2016 Lachman Lecture and Student Recognition Day
The Lachman Memorial Lecture and Student Recognition Day is an annual event that is much anticipated by both the faculty and students of the psychology department, as well as by colleagues in other departments across the university.
This event is sponsored by PSI CHI and the psychology department and supported by the Sheldon Lachman Memorial Fund. At this half-day event, held each April, a prominent psychologist is invited to come to Wayne State University to speak on a cutting-edge topic of general interest to a relatively diverse audience. After the lecture, student officers on the PSI CHI executive board (president, vice-president, etc.) are recognized for their service and qualifying undergraduate students are inducted into PSI CHI membership.
In addition, the psychology department takes time after the lecture to recognize the academic excellence of both undergraduate and graduate psychology students, by awarding them a variety of competitive prizes for their achievements in academics, research, teaching, and/or service to the department.
The Lachman Memorial Fund was established to honor the late Professor Sheldon J. Lachman, who served as a full-time faculty member in Wayne State's psychology department for over 45 years. To learn more about Professor Lachman and his contributions to the department and field, visit the Sheldon Lachman Memorial Lecture.
This year's Lachman Lecture took place on April 18, 2016. The invited speaker was Professor Daniel S. Shaw, a world-renowned clinical-developmental psychologist and researcher at the University of Pittsburgh. Dr. Shaw spoke about his findings from his multi-decade longitudinal research project on the development, sequelae, and prevention of early conduct problems.
Immediately following the Lachman Lecture, Dr. Bowen and Dr. Beeghly (faculty mentors for PSI CHI) recognized the PSI CHI executive board for their community service during the past year and inducted the newest members of PSI CHI. The student awards ceremony then took place. First, four undergraduate psychology honors students (Brianna Crouse, Jasmine Hect, Anthony Kostecki, and Emma Rodgers) received the Distinguished Achievement Undergraduate Scholarship Award. This competitive award is given to undergraduate students who exhibit superior academic performance, service, and commitment to the discipline of psychology.
A variety of awards were then given to graduate students in psychology for their outstanding research and academic performance. This year's award recipients are:
As we hope you can see, the Lachman Lecture and Student Recognition day continues to be an integral part of the psychology department's mission of academic excellence. Your contribution and support to the Lachman Memorial Fund will allow the psychology department to continue this annual tradition, which enhances the quality of the WSU psychology experience for both students and faculty through exposure to world-renowned psychologists and researchers, such as this year's speaker, Dr. Daniel Shaw. Bringing in these experts is not possible without continued funding from donors such as yourself. Won't you help us continue this annual tradition of academic excellence? After all, your small investment can reap benefits for generations to come.
Marjorie Beeghly & Scott Bowen, faculty mentors, PSI CHI