Visiting Scholars
About three times each year, the Psychology Department hosts a distinguished scholar in the field of behavioral psychology for a several-day visit. The Visiting Scholars program, which is supported by Pacific Fund grants, exposes students and faculty to other experts in the field and sparks new ideas for teaching, clinical practice and research.
The program also creates a conduit between Pacific and the visiting scholar’s institution that can provide advantages for students considering graduate school.
Students Gain Access to Experts
The invited scholar spends a full day meeting with Psychology faculty and students, offering feedback to students on their research projects and clinical cases. The visit includes a dinner and cocktail reception to further promote interaction between the scholar and Pacific faculty and students.
Undergraduate and graduate students help plan and organize the events, which gives them practical experience in event planning.
Community Involvement
During the visit, the invited scholar gives a presentation that allows practicing Board Certified Behavior Analysts® in the area to earn continuing education credits. Faculty, students and professionals from the local community attend the event, which has garnered praise from the behavioral analysis community.
Visiting Scholar Dr. Greg Hanley of Western New England College (center) with Dr. Matthew Normand and Holly White
Previous Visiting Scholars
Gregory P. Hanley, Ph.D., BCBA-D
Associate Professor of Psychology
Western New England College
Dr. Hanley's primary research interests are early childhood care and education, functional analysis of severe problem behavior, and problem behavior prevention.
Henry D. Schlinger, Jr., Ph.D., BCBA-D
Associate Professor of Psychology
California State University, Los Angeles
Website
Dr. Schlinger's research interests include basic learning processes, schedules of reinforcement, conceptual issues in behavior analysis and psychology, rule-governed behavior, and verbal behavior.
Timothy R. Vollmer, Ph.D., BCBA-D
Professor of Psychology
University of Florida
Website
Dr. Vollmer's primary area of research is applied behavior analysis, with emphases in developmental disabilities, reinforcement schedules, and parenting.
Brian A. Iwata, Ph.D., BCBA-D
Professor of Psychology and Psychiatry
University of Florida
Website
Dr. Iwata's research focuses on disorders of learning and behavior. He conducts studies on basic learning processes, assessment and treatment of severe problem behavior, staff and parent training, and research methodology.
Linda A. LeBlanc, Ph.D., BCBA-D
Associate Professor of Psychology
Auburn University
Website
Dr. LeBlanc's research and clinical interests include the behavioral treatment of autism and developmental disabilities across the lifespan, behavioral gerontology, verbal behavior, and technology-based interventions.
Caio F. Miguel, Ph.D., BCBA-D
Assistant Professor of Psychology
California State University, Sacramento
Website
Dr. Miguel's primary research interests relate to early behavior intervention for young children with autism and focus on derived responding, language teaching procedures, and behavioral stereotypy reduction.