Welcome to new faculty members!
George Mason University Psychology is happy to welcome two new professors to our department this 2021-2022 Academic Year. These new faces will help add to our overall mission of cutting-edge research, providing a constructive learning environment for students, and helping as we strive to make our curriculum more accessible.
Dr. Gerald Matthews
Dr. Matthews is a new addition to the Human Factors and Applied Developmental Program in our department.
His research interests in Human Factors are- Human-machine teaming; assessment of task stress, workload, and fatigue; cognition and emotion; driver behavior; and individual differences in human performance.
Tell us a little bit about yourself?
I am from Edinburgh, Scotland, though my parents had a spell of living off the grid in the Scottish Highlands. I studied at the University of Cambridge for my PhD in Experimental Psychology. After that I worked at various British universities, including the University of Dundee, where I met my wife. I movedto the University of Cincinnati in 1999 where I was lucky to work with the late Joel Warm, one of the giants of human factors research. In 2013 I took up a research professor position at the University of Central Florida Institute of Simulation and Training (IST). I have a longstanding interest in driving simulation, but at IST I was able to explore the potential of a range of immersive, 3-D simulations in contexts as varied as cybersecurity and human-robot interaction. The downside was limited scope for teaching and interacting with students and I am happy to be starting a regular faculty position in psychology at George Mason.
Do you have any hobbies that you enjoy?
I was also brought up hiking in the Scottish mountains. I used to go to the Smoky Mountains from Cincinnati, but Florida offers limited scope for hillwalking. I am looking forward to exploring Virginia.Travel has been my passion for a long time. I first came to the US in a year off between high school and university and saw a little of all the regions of the country. I’ve been fortunate to visit countries in all the continents except South America, which remains on my radar. A perk of academia is the chance to work with international colleagues and visit other nations. I have fond memories of sabbaticals spent in Varanasi, India, and Fukuoka, Japan. I also have an active collaboration with a cognitive neuroscience center at the al-Farabi Kakakh National University in Almaty, Kazakhstan. I have been there several times; the culture is a unique blend of nomad, Islamic and Russian influences. During this pandemic, travel restrictions are trivial compared to the other impacts, but I am looking forward to them ending.
Have you always been interested in studying psychology and what initially sparked your interest?
I didn’t have much awareness of psychology in high school. I went to Cambridge initially to become a theoretical physicist, but took experimental psychology in my second year as an extra course. By the end of the year, I was finding it more interesting than physics and from that point, my course was set. I also enjoyed meeting a variety of colorful characters in the early years; my Ph.D. supervisor was a parapsychologist who went on to become a writer of role-playing games.
What will you be working on in the Psychology Department?
My interests overlap with those of the HFAC faculty. On the theoretical side, these include cognitive models of human performance, individual differences in information processing, and impacts of workload, stress, and fatigue. I am also interested in applied domains including vehicle driving, operation of autonomous systems, and human-robot interaction. I am looking forward to new collaborations in these areas.
What is your favorite part about working at a university?
There is always something new to shake up your ideas, whether it is a technical challenge, a new innovation in your field, or a conversation with a colleague or a student.
What are your research goals?
I am looking to balance my theoretical and applied interests and develop human factors projects with real-world impacts and appeal to students. I am working with colleagues in HFAC to build a lab for studies in Virtual and Augmented Reality that can be a focus for these efforts.
Jerry Mize, M.A.
Jerry's research interests involve Accessibility, education, mental health, and social justice. His background includes a master's degree in Applied Developmental Psychology from George Mason University and he is currently working on a second master's degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling at William & Mary. He also serves as a Therapy intern in Richmond, VA, as part of his clinical training.
Tell us a little bit about yourself?
My name is Jerry. I am Instructional Faculty and Undergraduate Online Program Coordinator in the Psychology Department. I am in training for clinical mental health counseling. I wear a lot of different professional hats but love all of them!
Do you have any hobbies that you enjoy?
I enjoy reading and very soapy/dramatic TV shows and films.
Have you always been interested in studying psychology and what initially sparked your interest?
No! Actually, I almost didn’t even go to college. I was not the best student, academically, in high school. However, I decided to start at a 2-year school and had a really amazing professor for intro psych and developmental psych. That sparked my passion to major in the field and get involved in the research process. This, in turn, made me want to go to graduate school. Now, although my focus in the applied sense is mental health counseling, it still is directly related to the field of psychology and I couldn’t be more grateful for the experiences I have had thus far with my career, as early in it as I am.
What will you be working on in the Psychology Department?
My primary focus is teaching and coordinating the online undergraduate program. I love teaching courses that are applied and applicable both in and out of the field. I also love working to make an online experience fulfilling. In terms of research, although it is not my main priority, I am interested in accessibility and social justice as it relates to mental health and wellbeing.
What is your favorite part about working at a university?
Although I work primarily remote, I did get my first master’s degree here in this department. I love the energy that the students, faculty, and staff bring. It has been amazing seeing students having life and excitement even during times such as the present where things going on in the world can be overwhelming and draining.
What are your research goals?
I am working on a couple of small projects related to teaching in psychology and counseling. Hopefully I can get those things finished up by the end of the academic year!! That being said, I wear a lot of different professional hats that take priority over research. In addition, self-care and work/life balance is essential and takes significant priority.
