2019

New Psychology Lecture Series Launches Thursday

Professor Emeritx of Psychology and Women’s and Gender Studies at the University of Texas at Austin Rebecca S. Bigler will speak at the inaugural event in the John B. Rosenberg '63 and Stephanie Lambert Speaker Series in Psychology.

By: Meghan Kita  Friday, September 20, 2019 10:04 AM

The inaugural lecture in the John B. Rosenberg '63 and Stephanie Lambert Speaker Series in Psychology will take place Thursday, September 26, at 7:30 p.m. in Miller Forum, Moyer Hall. Professor Emeritx of Psychology and Women’s and Gender Studies at the University of Texas at Austin Rebecca S. Bigler (pictured) will be giving a talk entitled “Understanding and Preventing Social Stereotyping and Prejudice in Children: Lessons from a Career in Developmental Science.” The event is free and open to the public.

Bigler, who supports the use of gender-neutral language, received hir B.A. from Oberlin College and Ph.D. from The Pennsylvania State University before joining the faculty at UT-Austin in 1991. Ze studies the causes and consequences of social stereotyping and prejudice among children, with a particular focus on gender and racial attitudes.

What makes the John B. Rosenberg '63 and Stephanie Lambert Speaker Series in Psychology distinct is that “our students will get to meet and talk with the speakers on a personal level. The series is thus exposing our students to first-rate researchers who inform, challenge and inspire them. Students can build on what they have learned here and draw on their Muhlenberg professors even more effectively,” says Alan Tjeltveit, professor and chair of psychology.

Rosenberg and Lambert also fund a student thesis award to support research projects in the Department of Psychology, says Professor of Psychology Mark Sciutto. “With the speaker series, John and Stephanie have broadened their influence and enabled the department to bring nationally and internationally recognized scholars to campus,” Sciutto says. “The speaker series originated out of John and Stephanie's desire to immerse our students in conversations with contemporary scholars. Through public lectures, classroom visits and workshops, our students will have the chance to interact with the speaker in ways that inspire and enlighten.”

This year, the series will bring a spring speaker—details to be announced—to campus in addition to Bigler this fall. The series will invite one scholar per academic year in future years.