UWF Professor and Dean honored by American Psychological Association

Jan. 24, 2013

University of West Florida Dean of the College of Arts & Sciences and psychology professor, Dr. Jane Halonen, has been named the 2013 Distinguished Professional Applications of Psychology to Education & Training Award from the American Psychological Association (APA).

This award recognizes psychologists who contribute to new teaching methods or solutions to learning problems through the use of research findings or evidence-based practices. Particular emphasis is placed on the use of psychological knowledge to improve learning in education settings. Dr. Halonen will be traveling to the national convention in Hawaii later this summer to receive the award.

“I could not be more thrilled to be recognized for professional service by the APA,” said Dr. Halonen. “I have been working with the Association on behalf of psychology faculty and students throughout my career. I’m very pleased my contributions have been so well received. “

A few of the prominent themes that emerged from Dr. Halonen’s work were listed as leadership in establishing performance expectations at all levels of the psychology curriculum from high school through graduate clinical training; scholarship in the areas of assessment, critical thinking and faculty development; mentorship of young professionals in psychology teaching; official leadership capacities in connection with the Society for the Teaching of Psychology, Advanced Placement reading; and associate editorship of Teaching of Psychology. Dr. Halonen currently chairs the national committee, examining national guidelines for the undergraduate psychology curriculum.

Dr. Halonen has received various honors throughout her career, including the 2000 American Psychological Foundation (APF) Distinguished Teaching Award. She has received presidential citations from both the Society for the Teaching of Psychology (2008) and APA (2002) for service to the discipline. In 2003 Halonen was named an Eminent Woman in Psychology.. In addition, in 2008 STP named their annual teaching award, Achievement by Outstanding Young Faculty in the First Five Years of Career, in Dr. Halonen’s name in 2008 to recognize her mentoring contributions.

Dr. Halonen is a clinical psychologist by training. Her areas of scholarship include assessment, critical thinking and faculty development. Her textbook, Your Guide to College Success, is used in UWF’s Academic Foundations Seminar. Halonen teaches Introductory Psychology in the Honors Program at UWF.