UW-Madison Department of Psychology

06/23/2026

Delighted to share that Professor Morton Ann Gernsbacher received the prestigious Norman Anderson Lifetime Achievement Award from the Society of Experimental Psychologists! https://psych.wisc.edu/news/gernsbacher-receives-lifetime-achievement-award-from-the-society-of-experimental-psychologists/

Interested in her research? Make a plan to invite her to speak at your next event 📅

Congratulations to Presenter Morton Ann Gernsbacher (UW-Madison Department of Psychology) on receiving the prestigious Norman Anderson Lifetime Achievement Award from the Society of Experimental Psychologists! 🎉

This award recognizes her groundbreaking contributions to psychology, including research on language comprehension, autism, scientific communication, and innovative teaching methods.

Dr. Gernsbacher joins an elite echelon of scholars at the top of the Society of Experimental Psychologists, which is an organization that represents only 5–10% of practicing experimental psychologists in North America!

Read more: https://hubs.li/Q04l7bHd0

Interested in learning from Morton Ann Gernsbacher? Invite her to speak at your next event!
Learn more: https://hubs.li/Q04l7bQs0

06/23/2026

What began as a class requirement for Psychology and Legal Studies major Kaydence Hughes (pictured third from right) became the most meaningful experience of her UW-Madison career. Through the Prison Education Initiative, Kaydence spent Spring 2026 tutoring Intro Psych students at Oakhill Correctional Institute - an experience that reshaped her views on justice and possibility. She says the work showed her how education can spark real transformation for people preparing to return to their communities.

🔗 Full story at https://psych.wisc.edu/news/tutoring-at-correctional-institute-becomes-defining-experience-for-psychology-major/

06/09/2026

Farmers Market season is upon us, which means you’re likely to catch members of the out in the community, sharing their research and recruiting participants!

This spring, the lab has connected with families at Sprout Nature Market at Warm Belly Farm, the Westside and Monroe Street Farmers Markets, Madison Children’s Museum, Kennedy Heights Community Center, among so many more! You can connect with them, too, at these upcoming Madison-area events:

• June 12 @ Juneteenth Celebration | Warner Park Community Rec Center
• June 13 @ Westside Community Market
• June 21 @ Northside Farmers Market
• July 3-4 @ Monona Community Festival

06/04/2026

The Postdoctoral Association recognized our own Randy Lee and Freya Joëssel with Postdoc Excellence Awards this spring, recognizing them for their work in mentoring and service, respectively. 🏆

Read the wonderful things their colleagues had to say about them at https://psych.wisc.edu/news/psychology-postdocs-receive-awards-in-mentorship-service/ ☺️

Congratulations to you both! We are so grateful for your impact on our community! 🎉

06/03/2026

“To create a good illusion, you need to understand the mechanisms behind it,” says Vivian Paulun, assistant professor of psychology. Students in Paulun’s Psychology of Perception course had the opportunity to apply their understanding of perceptual principles by creating or adapting a visual illusion that demonstrates a specific perceptual phenomenon.

Swipe to see examples of students’ creative illusions. And then jump deeper into Dr. Paulun’s research on visual intuitive physics at https://paulunlab.psych.wisc.edu/

05/22/2026

This spring, presented four awards recognizing excellence among its graduate students, staff, and faculty. Congratulations to this year‘s recipients!

⭐️ Graduate Student Teaching/TA Award: Emma Cunningham and Eren Fukuda

⭐️ Distinguished Service Award for Graduate Students: Emma Cunningham, Padideh Hassanpour, and Stephanie Ward

⭐️ Teaching Excellence Award: Julia Greenberg

⭐️ Staff Excellence Award: Kari Maas and Mary Anderson

More at 🔗 in bio.

05/20/2026

Congratulations to these outstanding majors who each received either a Hilldale Undergraduate/Faculty Research Fellowship (or honorable mention) or a Sophomore Research Fellowship (or honorable mention).

Hilldale Fellowships support independent undergraduate research done in collaboration with a faculty or staff advisor. To help offset research costs, the student winners each receive $4,000 and their advisors receive $1,000.

Sophomore Research Fellowships support students working in collaboration with, or under the mentorship of, a faculty of staff advisor. Each student winner receives $3,000.

See project titles at https://awards.advising.wisc.edu/2025-26-chancellors-undergraduate-award-winners/. Congratulations to all! 🏆

05/18/2026

While things are a little quieter on campus when students leave, is still humming along, thanks to fantastic staff like our own Molly Moen 😍 who was recognized for her contributions with a 2026 University Staff Excellence Award. 🏆

“Molly’s role places her at the center of our department’s operations and community,” says former department chair Allyson Bennett. “Thus, she contributes in some way to nearly all of our work. It is not an exaggeration to say that her stellar professional performance coupled with her warmth, enthusiasm, and constructive approach is key to our success in building a positive climate and meeting our teaching, research, and service missions.”

We couldn’t agree more. 😊 Congratulations, Molly!

https://psych.wisc.edu/news/moen-receives-2026-university-staff-excellence-award/

05/13/2026

Congratulations, graduates! We are so proud of all you’ve accomplished and are cheering you on as you start your next chapter. Welcome to alumnihood! 👐

05/08/2026

Cheers to our outstanding PhD graduates! You’ve all been such a significant part of this community. From mentoring undergraduates to pushing the field forward, you have made an indelible mark on us and we will miss you tremendously!

Congrats, ! 🎉