Todd H. Ahern
Assistant Professor
Department of Psychology
Quinnipiac University
December 22, 2011
Annual Review and Work Plan
YEARLY REVIEW - TEACHING, SCHOLARSHIP, AND SERVICE
Teaching & Advising
During the fall 2011 semester, I taught Introduction to Psychology (PS101_R) and Methods of Psychology I:
The Experimental Tradition (PS307_CD) with the accompanying PS307 lab. 30 students enrolled in my
PS101 course. One dropped during add/drop, one withdrew after the first exam (she was a >40 year-old
student who thought psychology would be fun to try and enjoyed my classes, but had not realized how much
work it would be), and one withdrew with the help of John Jarvis after the third exam, for a total of 27
students. 16 students enrolled in my PS307 course, and none dropped or withdrew from the course.
Both courses went very well. Because it was my first semester with QU students and the first time I had
taught each course, I was unsure how engaged the students would be. In both classes, I developed a strong
rapport with the students, and we worked well together to engage the material. Many of them specifically
asked which courses I would be teaching in the spring and enrolled, despite my high standards in grading.
Overall, I was pleased with the amount of material we covered and the different approaches we used to
wrestle with concepts. In future iterations, I would like to institute more constant feedback through the
continued development of online self-assessments. I would also like to spend more time integrating writing
and peer work and assessment.
The syllabi were submitted to the chair of the psychology department (Carrie Bulger) at the beginning of the
semester. I have also included them in Appendix 1 and 2 in this document.
Advising also went well. I enjoyed interacting with students outside of coursework. I advised 10 sophomore
psychology majors, and we worked together to plan the next several semesters, considering multiple
alternatives for each desired course since sophomores rarely get their ideal schedules. Most of my advisees
had to enroll in alternatives, but all of them enrolled in courses that would help them fulfill general
requirements.
As a final teaching-related note, prior to the beginning of the semester, I participated in the QUWAC
professional development workshop (August 16-18, 2011, Paul Pasquaretta).
Scholarship
Despite designing, constructing, and teaching two new courses, I continued my scholarly activities. I have
published one peer-reviewed journal article, given one invited talk at an international conference, and
presented five abstracts and posters at three different conferences. See Appendix 3.
In addition to this wok, I have started setting up for research projects at Quinnipiac. I now have four
psychology/BNS majors working on my cell death atlas project; three of these undergraduates will work with
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prairie voles when the rodents arrive in early January. Further, I have the IACUC proposal written and
approved by the IACUC committee, allowing me to house and breed the prairie voles when they arrive.
I am currently working on four research articles: one first-author review, two first-author research articles,
and one second-author manuscript with a colleague from Oregon Health Sciences University (see CV,
Appendix 4).
At present, this work is being supported by Quinnipiac University startup funds, Psychology Department lab
funds, an RO1 grant to Nancy Forger at the University of Massachusetts, and student volunteer time.
Service
I have continued on-going service responsibilities as well as strategically adopted others. Professionally, I
was elected to chair of the Society for Behavioral Neuroendocrinology’s (SBN’s) website committee in order
to bring my technical expertise to bear on a website overhaul (the old site is at www.sbn.org). This has
involved managing other committee members, negotiating with web-design companies, and consulting for
the SBN’s president and executive committee. I also served as an advisor to the organizing committee
leading up to the 12th Annual Symposium for the Center for Neuroendocrine Studies at the University of
Massachusetts, Amherst, and have served as a referee for two professional journals (Hormones & Behavior
and the Journal of Neuroendocrinology). At QU, I was elected by the psychology department to the
Behavioral Neuroscience Advisory Committee (BNSAC); I also served as a member of the graduate school
panel that Dr. Penny Leisring organized for psychology majors (October 13, 2011).
The SBN website chair is sporadically time-consuming but an excellent way to advertise QU and maintain a
strong professional network. Every job posting or website change requires members of the scientific
community to contact me as a QU faculty member. Further, my close working relationship with the SBN
president and the other committee members puts me in contact with some of the best researchers in the field
of behavioral neuroendocrinology (many of whom are on grant review panels). Membership on the BNSAC
will allow me to mesh my expertise in teaching behavioral neuroscience with that of Adrienne Betz, the BNS
director, Paul Locasto, the BNSAC chair, and the other members to help refine the BNS program at QU.
