2000 Denmark Award Winner
[left] Dr. Joan Chrisler (left), winner of the 2000 Denmark National Faculty Advisor Award, receives her Denmark Award plaque from Psi Chi National President Rebecca Stoddart at the 2000 Psi Chi/APA Convention.
Psi Chi congratulates Dr. Joan C. Chrisler, professor of psychology at Connecticut College, for being selected as the winner of the 2000 Psi Chi/Florence L. Denmark National Faculty Advisor Award. This prestigious award is presented annually to one Psi Chi faculty advisor who has made outstanding contributions to Psi Chi and to the field of psychology at the local, regional, and national levels. The award was formally presented to Dr. Chrisler during the Psi Chi/APA National Convention in Washington, D.C., on August 3, 2000. Dr. Chrisler's deep commitments and enormous involvement within Psi Chi is described in her chapter's letter of nomination (see below).
Connecticut College's Letter of Nomination for the 2000 Denmark Award
Dear Committee Members:
The members of the Psi Chi chapter at Connecticut College would like to nominate Dr. Joan C. Chrisler for the Florence L. Denmark National Faculty Advisor Award. Dr. Chrisler has been the faculty advisor of this chapter for the past 12 years (1988-present). The psychology department at Connecticut College hired Dr. Chrisler in 1987, and upon her arrival she lobbied to establish a chapter of Psi Chi. Since that time, the chapter has grown in number and in scope. Over the past three years, we've inducted approximately 120 members. The dedication of Dr. Chrisler, and the student officers and members of Psi Chi to the department, the college, and the community is noteworthy. Dr. Chrisler set the precedent for one of the most well-established and active honor societies at Connecticut College. Many students jokingly comment that Dr. Chrisler is the "mother of psychology." She is a mentor to her students and a leader among her colleagues.
According to the Psi Chi Constitution, the purpose of Psi Chi is to encourage and maintain excellence in the field of psychology. Dr. Chrisler is instrumental in guiding student research projects and is responsible for a large amount of the research conducted in the psychology department at Connecticut College. One of the most important qualities as a mentor is her ability to provide students with the opportunity to share their research through professional meetings and publication. Dr. Chrisler has established several strategies to make these goals possible.
On a weekly basis, Dr. Chrisler facilitates "The Feminist Psychology Research Group." At these meetings, students and other faculty members collaborate on group research projects and listen to other members present their research. Here, Dr. Chrisler also informs students about opportunities to review proposals, chair sessions, attend conventions and review books. These are all attempts to have students gain experience in the field and to build their curriculum vitas. Annually, she runs a curriculum vita writing workshop. Dr. Chrisler is so dedicated to promoting research in the field of psychology, that she continues to meet with this group even while on sabbatical this year.
At the completion of an individual or group project, Dr. Chrisler encourages students to present their research at national and regional professional conferences. Over the past few years, Feminist Psychology Research Group members have presented numerous papers and symposia at the meetings of the Association for Women in Psychology, Society of Behavioral Medicine, New England Psychological Association, Society for Menstrual Cycle Research, Eastern Psychological Association, and our own Psi Chi sponsored Connecticut College Psychology Department Conference.
Dr. Chrisler established the Connecticut College Psychology Department Conference in the spring of 1989 as a place for students and faculty members to present current research projects to the campus and local community. It is customary for psychology majors at Connecticut College to present their Honor's theses, Master's theses, as well as other research projects they have completed. Every year, Dr. Chrisler invites a keynote speaker to discuss his or her area of expertise in the field of psychology. Florence Denmark was the featured keynote speaker at the first annual conference. Currently, Dr. Chrisler is assisting in the planning of the 11th Annual Departmental Conference.
In addition to this conference, Dr. Chrisler was key in starting the Connecticut College Psychology Journal sponsored by Psi Chi. Here, students are given the opportunity to publish their research. Students also gain experience reviewing and editing articles. Dr. Chrisler has published several articles with students in the journal, and we are happy to announce that Psi Chi members are currently preparing the 15th volume. Dr. Chrisler has spread her knowledge of this process by presenting, "Publishing a student research journal--why and how?" at the meetings of the American Psychological Society and the New England Psychological Association.
