range of research projects to provide hands-on application of...

Posted on August 20, 2021 by Dwight Bachman

Vaccination

Psychology researchers look at vaccine hesitancy
Published article offers strategies to boost vaccination rates

A trio of researchers from the Psychological Science Department at Eastern Connecticut State University recently published a conceptual paper analyzing the behavior of “anti-vaxxers.”...

Posted on August 04, 2021 by Michael Rouleau

Cognitive Neuroscience

Eastern offers new concentration in Cognitive Neuroscience

Eastern Connecticut State University will offer a new academic concentration in Cognitive Neuroscience this coming fall 2021 semester as part of the university's Psychology major. Meant to...

Posted on July 09, 2021 by Dwight Bachman

Jumpstart

Students work with Windham preschoolers through Jumpstart program

A group of Eastern Connecticut State University students are volunteering with the national early education organization known as Jumpstart. Established in 1993 with programs in 14 states,...

Posted on April 05, 2021 by Bobbi Brown

Windham No Freeze

Student organizations support local homeless shelter

The Windham Region No Freeze Project in Willimantic is the beneficiary of efforts by three student organizations at Eastern Connecticut State University, as the Cheerleading Team, Habitat for...

Posted on March 24, 2021 by Michael Rouleau

Broderick Sawyer

'We all have it': Broderick Sawyer '12 demystifies race-based trauma

Broderick Sawyer, a clinical psychologist and 2012 Eastern Connecticut State University graduate, spoke on race-based stress and trauma on Dec. 16 during the final University Hour presentation of...

Posted on December 24, 2020 by Michael Rouleau

Young Entrepreneurs

Eastern students are young entrepreneurs

Facebook, Dell computers, Google, Dropbox and Reddit were all started by college students in their dorm rooms. College students have also formed their own businesses in fields ranging from gyms to...

Posted on December 10, 2020 by Bobbi Brown, Michael Rouleau, Ed Osborn

Psychology Alumni Honor Professors Danforth and Everton

Psychology Alumni Honor Professors Danforth and Everton

More than 100 psychology alumni gathered at Eastern Connecticut State University on Oct. 18 in honor of the retirement of Professors Jeffrey Danforth and Wendi Everton. Alumni in attendance were...

Posted on October 20, 2019 by Vania Galicia

The new Shafer hall lounge

Goddard, Shafer Halls Reopen to New Look and Purpose

Two fabled buildings on the Eastern campus reopened their doors this fall semester after undergoing extensive renovations for more than a year. Shafer Hall, formerly home to the university’s...

Posted on September 12, 2019 by Michael Rouleau

Malvina presenting

Psychology Researchers Publish on Human, Pigeon Suboptimal Choice

Eastern Connecticut State University Psychology Professor James Diller and recent graduate Malvina Pietrzykowski ’19 were published in Springer’s “Learning and Behavior...

Posted on September 06, 2019 by Vania Galicia

garden

Students Research Food Culture in Italy

From June 9-29, eight Eastern Connecticut State University students studied “Cross-Cultural Psychology of Food” in Florence, Italy, with Assistant Professor of Psychology Jenna Scisco....

Posted on July 11, 2019 by Dwight Bachman

Carlos Escoto at Loma Linda

Escoto Named Alumnus of the Year by Loma Linda University

Carlos Escoto, associate professor of psychology at Eastern Connecticut State University, was recently named 2019 Alumnus of the Year by Loma Linda University’s School of Behavioral Health....

Posted on June 20, 2019 by Michael Rouleau

Eastern Psychology Researchers Analyze Mate-Guarding Scale

A team of researchers from Eastern Connecticut State University’s Psychology Department presented at the 31st annual meeting of the Human Behavior and Evolution Society on May 29–June 1...

Posted on June 04, 2019 by Michael Rouleau

Antuanett Ortiz, Professor Jennifer Leszczynski, Joanna Casuccio and Alyssa Sokaitis present at Association for Women in Psychology.

Eastern Represents at ‘Women in Psychology’ National Conference

Three psychology students and two professors from Eastern Connecticut State University presented two research posters at the Association for Women in Psychology (AWP) national conference from Feb....

