Get to know the new chair of the Psychology Department, Professor Matthew Bell
This year, Professor Matthew Bell began his three-year term as chair of the Psychology Department supporting both faculty members and students in their work and studies. Bell has been a member of the Psych faculty since 2001 and has been a steadfast presence in the department ever since.
For the Winter 2020 term, Bell is excited to be back in the classroom teaching Behavior Analysis (Psyc 140) and Truth & Consequences (Psyc 170 and Comm 169A, co-taught with Laura Ellingson, Professor in the Communication Department). He is also an active researcher, collaborating with colleagues Patti Simone and Lisa Whitfield. Their experimental work focuses on variables that affect memory and relies on the collaborative contributions of their many undergraduate research assistants.
Bell earned his B.S. from the University of New Mexico and his Ph.D. from the University of California, San Diego in Experimental Psychology. His expertise is in the experimental analysis of behavior, which is an approach to studying psychology that emphasizes the relationship between environmental variables and behavior. The field of behavior analysis is probably best known for its contribution to the treatment of autism.
If you need support, have questions about the major, or are just interested in getting to know him, he encourages you to come by his office (Alumni Science 231) and have a chat (booking an appointment is the easiest way to connect with him).