Colloquium Series
Departmental Colloquium Series 2025-2026
During the academic year, the department of psychology invites respected scholars to give lectures on research and theory in contemporary psychology. Please see the schedule below for more details and room locations. All are welcome to attend and engage with the Northwestern Psychology Community.
October
Dr. Daniel Pine
Date: Rescheduled : TBDLocation: Swift Hall, Room 107
Website: Daniel Pine
Title: Advancing psychiatric care through research in clinical neuroscience
Abstract:
This presentation will review the ways in which research in neuroscience inform therapeutic discovery focusing on the area of anxiety disorders. A developmental focus will be emphasized, highlighting perturbations in brain function that manifest similarly across ages as well as those that differ in pediatric and adult anxiety disorders. The presentation also provide relatively broad review of multiple topics relevant to therapeutics as well as a more in-depth consideration of novel treatments arising through research on attention and the insights this reveals for computer-based attention retraining therapies.
Faculty Panel
Date: Friday, October 17th, 2025 - 3:15pm
Location: Swift Hall 107
Panelist: Dr. Katie Insel, Dr. Sandra Waxman, Dr. Alissa Levy-Chung
November
Dr. Yair Bar-Haim
Date: Friday, November 14th, 2025 - 3:15pm
Location: Swift Hall, Room 107
Website: Yair Bar-Haim
Title:
Targeted Primary Prevention of PTSD: The Role of Threat Monitoring in Trauma Response
Abstract:
This talk will explore how the quality of threat monitoring during and after exposure to trauma influences vulnerability to posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Neuro-cognitive mechanisms underlying adaptive and maladaptive responses to perceived threat and how these processes may be targeted to reduce the risk for PTSD onset will be discussed. Evidence from recent intervention studies will be presented, highlighting the efficacy of early, targeted protocols designed to promote resilience and reduce the likelihood of persistent trauma-related symptoms.
January
Dr. Sapna Cheryan
Date: Friday, January 9,2026 - 3:15pm
Location: Swift Hall, Room 107
Website: Sapna Cheryan
Title: Toward a New Understanding of Racial Position
Abstract: Racial and ethnic groups of color have been Othered in U.S. society, but not in uniform ways. Our work integrates a dimension of cultural foreignness along with the more commonly studied dimension of perceived status to suggest that different racial and ethnic groups face qualitatively different experiences of discrimination in the U.S. (Zou & Cheryan, 2017). In this talk, I will draw upon this Racial Position Model and share our new work on its implications for understanding discrimination and intraminority relations. We find, using controlled laboratory experiments and employment discrimination cases, that racial and ethnic minority groups face different forms of discrimination in the labor market. We also find that creating intraminority solidarity may at times require acknowledging differences between groups. Systematically integrating a dimension of cultural foreignness gives us insight into the differing experiences of racial and ethnic minority groups and how to create solidarity between them.
February
Industry Panel
Date: Friday, February 20, 2026 - 3:15pm
Location: Virtual
Panelist: Jun Won Park (Expedia), Brittany Torrez (Yelp), Cassie Brandes (BetterUp)
May
Dr. Caterina Gratton
Date: Friday, May 8th, 2026 - 3:15pm
Location: Swift Hall, Room 107
Website: Caterina Gratton
Title: TBA
Abstract:
TBA
Dr. Lei Yuan
Date: Friday, May 22nd, 2026 - 3:15pm
Location: Swift Hall, Room 107
Website: Lei Yuan
Title: TBA
Abstract:
TBA