FUTURE TEACHING, SCHOLARSHIP, AND SERVICE: Academic Year 2012-2013
Teaching & Advising
In the spring of 2012, I will teach two sections of Physiological Psychology (PS252) and one section of
Behavioral Neuroscience: Brains and Behavior (PS351), both new preps for me. Throughout the 2012-2013
academic year, I will likely teach PS252, PS351, PS357 (Drugs, Brains, and Behavior), and/or PS101 and
PS307 if the department needs it. Per hiring negotiations, I will likely teach a reduced course load in the
spring of 2013 in order to focus on research, produce preliminary data for grants, and write grant
applications.
Scholarship
On the scholarship front, I will receive prairie voles in January 2012 and will be breeding and assessing basic
behaviors throughout the spring of 2012. Throughout the 2012-2013 academic year, I intend to present at
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least two posters at the Society for Neuroscience conference and multiple undergraduate posters at
NEURON. I will also be collecting preliminary data in preparation to write and submit grants for extramural
funding. I intend to submit grant applications by the end of summer 2013. I will continue submitting
manuscripts, depending on how quickly data are collected and analyzed by undergraduate research assistants,
but I expect I will submit at least two of these by the end of 2012.
Service
Many of my service obligations will continue. I will remain the SBN website chair and will direct and
oversee the implementation of a new society website (if approved by the SBN EC). I will also continue as a
member of the BNSAC. While I will not contribute to the organization of the annual Center for
Neuroendocrine Studies symposium at UMass, I will likely contribute to the organization of NEURON in
conjunction with Adrienne Betz if the meeting is held at Quinnipiac. I will also be involved in departmental
open houses and will continue my involvement in departmental meetings.
Financial Support Requests
I will travel to at least two conferences during the 2012-2013 academic year. With the Society for
Neuroscience conference being held in New Orleans, LA, and lasting 5 days, I request access to all $1200 of
the allotted domestic travel funds.
I fully intend to conduct behavioral neuroscience research during the summer of 2012. Specifically, I will be
assessing the influence of a gene (oxytocin receptor single-nucleotide polymorphism) by environment
(family structure) interaction on the development social behavior in prairie voles. Because of the intense
observations required for this project, summer is an ideal time. I have also been recruiting local
undergraduates to assist. I therefore request that I be considered for the CAS summer research stipend to help
fund this work.
Because of the highly competitive nature of applying for national extramural funds, few (if any) applications
lacking preliminary data from the institution where the work is to be conducted are considered. I therefore
will continue my collaboration with Nancy Forger at UMass, who in return for my expertise can supply
certain grant monies, and I will start work with prairie voles using QU startup funds. I expect that in 20122013, my undergraduates and I will have generated enough preliminary data to submit competitive grants to
NSF and NIH (as well as smaller granting agencies, depending on their grant options).
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APPENDIX 1
Introduction to Psychology (PS101) Syllabus
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PS 101: Introduction to Psychology
Section R | MWF | 2:00 - 2:50pm
CAS3 205
Instructor:
Todd H. Ahern, PhD
Email: todd.ahern@quinnipiac.edu
Office: Buckman 112
Phone: (203) 582-6402
Office Hours
Monday 1-2 pm
Wednesday 1-2 pm
Or by appointment
Purpose:
Psychology is a remarkably broad field of research. Introduction to Psychology (PS 101) aims to survey this field,
introduce you to key terms and concepts, and foster an understanding of research studies and findings. We will
explore a variety of topics, including psychology’s historical roots, research methods, the biological basis of
behavior, development, perception, learning and memory, social behavior, personality, and the definitions and
treatments of psychological disorders. This exploration will consist of in-class lectures, small group activities, mini
writing assignments, videos demonstrations, and class discussions. Regular class attendance and participation is
imperative.
Goals:
By the end of the course, you will:
● Have a sense of the importance and breadth of psychology.
● Be comfortable with basic psychological terms and concepts.
● Understand the fundamentals of why and how basic psychological research is conducted.
● Be able to read and critique popular portrayals of psychological research.
● Reflect more deeply on why and how you act and think the way you do.
● Foster a continued interest in psychology and behavior.
Promises:
As the instructor, I make several promises—assuming you fulfill the course expectations:
● I will do everything within reason to cover the material properly and in a timely fashion.
● I will answer questions and field comments related to the subject matter.
● I will avoid assigning busywork.
● I will do my best to help you develop and achieve your academic and professional goals.
