Message from the Chair

Alen Kersten

Welcome to the Department of Psychology at Florida Atlantic University. Psychology has had a visible and vibrant presence at FAU since the university opened its doors in 1964. One of the first Ph.D. programs established at the university, Psychology continues to be one of the largest undergraduate majors at FAU and is committed to providing excellence in undergraduate and graduate education and training to our diverse population of students. We highly value the scientific enterprise and firmly believe that strong scientific training prepares students to be successful in a wide variety of career paths. For our undergraduate students, this may include further graduate training, entrance into the contemporary workplace, or entrepreneurship. Our graduate students go on to careers, for example, in academia, industry, business, and non-profit organizations. We are proud to count as one of our alumni Dr. Arthur Evans, Jr., CEO of the American Psychological Association, who received his B.S, and his M.A. in Psychology from FAU.

The department is composed of internationally recognized faculty who conduct innovative research that contributes to a basic understanding of psychological processes, as well as their application to contemporary and emerging issues. The department is organized into four program areas, cognitive psychology and cognitive neuroscience, developmental, neuroscience and behavior, and social/personality. However, faculty research interests are cross-cutting and reflect the nature of psychological science as inherently interdisciplinary. Our faculty collaborate with researchers within and outside of the psychological sciences, and these collaborations span the world.

FAU is currently undergoing rapid development as a center of cutting-edge research, and psychology is proud to be part of this growth. Given the strong scientific tradition of our department and the impact our work has made on south Florida and beyond, we are excited about the future of our department. We invite you to join us!

 

Alan Kersten Ph.D.
Professor and Chair, Department of Psychology