Keynote Speaker
Research is a Straight and Narrow Path?
Not Likely!
Chris Newland, Ph. D.
Professor, Department of Psychology
Chris Newland received his Bachelors degree in Electrical Engineering from Auburn University. While undertaking several false career starts, he took night courses in Physics, Psychology, and Anthropology at Georgia State. Upon discovering that behavior could actually be understood using the scientific method, he enrolled in the doctoral program in Experimental Psychology at Georgia Tech, completing his doctorate in 1982 with an emphasis in behavioral pharmacology and a dual minor in mathematics and neurobiology. He was awarded a postdoctoral fellowship in the division of Environmental Health Sciences (now Environmental Medicine) at the University of Rochester, with the research group that pioneered the study of the behavioral effects of environmental contaminants, now a major specialization within neurotoxicology. He has been at Auburn since 1988 where he is now a professor of Psychology. His research has been funded by the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, the National Institute of Drug Abuse, and the U. S. EPA. Dr. Newland’s work on the effects of heavy metal contaminants (mercury, manganese, and lead) has been published in leading research journals in neurotoxicology, environmental health, and psychopharmacology. He has served in leadership roles for several scientific societies and on numerous panels to review environmental health policy and applications to fund research. He is especially proud of the many students, including several undergraduate research fellows, which he has mentored and who have gone on to have scientific careers of their own.
Undergraduate Alumni Speaker
Graduate School: Life Lessons for
Research and Practice
Sarah Teague
Graduate Student - I/O Psychology
Sarah Teague received her Bachelors degree in Psychology from Auburn University with a minor in Statistics. During her time at Auburn, she was involved in many organizations and activities, including psychological research through the Undergraduate Research Fellowship Program, Auburn University’s Honors Congress, and Auburn University Housing and Residence Life. She is currently a 2nd year graduate student in the Industrial/ Organizational (I/O) Psychology program at Pennsylvania State University with research interest in the influence of emotions at work, as well as impression management/image formation in organizational settings. She has presented papers at the regional and national conferences and has worked on applied projects with several different organizations, including PNC Bank, the Pennsylvania State University Police, and the Pennsylvania State Education System (PSEA). She also writes monthly article reviews for a professional blog that seeks a more cohesive relationship between science and practice in I/O Psychology, Organizational Behavior, and Human Resources. After graduate school, Sarah intends to pursue a career in Human Resources with a particular focus in Recruitment, Staffing, and Talent Management.