Dickinson State University (DSU) encourages its faculty to engage in meaningful research and involve students, providing them with crucial skills for graduate studies or for their careers. Dr. George Seror III, an Associate Professor of Psychology at DSU, emphasizes the importance of student involvement, especially for psychology majors, in research to prepare them for these paths.

This summer, Dr. Seror was invited to present at the Society for Music Perception and Cognition (SMPC) conference in Alberta, Canada. Held every two years, this prestigious international event gathers experts in music cognition to share their findings. Dr. Seror presented his latest project, which explores how attention and other cognitive processes are influenced by auditory entrainment. His research aims to shed light on how humans control and direct attention, contributing to broader understanding in the field.

At DSU, Dr. Seror is committed to expanding student involvement in research. He founded and now directs the university’s Perception and Cognition Lab, where students can earn credits by working as research assistants through a three-credit independent study course. In the lab, students gain hands-on experience with the entire research process, from scheduling appointments and greeting participants to ensuring informed consent and overseeing experiments. Dr. Seror believes that such active participation is “the most valuable experience” for students, particularly those considering graduate studies in experimental psychology.

However, one challenge for Dr. Seror and his colleagues is obtaining a large and diverse participant pool for research projects. With approximately 40-60 students enrolled in Introduction to Psychology, they are offered the option of participating in research for extra credit, though this still limits the diversity of participants. To address this, Dr. Seror is collaborating with the University of Albany to conduct an online, web-based study. He hopes that this partnership will not only expand the number of participants but also enhance the diversity of perspectives in the research.

While Dr. Seror has ambitious goals for the future, DSU’s psychology program already offers robust opportunities. A key component of the program is a required internship, which students typically complete at local facilities like Heartview, Home on the Range, and Able. These internships are possible thanks to DSU’s strong connections with the community, enabling students to gain valuable clinical hours. Students who complete a minor in addiction counseling fulfill the educational requirements to become licensed addiction counselors, provided they complete the required clinical hours, addressing the significant need for qualified professionals in Dickinson. Many students are offered positions at the facilities where they intern.

DSU Psychology is working to meet community needs and prepare students to begin their career in the mental health field. With professors such as Dr. Seror, the program focuses on setting students up for a successful future.