UGA Psychology Department

08/21/2026

Congratulations to the 12th graduating cohort of the UGA Professional Master’s Program in Industrial-Organizational Psychology, better known as the IOMP!
On August 8th, we celebrated our newest IOMP graduates and the culmination of two years of hard work in the program.
We are proud to welcome this group into our growing community of IOMP alumni and look forward to seeing where they take their I-O psychology expertise next.
Congratulations, Class of 2026! Go Dawgs!

08/19/2026

Meet Our Recent Graduate: Dr. Molly Hale

Dr. Hale's dissertation, "The Impact of Sociocultural Risk and Protective Factors on Trajectories of Adolescent Internalizing Symptoms Using the ABCD Study," completed under the direction of Dr. Cynthia Suveg, examined how sociocultural risk and protective factors influence internalizing symptoms across adolescence. She is now an NIH T32 Postdoctoral Fellow in the Adherence and Self-Management Center at Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center.

Congratulations, Molly!

08/18/2026

Congratulations to graduate student Yaw Buabeng on completing his internship with Alcon, a global leader in eye care! In this Q&A, Yaw shares more about his experience, the work he contributed to, and what he learned along the way.

Read the full Q&A here: https://psyc.franklin.uga.edu/news/stories/2026/graduate-student-yaw-buabeng-interns-global-eye-care-leader-alcon

08/12/2026

Support UGA Psychology's own Dr. Malissa Clark as she competes for a chance to speak at SXSW!

Her proposed talk, "Why Your Hobby Is Your Secret Superpower," explores how hobbies can boost personal growth, work motivation, performance, and long-term success. Public voting is an important part of the selection process, so if you're able, please take a few minutes to register and cast your vote. Every vote helps!
Best of luck, Dr. Clark!
https://id.sxsw.com/sign_in

08/06/2026

Congratulations to Dr. Dylan Richards, assistant professor in the UGA Department of Psychology, on being featured in the Athens Banner-Herald! His research explores how meeting basic psychological needs, such as autonomy, competence, and connection, may support healthier alcohol use. Read more about his work in the full article below.

New research from the University of Georgia suggests that meeting basic psychological needs can lead to healthier alcohol consumption.

08/05/2026

Congratulations to Dr. Anne Shaffer on her appointment as interim dean of the UGA Graduate School! Since joining the UGA Department of Psychology in 2008, Dr. Shaffer has made a lasting impact as a licensed clinical psychologist, researcher, mentor, and academic leader. We are proud to celebrate this well-deserved achievement and look forward to seeing all she accomplishes in this new role!

Professor and senior associate dean brings nearly two decades of University of Georgia experience to the new post.

07/30/2026

Meet Our Recent Graduate: Dr. Julie Brisson
Julie Brisson's dissertation, "Stress, Sleep, and Antibody Response to the Influenza Vaccine: A Mixed-Methods, Lifespan Approach," examined how stress and sleep relate to immune responses to the influenza vaccine across the lifespan. She is now a tenure-track Assistant Professor at Indiana State University.
Congratulations, Julie!

07/28/2026

Meet Out Recent Graduate: Dr. Daisi Brand
Daisi's research explored how face masks influenced social connection during and after the COVID-19 pandemic. Her dissertation, "Unmasking the Effects of Mask-Wearing: Exploring Social Connectedness During the COVID-19 Pandemic," found that people often overestimate the social barriers of mask-wearing, highlighting our ability to adapt and connect. She is now a tenure-track Assistant Professor of Psychology at Lafayette College in Easton, Pennsylvania.
Congratulations, Daisi!

07/24/2026

Meet Our Recent Graduate: Dr. Liz Wiggins
Dr. Wiggins' dissertation, "Social Connections and Health Across the Lifespan," examined how social relationships shape physical and mental health from childhood through adulthood, with a particular focus on the long-term health implications of early social experiences. She now serves as a Health Specialist in the Division of Behavioral and Social Research at the National Institute on Aging in Rockville, Maryland.
Congratulations, Liz!

07/24/2026

We're on LinkedIn!

The UGA Department of Psychology now has a LinkedIn page where we'll be sharing faculty research, student achievements, alumni news, department events, and more.

Facebook isn't going anywhere! We're excited to add LinkedIn as another way to share department news and connect with our community.

Learn more below, then follow us on LinkedIn!

We're excited to announce that the UGA Department of Psychology is now on LinkedIn! Our new page is another way to stay connected with what's happening across the department. We'll share updates about faculty research, recognize student and alumni accomplishments, highlight special events, and keep....