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PSYCHOLOGICAL & QUANTITATIVE FOUNDATION
Liu Named Researcher of the Year
Liu's Research impacts the community as much as academia. |
T he American Psychological Association Division 51 (Society for the Psychological Study of Men and Masculinity) named Counseling Psychology Assistant Professor William Ming Liu Researcher of the Year.
Liu’s research investigates diverse and marginalized groups of men including prison inmates, homeless individuals, African-American college students, and gifted ethnic minority adolescents. His work has examined masculinity as it relates to male-type depression, alexithymia, social class, and multicultural competence in working with men’s issues. He has shed light on many aspects of Asian-American men’s perceptions of masculinity and the overlap of this concept with several components of individual culture.
“As a researcher, professor, counseling psychologist, and community leader, Dr. Liu’s leadership in research is beyond compare, and his enthusiasm for contributing to the collective academic knowledge base is unwavering,” said doctoral student James T. Haley.
“Will’s impressive publication record represents both solid empirical work as well as cutting-edge conceptual contributions,” said Sam Cochran, director of University Counseling Service. “He is especially gifted in mentoring new professionals in our area.”
Doctoral student Nicholas Larma says what makes Liu’s work unique is how he has advanced this study to examine the complex intersection of gender and culture. “Will’s research examining men and masculinity includes race/ethnicity, social class, the homeless, incarcerated men, acculturation, and multicultural competence. Given limitations with past research being too culturally homogeneous, Will’s work is theoretically and empirically invaluable,” he said. “Most importantly, is how he not only contributes to the study of men and masculinity, but the cultural sensitivity he adds is unparalleled.”
Additional evidence of Liu’s outstanding research leadership can be seen through his former doctoral student’s success. Cisco Sanchez (PhD ’05) and Scot Boespflug (PhD ’04) were both honored with Division 51 Student of the Year awards, largely related to their participation on Liu’s research team.
“I have observed Will’s innate ability to convey optimism and instill quiet confidence in students with his humble and supportive approach,” Haley said. “His self-effacing nature makes him easily accessible, universally liked, and widely admired.”
“Will is simply a person of outstanding character, work ethic, and good humor,” Cochran added. “I can’t think of anyone who would be more deserving of this award.”
Counseling Psychology Reaccredited
Counseling Psychology faculty plan to continue their commitment to the field |
In the same year it celebrated 25 years of national accreditation, the Counseling Psychology doctoral program learned it could tack on another seven years to its streak of excellence.
The program, which currently includes 45 students, learned in July that the American Psychological Association’s Committee on Accreditation awarded accreditation to the program until its next site visit in 2012. Seven years is the longest a program can be granted accreditation between site visits.
In a letter announcing the results of its review, the committee expressed that among the program’s many strengths is a commitment to diversity.
“The program is a model of contemporary best practice with regard to the understanding and the promotion of cultural and individual diversity,” the committee said.
Associate Professor Dan Clay, who served as program coordinator during the past four years, said the program promotes diversity by integrating aspects of diversity in every course, offering courses specifically focused on diversity, and by attracting a diverse student population.
Clay, who handed over the coordinator post to fellow professor Will Liu in September, said he’s also proud that the accreditation committee noted the program boasts committed faculty, positive student-faculty relations, and an impressive practicum program—one where students can choose from 25 different practicum sites.
“That’s really extraordinary and unique for a program of our size,” he said.
Clay said the program’s success could be credited to a lengthy list of current and past faculty members.
“There’s a long tradition of faculty that put the program’s interests before their individual careers,” he said.
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