Thriving in Academia: Building a Career at a Teaching-Focused Institution

Pamela I. Ansburg, PhD, has spent her 2 + year career at teaching-focused institutions and holds a doctorate in cognitive psychology with a focus on understanding insightful problem solving. She is a full professor in the Department of Psychological Sciences at Metropolitan State University of Denver (MSU Denver). Pamela serves as the director for faculty engagement in MSU Denver's Classroom to Career hub and she established the Undergraduate Research Program at MSU Denver. She has been an active member of the Society for the Teaching of Psychology, including serving as the vice president for recognition and awards.

Mark E. Basham, PhD, has a doctorate in neuroscience and has spent his 2 -year career at teaching-focused institutions. He is currently an associate professor at Regis University, where he has been director of the Neuroscience Program for the past 2 years. Mark's research focuses on the neural mechanisms of experience-dependent plasticity. He has been an academic advisor, student club advisor, and faculty senator and has served on or chaired multiple service committees, including the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee, the Academic Council, and the Faculty Handbook Committee. He is a long-standing member of the international organization, Faculty for Undergraduate Neuroscience.

Regan A. R. Gurung, PhD, is a social psychologist whose research encompasses social, health, and pedagogical psychology. At Oregon State University, he is associate vice provost and executive director of the Center for Teaching and Learning, professor of psychological science, and director of the General Psychology Program. His books include Health Psychology:Well-Being in a Diverse World (4th ed.) and The Worth Guide to Studying Like a Champion, and he is founding coeditor of Scholarship of Teaching and Learning in Psychology. He has won numerous teaching awards, including the American Psychology Foundation amp rsquo s Charles L. Brewer Distinguished Teaching of Psychology Award.