News and Events

Congratulations to Alexair Gonzalez (Social Area), Praise Owoyemi (Clinical Area), Gil Moreu (Social Area), Tanner Demaree (Social Area),  Kasheena Rogbeer (Social Area) for receiving Political Psychology Fellowships

Alexair Gonzalez (Social Area), Praise Owoyemi (Clinical Area), Gil Moreu (Social Area), Kasheena Rogbeer (Social Area), and Tanner Demaree (Social Area) received the Political Psychology Fellowships. The Political Psychology Fellowship is awarded to doctoral students specializing in political psychology, the study of mass politics, and/or intergroup relations, enrolled in either the Psychology or Political Science Departments.

Congratulations to our Graduate Summer Research Mentorship recipients!

The following 28 graduate students received the Graduate Division Graduate Summer Research Mentorship, which provides financial support for conducting research under the close mentorship of a faculty member this summer.

Congratulations to our Graduate Research Mentorship (GRM) Program recipients!

The following 11 graduate students received the Graduate Division Graduate Research Mentorship, which is designed to assist students in acquiring and developing advanced research skills under faculty mentorship.

Two Department Members Receive Distinguished Teaching Awards

Congratulations to Assistant Professor Idan Blank for being selected as one of only six UCLA faculty to receive the Distinguished Teaching Award for Senate Faculty in the Practice of Teaching category. One of the winners also receives the Eby Award for Excellence in Teaching, and Idan was selected for this honor. Congratulations also to Bonnie Goff for being selected as one of only six recipients of the Distinguished Teaching Award for Non-Senate Faculty in the Practice of Teaching category. All award recipients will be recognized at the Andrea L. Rich Night to Honor Teaching during fall quarter.

Psychology Staff Spotlight Award – Ajah Whitehead

Highlighting Faculty Member Andrew Fuligni

How do adolescents’ social experiences interact with biological development to shape their health and well-being? My colleagues and I address this question with multiple longitudinal studies of brain, behavior, and adjustment. We also work to integrate developmental science into policies, practices, and public discourse that impact young people.

Prof. Mays Appointed to Presidential Chair in Health Equity and Mental Health

Congratulations to Distinguished Professor Vickie Mays for being appointed by UCLA to the Presidential Chair in Health Equity and Mental Health. Dr. Mays’ illustrious career and her innumerable contributions make her the ideal recipient for this chair.

Prof. Stanton to Receive Nathan W. Perry, Jr. Award for Career Service to Health Psychology

Congratulations to Distinguished Professor Annette Stanton for being selected to receive the Nathan W. Perry, Jr. Award for Career Service to Health Psychology from the Society for Health Psychology (APA Division 38). The award honors individuals who have made significant lifetime contributions to the Society for Health Psychology and/or the field of health psychology, nationally or internationally.

2025 UCLA Psychology Undergraduate Commencement Ceremony

Congratulations to the nearly 1,400 students who participated in the Psychology Undergraduate Commencement Celebration this year!

Fall 2025 Schedule of Classes

The Fall 2025 Schedule of Classes is available for students to review to plan Fall quarter schedules.

Four Professors Receive 2025 Undergraduate Research Week Faculty Mentor Awards

Congratulations to Profs. Idan Blank, Alicia Izquierdo, Jesse Rissman, and Andrew Wikenheiser for receiving 2025 Undergraduate Research Week Faculty Mentor Awards. These awards honor the considerable dedication of UCLA faculty who consistently and enthusiastically serve as effective mentors to undergraduate students involved in research or creative inquiry.

Prof. Tomiyama Receives Faculty Award for Excellence in Graduate Student Mentoring

Congratulations to Professor Janet Tomiyama for being one of three faculty to receive an inaugural Faculty Award for Excellence in Graduate Student Mentoring from the Division of Graduate Education. The award recognizes faculty who have shown an outstanding commitment to mentoring and supporting graduate students.

Highlighting Faculty Member Jaime Castrellon

What drives people to make certain decisions—and why do motivations vary? My lab studies the cognitive and neural mechanisms of motivation and value-based choice. We are especially interested in how people weigh costs and benefits in decisions that impact themselves and others.

Prof. Montoya Appointed to Center for Open Science Board of Directors

Congratulations to Associate Professor Amanda Montoya for being appointed to the Center for Open Science (COS) Board of Directors. She will serve a three-year term from 2025 to 2027. More information is available at the COS website.

Highlighting Faculty Member Falk Lieder

How can psychological science better inform altruistic efforts to improve society and the lives of future generations? I strive to contribute to the theoretical foundations for such research by asking fundamental questions about rationality and altruism, as well as moral decision-making and moral learning.

Psychology Staff Spotlight Award – Destiny Ramirez

Prof. Galván Delivers New TED Talk

Professor and Dean of Undergraduate Education Adriana Galván recently delivered a new TED talk about what we can learn from teenagers. The talk titled “3 reasons to take risks like a teenager” is available at https://www.ted.com/speakers/adriana_galvan

Congratulations to Kaia Sargent for winning the Student Poster Award

Congratulations to Kaia Sargent (Behavioral Neuroscience Area) for winning the Student Poster Award (poster title “Brain-body dysconnectivity: Deficient autonomic regulation of cortical function in first-episode schizophrenia”) at the 2024 Annual Meeting of the Society for Psychophysiological Research in Prague.

Congratulations to Wesley Meredith and to Haley Wang for receiving American Psychological Foundation Graduate Research Scholarships.

Congratulations to Wesley Meredith (Developmental Area) and to Haley Wang (Clinical Area) for receiving  American Psychological Foundation (APF)/Council of Graduate Departments of Psychology (COGDOP) Graduate Research Scholarships. The purpose of the scholarship program is to assist graduate students of psychology with research costs associated with the master’s thesis or doctoral dissertation.

Prof. Izquierdo Receives National Award of Excellence in Mentorship

Congratulations to Professor Alicia Izquierdo for receiving the 2024 National Award of Excellence in Mentorship from the National Hispanic Science Network. The award is presented to a senior investigator who has provided outstanding mentorship in the area of Hispanic drug abuse to graduate students and/or new investigators, resulting in peer-reviewed publications or successful grant applications.