Expectations:
This course will fulfill the promises listed above only if you fulfill certain responsibilities:
● Attend class—on time. For you to succeed, your attendance is imperative. Failure to attend class regularly
or failure to arrive on time and stay until the end will count against your grade. Missing class disrupts the
dynamic of the course and affects everyone.
● Be attentive and participate in class. Active participation is the best way to learn and it makes the course
richer for everyone. Be willing to speak up in class, but also follow along when others are speaking. The
course is designed so you learn from many sources, including each other.
● Read the assigned material. In this course we will explore a lot of new material. The best way to learn
the material is to encounter it many times in different forms. You will learn far less if you don’t read, and
the group discussions and in-class activities will suffer.
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●
●
Complete the assignments. The assignments are designed to help you engage the material. I do not assign
busywork. Prompt completion of the assignments is essential to the learning process and will result in a
better grade. Failure to complete assignments will hinder your progress. All assignments are due before
(not at the end) of class.
Do not let electronic devices hinder you and others. Class time is precious. Please ensure all your
electronic devices are off before entering class. Texting, checking voicemail and email, updating your
social status, etc. during class is unacceptable and will count against your grade. If you choose to bring a
laptop to class to take notes, make sure it does not distract you or others. If it does, you will lose the right
to bring it.
Continued enrollment in this course indicates that you have read and accepted the responsibilities listed
above, as well as those that follow below.
Texts:
Kalat, J.W. (2011) Introduction to Psychology (9th Edition). Belmont, CA: Thomson Wadsworth. ISBN:
9780495810766 - Required
Please visit http://www.cengagebrain.com/shop/ISBN/9780495810766?cid=APL1. This site provides free
educational materials, such as sample quizzes and activities, that will help you master the material.
Hock, R.R. (2009) Forty Studies that Changed Psychology: Explorations into the History of Psychological
Research, 6/E. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Prentice Hall. ISBN: 9780136035992 - Required
Email and Blackboard (BB):
Please check your official school @quinnipiac.edu email and BB accounts regularly for updated information on
coursework, class changes, and the syllabus. I recommend you check your email and BB accounts at least 12 hours
before each class. You will also hand in writing assignments via Blackboard so please familiarize yourself with the
interface.
On BB, there is a link to the Psychology Majors Website (titled “Majors”). This site provides useful and interesting
information about the psychology major, minor, and the department’s faculty.
Exams: (65% of final grade)
Studying for exams gives you an opportunity to consolidate what you’ve learned; taking exams gives you an
opportunity to display mastery of that material.
There will be four (4) exams. Three (3) will be held during regular class time; the final will be held during the
final exam week. Exam grades will account for 65% of your grade: exams 1, 3, and the final count for 15% each;
the mid-term exam counts for 20%.
Exams will consist of multiple choice and short-essay questions and be based on the readings, lectures, and in-class
activities. Not everything on the exams will have been covered to an equal degree in class and in the reading: some
test material will come only from class; some will come almost exclusively from the reading. It is your
responsibility to master it all.
If you have questions about any of the material, seek help: ask questions in class, drop in during office hours, form
peer study groups, etc. The more involved you are in your own learning process, the better off you’ll be.
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Make-up exams: Make-up exams are available only for students who have medically documented illnesses or
University-authorized absences. You must discuss these with me ahead of time. If there are extenuating
circumstances that make it impossible for you to take the exam at the allotted time, you must notify me before the
exam. If class is canceled on the day of an exam, please be prepared to take the exam during the next class period.
Writing Assignments: (20% of final grade)
Learning to write is essential for your academic and professional development. Writing helps clarify your thinking
and gives you a powerful means of communicating effectively with others.
We will read a number of interesting articles from the Hock book that describe important psychological studies.
You will have an opportunity to engage these readings and practice your writing by completing two (2) writing
assignments. Each assignment will be worth 10% of your final grade (20% total).
For each assignment, read the study, write a brief summary - e.g., what was done? what was found? - and then
comment. For example, comment on why you think this study is important, how it increased our understanding of
how human beings think and behave, etc.
Each paper should be written clearly and concisely and be between 750-900 words long. The document should be
typed, 12pt Times New Roman font, double-spaced, and formatted to have 1 inch margins.
Writing assignments must be posted on Blackboard as a Microsoft Word or Open Office document by 1pm on the
day the assignment is due. No other document types will be accepted, late documents will be penalized. There will
be handout with more information.
