Natalie Kerr, professor of psychology at James Madison University, has been named the 2017 Graduate-in-Residence by the University of Mary Washington’s Department of Psychological Science.
As part of her role, Kerr will give a lecture titled “From the Bedroom to the Highway: The Science of Smartphone Addiction and Distraction” on Thursday, Sept. 28. The free, public lecture will take place in the Hurley Convergence Center Digital Auditorium at 7:30 p.m.
During her visit to UMW, Kerr will also present her research to cognitive and developmental psychology classes and meet with students who are interested in pursuing graduate school or careers in related fields.
A 1995 alumna of UMW, Kerr went on to receive a master of arts in experimental psychology from Hollins University as well as a doctorate in social psychology from Virginia Commonwealth University. She returned to UMW for a year as a visiting assistant professor before beginning her tenure as a faculty member at JMU.
Kerr has been honored by the psychology department at JMU with their Outstanding New Faculty Award as well as an Innovation in Teaching Award.
The Graduate-in-Residence program began in 1995 as a part of career advising within the psychology department, helping expose psychology majors to UMW graduates working in the field. Each year, the department of psychological science faculty nominates alumni who are engaged in interesting work in the field of psychology.
For more information about the Graduate-in-Residence program, contact the Department of Psychological Science at (540) 654-1054.