In his five years with the Department of Psychology, graduate student Mitchell Campbell has made a concerted effort to help improve the department climate. “It is extremely important to me that we have a department where students feel included and empowered,” Campbell says. “That core value is a common thread to the work I’ve done in the department, through both formal and informal roles.”
From serving on the Departmental Climate and Diversity Committee to participating in faculty meetings as a graduate liaison, Campbell, who works in the Brauer Group Lab, aims to make sure the graduate student perspective is heard. As a member of the Departmental Climate Survey Committee, he helped craft the department climate survey, encouraged people to participate, analyzed the data, and presented the findings to the department as a whole. In each of these roles, along with a host of informal efforts to strengthen relationships in the department (including hosting many social events for graduate students at his home), Campbell aims to “build a better understanding of our current climate and increase transparency and communication between individuals with different titles…. I think my efforts have helped us generate better ideas for how to make our department safer and more inclusive.”
His service to the department garnered him this year’s Psychology Department Distinguished Service Award, honoring noteworthy service contributions by graduate students. Congratulations!
Three other graduate students received nominations, including:
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Naomi Isenberg. Isenberg is a member of the Graduate Student Department Climate Survey Committee. In addition to her efforts on that committee, she is also a member of the Climate and Diversity Committee. Beyond her committee service, Isenberg participates in multiple programs devoted to mentoring undergraduate students from underrepresented backgrounds in research.
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Mark Koranda. This year, Koranda served on the search committee for a cluster hire position. He also made contributions as a member of the Graduate Student Department Climate Survey Committee. Over the years, Koranda has helped organize many social events and gatherings, including prospective student visiting dinners and a registered student organization called Skilled Reflection.
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Martin Zettersten. Zettersten was a co-presenter for the department-wide discussion on research transparency/open science this year, a member of the Colloquium Committee from 2013-2019, including roles as Treasurer and President, and the Local Arrangements Chair for the Cognitive Science Society Meeting in Madison (2018). Over the years, Zettersten has also spent a great deal of time helping students of all ages (kindergarten, middle school, university) gain exposure to psychology and science more broadly.
April 10, 2020