Please note: You still need to read all of the assigned articles, as they will increase your understanding of the field
and serve as the basis for in-class discussion.
Class Participation: (15% of final grade)
Attendance is imperative and will count toward your class participation grade. Students are allowed occasional
unexcused absences, but the work and assignments must still be completed. Consistent absences will be noted and
count heavily against your grade. Please contact me if you have extenuating circumstances. In addition to
attendance, class participation involves occasional in-class essay responses, in-class discussions, spot quizzes, etc.
Research Requirement: (must be completed to pass this course)
To receive credit for PS 101, all students must complete the research requirement in a satisfactory manner to
receive credit for the course. Per the rules of the psychology department, if you do not complete the research
requirement, you will first receive an incomplete and then an F. It is paramount that you take this portion of the
course seriously. To meet the requirement you must complete three (3) research-related activities:
●
●
●
Participate in an approved psychology study as part of the Psychology Participant Pool. Each study
must last 30 minutes or less, and you must complete a Participation Summary Form (which is posted
on BB).
Read a primary research article and complete a Research Summary form (posted on BB). These
primary research articles will be on reserve at the library and available through BB. They are not the
articles included in the Hock book.
Attend the Psychology Methods Poster Session held at the end of the semester and complete the Poster
Summary Form (posted on BB).
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Again, you must complete three (3) of these activities. You may choose to do one of each, or you can mix and
match (e.g., 2 studies + 1 article summary; 1 study + 1 article summary + 1 poster summary; etc.). You simply
must complete 3. Finally, you will notice that the poster session is the last day of classes. I strongly encourage you
to avoid waiting until the last minute to complete this requirement. If, however, you have waited, the poster session
can help you avoid the incomplete. My recommendation: get this requirement out of the way early.
Grading Summary:
Exams
1
2
3
4
15%
20%
15%
15%
Writing Assignments
1
2
10%
10%
15%
Class Participation
Research Requirement
3 activities
TOTAL
Complete / Incomplete
100% (+ Research)
Special Accommodations:
Students who require special accommodations in the classroom or on course assignments due to a medical
condition or disability, please contact John Jarvis, the Coordinator of Learning Services at the Learning Center
(John.Jarvis@quinnipiac.edu or X5390), as soon as possible. You can see his open letter here:
http://www.quinnipiac.edu/x2774.xml. Once you have contacted John, then come speak with me. I am happy to
work with you.
Academic Integrity:
Academic integrity is paramount. Without it, you compromise who you are, erode the value of your education, and
waste everyone’s time. I take academic integrity very seriously, as does Quinnipiac University. Quinnipiac has a
university-wide Academic Integrity Policy, which states that you must manifest integrity through honesty, trust,
responsible action, fairness, and respect of others. Among other things, you must not cheat on exams or
assignments, offer unauthorized assistance to others, or plagiarize. You must properly cite sources in your papers,
and your work must be original for this course; don’t resubmit an old assignment from another class. Violations of
the policy will be reported to the Academic Integrity Board and will likely lead to an F in the course, suspension,
and even expulsion from the university. If you have any questions about the policy or how it applies to this course,
please ask me or see the document here: http://www.quinnipiac.edu/x1046.xml. Furthermore, if you are uncertain
about what constitutes plagiarism, please meet with me during office hours early in the semester or contact me
with questions before you hand in assignment in which plagiarism might be an issue. Ignorance of what constitutes
plagiarism is not be an acceptable excuse. For more information see:
http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/owlprint/589/
University Resources:
The Learning Center: Tator Hall 119 (582-8628)
The Learning Center can be enormously helpful. Consider taking advantage of its general workshops on study
skills, its individualized tutoring services, and its writing assistance. The Learning Center is located in Tator Hall
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119. I encourage you to check it regardless of how confident you are in your academic abilities. You can find more
information on the QU webpage: http://www.quinnipiac.edu/x2773.xml
Counseling Center: Health and Wellness Center, main entrance of Bobcat Alley (582-8680)
College life can be very challenging. If you need counseling, consider using Quinnipiac’s counseling services.
Quinnipiac makes counseling available to all its students and its likely its counselers have helped other students in
similar circumstances. I encourage you to seek out their assistance if you need help. You can get more information
from their QU webpage: http://www.quinnipiac.edu/x357.xml
QU’s Official Grading System: reprinted from http://www.quinnipiac.edu/x1204.xml (July 2011)
Achievement in a particular course is indicated by a letter grade that is translated into grade points for the student's
record. Final grades are issued by the registrar at the close of each semester. Midsemester standings are issued to
first-year students in 100-level courses, apprising them of their progress.