Posted on March 09, 2019 by Raven Dillon

Kaylee DeFelice

Psychology Student-Professor Duo Co-Authors Research Paper

Eastern Connecticut State University alumna Kaylee DeFelice ’19 recently co-authored a paper with Psychology Professor James Diller titled “Intersectional Feminism and Behavior...

Posted on February 12, 2019 by Raven Dillon

Hawaii students

Revelations Abound in Hawaii for Eastern Students

Twenty psychology students expanded their worldview over winter session during a global field course in Hawaii. Titled “Cross-Cultural Well-Being and Relationships in Hawaii,” the...

Posted on January 17, 2019 by Michael Rouleau

Summer Fellowships Delve into Industrial Psych, Music Performance

Two Eastern students participated in Undergraduate Research/Creative Activity (UGRCA) Fellowships this summer, which are intensive research experiences on the Eastern campus that pair students with...

Posted on August 07, 2018 by Jordan Corey

Psychology Professor Carlos Escoto Elected to CUR Executive Board

Carlos Escoto, professor and department chair of psychology, and coordinator for Undergraduate Research and Creative Activities at Eastern Connecticut State University, has been elected to the...

Posted on May 29, 2018 by Ed Osborn

Using motion-capture technology, the student in the background is rendered as a 3D image on the computer.

Summer Research Institutes Expose Students to New Fields of Inquiry

Eastern Connecticut State University held three inaugural Summer Research Institutes from May 14–18 to engage promising and high-achieving students in intensive, week long research programs...

Posted on May 24, 2018 by Michael Rouleau

Eastern Student Presents Research

Jolene Potter ‘18 was one of two Eastern Connecticut State University students to present her research study as an oral presentation at Eastern’s Annual Psychological Science Afternoon...

Posted on December 01, 2017

Eastern’s Applied Behavior Analysis Program Recognized Nationally

Eastern Connecticut State University is one of 57 institutions in the United States recognized for its applied behavior analysis program by Applied Behavior AnalysisEdu.org.

Posted on September 01, 2017 by Ed Osborn

2 Students Awarded Eastern Summer Fellowships

Eastern students Jolene Potter ’18 and Julie Leitao ’18 participated in Undergraduate Research/Creative Activity Fellowships this summer. Potter, a psychology major, prepared her...

Posted on August 10, 2017 by Michael Rouleau

Psychology students in Hawaii.

Psychology Students Study Culture in Hawaii

Eighteen psychology students from Eastern Connecticut State University traveled to Hawaii in May 2017 to study cross-cultural differences related to well-being and relationships. From western and...

Posted on June 08, 2017 by Michael Rouleau

Award winners Malvina Pietrzykowski ’19, Kimberly Mines ’17 and Isabella Rossi ’17 with Eastern President Elsa Nunez

Three Students Win Library Research Awards

Three Eastern students were recognized at the sixth annual Library Research Awards at the conclusion of the 2016-17 academic year.

Posted on May 17, 2017 by Michael Rouleau

The Le Le Project, represented by FEMALES club members

Committed to Community: Eastern’s 2017 Service Expo

More than 20 projects were on display for Eastern Connecticut State University’s annual Service Expo and Awards on April 12. Held at St. Joseph Church in Willimantic, the annual ceremony was...

Posted on April 18, 2017 by Michael Rouleau

Poster presenters at Psychology Night

Eastern Student Researchers Showcased at Psychology Night

Forty-nine exemplary psychology students from Eastern Connecticut State University presented their research in December at the department’s annual Psychological Science Night.

Posted on January 25, 2017 by Jolene Potter

Neuropsychologist warns it’s a Hard Road, but Worth It

Eighteen successful alumni of the Psychology Department visited Eastern Connecticut State University on Oct. 27 to advise and network with current students. After a keynote address from...

Posted on November 01, 2016 by Michael Rouleau

Eastern Faculty Create ‘Democracy at Work’

With the 2016 presidential election drawing near, politics have taken center stage at Eastern Connecticut State University. In order to generate student discussion around the election, Eastern...

Posted on October 12, 2016 by Jolene Potter

Eastern’s James Diller Earns State-Wide Teaching Award

— James Diller, associate professor of psychology at Eastern Connecticut State University, was honored with the System-Wide Teaching Award for the 2015-16 academic year by the Board of...

Posted on May 13, 2016 by Michael Rouleau

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