Dr. Chrisler's popularity as a mentor is reflected in the number of research projects she supervises each semester. The following is a sampling of several projects completed in the last three years:
1999 Projects
- Developing Positive Attitudes Toward Menstruation: Effects of a Workshop about Menstruation on Women's and Men's Knowledge and Attitudes
- Integrating Personal Benefits and Drawbacks of Therapeutic Work through the Eyes of Therapists and their Partners
- Rape on College Campuses: Investigation Rape Supportive Beliefs and Anti-Women Attitudes as they Relate to Sexual Aggression
- Vacation as Stress-Inducing Events: An Investigation of the Antecedents
1998 Projects
- Attitudes toward Menstruation, Cognitive Coping Skills, Locus of Control, Trait Anger, and the Experience of Premenstrual Symptoms
- Men and their Bodies: Body Image Dissatisfaction and Sexual Orientation
- Fact or Fiction: A Content Analysis of Educational Materials about Menstruation
1997 Projects
- Pregnancy and Weight Gain: Attitudes of Recovered and Currently Anorexic and Bulimic Women and New Mothers
- Body Image, Eating Attitudes, and Eating Behaviors Among Junior High and High School Students
- Alcohol Expectancies, Interpersonal Experiences, and Rape Myth Acceptance Among College Students
All of these projects have been presented at professional conferences and/or prepared for publication. Overall, Dr. Chrisler has well over 100 presentations, and she has published five books, 22 book chapters, 25 book reviews and 37 articles in her career, many of which are co-authored with students.
The students at Connecticut College have recognized her dedication and have honored Dr. Chrisler on several occasions. In 1991, the members of Psi Chi presented the Award for Dedication as a Faculty Advisor to Dr. Chrisler. In addition, she was given a Certificate of Appreciation for Outstanding Service as a Psi Chi Advisor in 1993. These awards are hung with pride on her office wall.
Her dedication to maintain excellence in psychology and motivate budding psychologists extends beyond Connecticut College. Dr. Chrisler has participated in Psi Chi workshops and panels at meetings of the Northeastern Psychological Association (NEPA), Eastern Psychological Association (EPA), American Psychological Association (APA), and American Psychological Society (APS). For example, she participated in the Psi Chi Graduate Information Exchange at the 1998 APA conference. Dr. Chrisler also reviews grant proposals for Psi Chi.
Dr. Chrisler is an active editor, a distinguished member of many organizations, and an avid researcher. The following is an abridged list of her accomplishments and activities.
Editorial Activities
- Guest Editor of Women 's Studies Quarterly, 20 (1/2) in 1992
- Editorial Board of the Division 35 (Psychology of Women - APA) Book Series from 1999-2001
- Consulting Editor of Psychology of Women Quarterly from 1990 - present.
- Book Review Editor of The Vanguard from 1997 - 1998 and the AWP Newsletter from 1990 - 1992
- Abstractor for Women's Health Nursing Scan from 1993 - 1994
- Ad Hoc Reviewer for the following: American Psychologist, Feminism & Psychology, Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, Journal of Social & Clinical Psychology, Professional Psychology: Research and Practice, Psychology of Women Quarterly, Teaching of Psychology, Women & Health, Women & Therapy, Women 's Health: Research on Gender, Behavior and Policy.
- Proposal Reviewer for the American Psychological Association, American Psychological Society, Association for Women in Psychology, Eastern Psychological Association, New England Psychological Association, and Teaching in psychology: Ideas and Innovations.
Professional Affiliations
- American Association of University Professors (CT)
- American Psychological Association
- American Psychological Society
- Association for Women in Psychology
- Association for Women in Science
- Council of Teachers of Undergraduate Psychology
- Danforth Associates of New England
- Eastern Psychological Association
- International Association for Applied Psychology
- International Council of Psychologists
Honors & Awards
- 1999 - Elected Fellow of Division 9 (Society for the Psychological Study of Social Issues), American Psychological Association.
- 1998 - Elected Fellow of Division 52 (International Psychology), American Psychological Association
- 1997 - Service Award, New England Psychological Association
- 1997 - Distinguished Publication Award, Association for Women in Psychology, for Lectures on the Psychology of Women
- 1996 - Elected Fellow of Division 38 (Health Psychology), American Psychological Association
On behalf of the Connecticut College Chapter of Psi Chi, we are honored to nominate Dr. Chrisler for the Psi Chi/Florence L. Denmark National Faculty Advisor Awared. She had demonstrated exemplary abilities as a dedicated professor, mentor, and faculty advisor.
Sincerely,
Heather Ulsh, Jennifer Gorman
Psi Chi Co-Advisors