Grade points earned in a course are determined by multiplying the point value of the letter grade (shown in the
table below) by the number of semester hours of the course. A cumulative average is obtained by dividing the total
number of grade points by the total number of semester hours taken at Quinnipiac.
Letter Grade
Numerical Range (%)
Grade Pt. Value
A
93-100
4.00
A-
90-92
3.67
B+
87-89
3.33
B
83-86
3.00
B-
80-82
2.67
C+
77-79
2.33
C
73-76
2.00
C-
70-72
1.67
D
60-69
1.00
F
0-59
0.00
I (incomplete) *
P (pass) - indicates "passed with credit" when no letter grade is given.
W (withdrawal) **
S (satisfactory) - indicates "Passed with no credit."
Z (audit) - indicates the course was audited.
U (unsatisfactory) - indicates "Unsatisfactory work."
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* Incomplete means the student has not completed all work required in a course. A period of time will be allotted
to make up the work. An incomplete grade automatically becomes a failing grade if it is not removed within that
period. The period normally cannot extend more than thirty (30) days after the start of the next full semester. In
exceptional cases, an extension may be made with the written approval of the department chair (up to one year) or
the appropriate dean (any longer period).
** A student may withdraw from a course offered in a traditional semester (15 week) format up to the end of the
tenth week of classes. For courses offered during the summer or in accelerated or other non-traditional formats, the
withdrawal period extends up to the completion of 60 percent of the scheduled class sessions. Prior to the start of
each semester the specific withdrawal deadlines for all classes will be published by the registrar in the Course
Schedule.Withdrawals must be recorded on an official form available in the registrar's office.
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WK
DAY
MO
DATE
1
Mon
Aug
29
Wed
Aug
31
Fri
Sep
2
Mon
Sep
5
Introduction and
Overview of
Ch 1
Psychology
History and Research
Ch 1 + 2
Methods
Research Methods and
Ch 2
Ethics
NO CLASS - LABOR DAY
Wed
Sep
7
Ethics
Ch 2
Fri
Sep
9
Biological Bases of
Behavior
Ch 3
Mon
Sep
12
Biological Bases of
Behavior
Ch 3
Wed
Sep
14
Fri
Sep
16
Mon
Sep
19
Wed
Sep
21
2
3
4
5
6
7
CLASS TOPIC
Biological Bases of
Behavior
Biological Bases of
Behavior / Review
EXAM #1 (15%) - 8
classes
Sensation & Perception
KALAT
OTHER WORK
NOTES
Add/drop
ends
Enjoy!
Stanley
Milgram video
Robotic
Monkey video
Hock 1 - One
brain or two?
Hock 2 - More
experience =
bigger brain?
Hock 4 Watch out for
the visual cliff!
Reading 5 Take a long
look
Ch 3
Ch 3
Ch 4
Fri
Sep
23
Sensation & Perception
Ch 4
Mon
Wed
Fri
Sep
Sep
Sep
26
28
30
Sensation & Perception Ch 4
Human Development
Ch 5
TBA- Prof Ahern Traveling
Mon
Oct
3
Human Development
Wed
Fri
Oct
Oct
5
7
Learning
Ch 6
NO CLASS - YOM KIPPUR
Ch 5
Omit 4-2?
Omit 5-1?
Video?
Hock 5 - Take
a long look
Hock 17 Discovering
love
Hock 9 - It's
not just about
salivating
dogs!
Hock 12 - See
aggression...
do aggression!
OTHER
WORK
NOTES
Hock 16 Thanks for the
memories!
Hock 15 Maps in your
mind
Mon
Oct
10
Learning
Ch 6
Wed
Oct
12
Learning
Ch 6
WK
DAY
MO
DATE
CLASS TOPIC
KALAT
7
Fri
Oct
14
Memory
Ch 7
8
Mon
Oct
17
Memory
Ch 7
Wed
Oct
19
Memory
Ch 7
Fri
Oct
21
TBA - Prof Ahern & QU students at UMass Symposium
Saturday
Review
Page 11
Mon
Oct
24
Wed
Oct
26
Fri
Oct
28
Mon
Oct
31
Wed
Nov
2
Fri
Nov
4
Mon
Nov
7
Wed
Nov
9
Fri
Nov
11
Mon
Nov
14
Wed
Nov
16
Fri
Nov
18
13
Mon
Wed
Fri
Nov
Nov
Nov
21
23
25
14
Mon
Nov
28
Wed
Nov
30
WK
DAY
MO
DATE
14
Fri
Dec
2
15
Mon
Dec
5
Wed
Fri
Dec
Dec
7
9
Session?
