Discovering the Scientist Within

Dr. Gary W. Lewandowski, Jr., grew up in a suburb of Philadelphia and went on to receive his B.A. from Millersville University of Pennsylvania and then his Ph.D. in Social/Health Psychology from Stony Brook University. Gary is a husband, father, dog-owner, Professor and former Chair in the Department of Psychology at Monmouth University, the Director of the Relationship Science Lab, and author of Stronger Than You Think: The 10 Blind Spots That Undermine Your Relationship...and How to See Past Them.

He has published over 50 academic articles and book chapters, and given over 120 conference presentations (most co-authored with undergraduates). Dr. Lewandowski's research, writing, and public speaking focuses on the self and relationships, addressing questions such as, What leads people to form relationships? What makes for a successful relationship? What leads someone to cheat? How does break-up effect one’s sense of self? His research also examines ways to improve research methods and statistics instruction.

In recognition of these efforts, he received the Emerging Researcher Award from the New Jersey Psychology Association and was inducted into the Society for Experimental Social Psychologists. He is also a nationally recognized teacher who the Princeton Review recognized among its Best 300 Professors from an initial list of 42,000. He has also won Distinguished Teaching Awards at Stony Brook University and at Monmouth, and had his Intimate Relationships course featured in a USA Today article.

His work and expertise has been featured in media outlets such as The New York Times, CNN, APA Monitor, Ladies’ Home Journal, Woman’s World, Marie Claire, WebMD, Women’s Health, Self Magazine, Woman’s Day, Cosmopolitan Magazine, Men’s Health, Scientific American Mind, and USA Today.

He has also given a TEDx talk, Break-ups Don't Have to Leave You Broken, which has nearly 2 million views. Currently he writes the Psychology of Relationships blog on Psychology Today, and his articles (150+ of them) in mass media outlets such as Business Insider, The Conversation, Refinery29, New York Magazine (Science of Us), The Washington Post, and Scientific American have been enjoyed by over 3 million readers.

Natalie J. Ciarocco is an Associate Professor of Psychology at Monmouth University. She earned her B.A., M.A., and Ph.D. in Experimental Psychology from Case Western Reserve University. Her main research focus is on the limited capacity of self-control and the role it plays in interpersonal relationships. She is also a scholar of teaching and learning. She is the recipient of grants from both the Association for Psychological Science (APS) and the Society for the Teaching of Psychology (STP) to develop teaching resources for methodology courses. She has been published in Teaching of Psychology and has a book chapter on how to make psychology more self-relevant to students. Her current work in this area involves undergraduate professional development. Natalie is the co-creator and editor of an online collection of peer-reviewed resources for the teaching of research and statistics, as well as the co-founder and organizer of the Atlantic Coast Teaching of Psychology biennial conference. In 2006 she was awarded the Excellence and Innovation in Undergraduate Teaching Award from the Charles E. Schmidt College of Science at Florida Atlantic University. Natalie enjoys baking, traveling, and spending time at home with her husband, Dave, and daughter, Amelia.

David B. Strohmetz,  Professor of Psychology at Monmouth University, has taught research methods and statistics courses for over 20 years at three different institutions.  It was in his first undergraduate psychology course at Dickinson College that he first discovered the thrill of scientific discovery. The research skills he developed as a psychology major led to his first job after graduation. He went on to receive his M.A. and Ph.D. in Social/Organizational Psychology from Temple University.

Seeking to promote quality teaching in the psychology major, Strohmetz has authored instructor’s manuals, test banks, and website companion material for several editions of a behavioral research textbook.  He has developed PowerPoint slide decks to accompany several editions of introductory psychology, social psychology, and developmental psychology textbooks. These slide decks incorporate pedagogical strategies to promote active learning in the classroom. His teaching-related publications and conference presentations focus on sharing innovative strategies he incorporates into his courses to promote student learning. Strohmetz is a co-founder of www.teachpsychscience.org, an internet repository of class activities and other instructor resources to support research methods and statistics.  Strohmetz is also an expert on assessment of student learning, having served as Associate Vice President for Academic and Institutional Assessment at Monmouth University.

Seeking to provide undergraduates with meaningful and engaging research experiences, Strohmetz’s Social Influence Lab focuses on social factors that influence people’s generosity, particular with respect to restaurant tipping behavior. He has also written about the “social psychology of the experiment,” discussing methodological problems and potential solutions when conducting psychological research.