How long have you been a member?
I first joined the APA (and Division 28) in 2010 when I was a graduate student at the University of Kentucky.
How did you become a division volunteer or leader?
At the 2022 APA convention, I was at dinner, and the president Division 28 said they needed a new membership chair. He asked if I would consider serving in this role.
What do you value most about being an experimental psychologist?
As a professor at a regional comprehensive university, I love teaching and mentoring undergraduate students in a research setting. Being able to see my students go on to graduate/medical/professional school and/or go into their preferred career is what I value most.
What does a typical workday look like for you?
I am now a department chair, having begun a 4-year term in July of 2024. I do not have a typical workday as unexpected issues pop up constantly. I can say that each day begins with a cup of coffee. Being department chair involves a lot of emails and a lot of meetings. I also do a lot of outreach events, meeting with prospective students or doing science-related activities with high school students. Depending on the time of year, I create the course schedule for the following semester and monitor course enrollment. I also oversee a departmental budget. In addition to my administrative duties, I teach one class each semester, and I have an active research laboratory. Currently, I am mentoring 1 post-doctoral fellow, 6 undergraduate students, 2 part-time post-baccalaureate technicians, and 1 high school student. Finally, I serve as our university’s chair of the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee.
What are you most proud of?
Being a father is what brings me the most pride. I have two sons (ages 10 and 5), and being able to watch them grow has been an incredible experience.
If you weren’t a psychologist, what would you be?
I would most likely be a history teacher. Even as a psychology major, I minored in history.
Contact: Justin Yates