EXAM #2 (15%) - 11 classes - Prof Ahern at Japan-US Prosocial Neuroscience
Meeting, Emory University
Consciousness
Ch 10
Omit 10-3?
Hock 6 - To
Consciousness
Ch 10
sleep, no doubt
to dream
Motivation
Ch 11
Hock 21 - A
Read 12-3
Motivation
Ch 11
sexual
Only?
motivation
Last day to
Emotion, Stress, and
Ch 12
withdraw
Health
(W)
Hock 23 - Life,
Emotion, Stress, and
Ch 12
change, and
Health
stress
Social Psychology
Ch 13
Hock 38 - The
Hock 39 - To
Social Psychology
Ch 13
power of
help or not to
Omit 13-4
conformity
help
EXAM #3 (15%) - 7 classes - Prof Ahern at Society for Neuroscience
Meeting in Washington, DC
Personality
Ch 14
Hock 26 Hock 27 Masculine or
Personality
Ch 14
Racing against
feminine... or
your heart
both?
NO CLASS - THANKSGIVING BREAK
Enjoy!
NO CLASS - THANKSGIVING BREAK
NO CLASS - THANKSGIVING BREAK
Hock 33 Hock 29 Choosing your
Abnormal Psychology
Ch 15
Who's crazy
Omit 15-3
psychotherapis
here, anyway?
t
Abnormal Psychology
Ch 15
OTHER
CLASS TOPIC
KALAT
NOTES
WORK
Abnormal Psychology
Ch 15
Animal Models of
Reading TBA
Psychopathology
Treatment & Research
Reading TBA
Tying It All Together
TBA
TBA
TBA
FINAL EXAM (20%)
- 10 classes
9
10
11
12
Page 12
APPENDIX 2
Methods of Psychology I: The Experimental Tradition (PS307) Syllabus
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PS 307: Methods of Psychology I:
The Experimental Tradition
Section CD | MWF | 11:00 - 11:50am
Buckman 137
PS 307L: Experimental Methods Lab
Lab Section C | Tu | 2:00 - 3:15pm
Lab Section D | Tu | 3:30 - 4:45pm
Buckman 101
Instructor:
Todd H. Ahern, PhD
Email: todd.ahern@quinnipiac.edu
Office: Buckman 112
Phone: (203) 582-6402
Office Hours
Monday 1-2 pm
Wednesday 1-2 pm
Or by appointment
Purpose:
Experimental psychology is the quantitative study of behavior and mental processes with the aim of establishing
cause and effect. This course surveys the research methods used by experimental psychologists and introduces you
to key terms and concepts. But it goes a step further. You will develop a wide variety of real-world skills,
including reading and critiquing scientific studies, formulating research questions, designing experiments, and
analyzing data. Most importantly, you will learn to communicate effectively in written and oral formats. This
course consists of lectures, in-class discussions, small group exercises, lab exercises, and a large group experiment,
so regular attendance and participation is imperative.
Texts:
Christensen, L.B., Johnson, R.B, & Turner L.A. (2011) Research methods, design, and analysis (11th Edition).
Pearson. ISBN: 9780205701650 - Required
Kirkpatrick, L.A. & Feeney, B.C. (2012) A simple guide to IBM SPSS for Versions 18.0 & 19.0, 11th Edition.
Belmont, CA: Thomson Wadsworth. ISBN: 9781111352684 - Required*
American Psychological Association, (2002) Publication manual of the American Psychological Association
(Newest Edition). Washington, DC: APA Press. ISBN: 9780912704012 - Required*
Szuchman, L.T.. (2011) Writing with style: APA style made easy (5th Edition). Belmont, CA: Thomson
Wadsworth. ISBN: 9780840031679 - Required*
Chaplin, J.P. (1985) Dictionary of Psychology. New York: Random House. ISBN: 9780440319252 - Required*
NOTE: Texts with a * will be used for PS308, so it is recommended that you keep them.
