By Sam Swart – The Collegiate Staff
Grand Rapids Community College’s Psychology Department will begin presentations for one of three 2017-18 Speakers Series on Nov. 30.
Dr. Frank Connor, the head of the Psychology Department and main coordinator of this event, is currently celebrating The Speakers Series’ ninth consecutive year. These lectures cover subjects such as psychology, social work, and gerontology.
The next lecture will feature Dr. Sarah Homoff. Homoff is an Assistant Professor of Clinical Psychology at Central Michigan University. The subject will touch on children’s use of media and mobile devices, such as tablets and smartphones, and how it’s use may affect children’s health and development.
There will be two more held throughout the winter and into the spring. One, being held on Wed, Feb. 14 at 1 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. and will feature Dr. Jeff Nevid, a Professor of psychology and Director of Clinical psychology at John’s Hopkins University in New York. Nevid will present research on whether we are led around by our noses when it comes to sexual arousal, whether we tend to have a sunnier disposition on sunnier days, whether infusing the air in a hospital with a clean scent unconsciously prompts hospital visitors to use a hand gel dispenser before entering an inpatient unit, or why expensive wine appears to taste better.
The final lecture will be Thurs., Mar. 22 from 1 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. This lecture will be held by Dr. Bryan Gibson of CMU and explores how exposure to media affects our psychological experience. In this presentation, Dr. Gibson will consider if this media exposure changes our psychological experience.
Over the years, Dr. Connor has developed a vast network of teachers and professionals, in order to acquire substance and lecturers to come and teach on the GRCC campus. Passionate faculty from own campus are involved in these lectures, but he reaches out to nearby colleges for recommendations.
“I try to find a wide variety of subjects to be taught at these lectures,” Dr. Connor said.
Dr. Conner has been in charge of the Psychology Speakers Series and has been putting it on for the last nine years. When asked what he hopes to accomplish for this year was, he explained that the main goal hasn’t changed since the first year.
“We want to introduce areas of the topic which can provide content to not only our students but to our community,” Dr. Connor said.
All lectures will be held in room 168 at the Wisner-Bottrall Applied Technology center and all presentations are free. This is an excellent opportunity for anyone wishing to pursue careers in Psychology, Social Work or Gerontology!
For more information, or to watch the free streaming video of the previous presentation, follow this link.