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Goals:
This course does more than build a knowledge base; it will help you develop a skill set that is applicable to a wide
variety of professional endeavors, including graduate school, medical and nursing schools, business, and
nonprofits. When you complete this course, you should be able to:
● Find, read, understand, and critically assess experiments and research articles.
● Distinguish between different experimental (and nonexperimental) methods.
● Formulate research questions and produce testable hypotheses.
● Carry out meaningful experiments and collect quantitative data.
● Use and manipulate data in Microsoft Excel and SPSS, a leading statistical software package.
● Interpret experimental results in reference to your stated hypothesis.
● Effectively communicate why and how you conducted your research, as well as what you found.
Promises:
As the instructor, I make several promises—assuming you fulfill the course expectations:
● I will do everything within reason to cover the material properly and in a timely fashion.
● I will answer questions and field comments related to the subject matter.
● I will avoid assigning busywork.
● I will do my best to help you develop and achieve your academic and professional goals.
Expectations:
This course will fulfill the promises listed above only if you fulfill certain responsibilities:
● Attend class—on time. For you to succeed, your attendance is imperative. Failure to attend class regularly
or failure to arrive on time and stay until the end will count against your grade. Missing class disrupts the
dynamic of the course and affects everyone.
● Be attentive and participate in class. Active participation is the best way to learn and it makes the course
richer for everyone. Be willing to speak up in class, but also follow along when others are speaking. The
course is designed so you learn from many sources, including each other.
● Read the assigned material. In this course we will explore a lot of new material. The best way to learn
the material is to encounter it many times in different forms. You will learn far less if you don’t read, and
the group discussions and in-class activities will suffer.
● Complete the assignments. The assignments are designed to help you engage the material. I do not assign
busywork. Prompt completion of the assignments is essential to the learning process and will result in a
better grade. Failure to complete assignments will hinder your progress. All assignments are due at the
beginning (NOT the end) of class.
● Do not let electronic devices hinder you and others. Class time is precious. Please ensure all your
electronic devices are off before entering class. Texting, checking voicemail and email, updating your
social status, etc. during class is unacceptable. These behaviours will count heavily against your grade. If
you choose to bring a laptop to class to take notes, make sure it does not distract you or others. If it does,
you will lose the right to bring it.
Continued enrollment in this course indicates that you have read and accepted the responsibilities listed
above, as well as those that follow below.
Email and Blackboard (BB):
Please check your official @quinnipiac.edu email and Blackboard (BB) accounts regularly for additional readings,
updated information on coursework, class changes, and updates to the syllabus. I recommend you check your email
and BB accounts at least 12 hours before each class and print the necessary materials. You will also be handing in
assignments using Blackboard, so please familiarize yourself with that interface. On BB, there is a link to the
Page 15
Psychology Majors Website (titled “Majors”). This site provides useful and interesting information about the
psychology major, minor, and the department’s faculty.
Quizzes: (250 total points | 25% of final grade)
Studying for quizzes gives you an opportunity to consolidate what you’ve learned; taking them gives you an
opportunity to display mastery of that material.
There will be five (5) quizzes (50 points each): Quizzes will occur approximately every two (2) weeks and will
consist of multiple choice and short-answer questions. They will be based on the readings, lectures, and in-class
activities. If you have questions about any of the material, seek help: ask questions in class, drop in during office
hours, work with your partner(s), form peer study groups, etc. The more involved you are in the learning process,
the better off you’ll be.
Make-up quizzes: Make-up quizzes are available in the case of University-authorized absences or severe,
documented emergencies and illnesses. I reserve the right to refuse make-up quizzes. If class is canceled on the
day of a quiz, please be prepared to take the quiz during the next meeting.
Research Project: (600 total points | 60% of final grade)
This course will showcase many of the experimental research methods used by psychologists. The best way to gain
mastery of these methods is to implement them yourself. In this course, you and 2 or 3 partners will formulate an
research question, design and conduct an experiment, and analyze the results. You will then write a full-length
paper in APA style and orally present your work. Do not fret! We will discuss the details of this project throughout
the semester and you will have ample time to discuss research ideas with me.
Topic Approval (25 points): After individually researching various experimental ideas, you and your group must
decide on an experimental topic.
Project Proposal (100 points): After selecting a topic, each group member will write a formal research proposal.
The proposal is a concise outline that includes an introduction to the literature on your topic, a statement of the
hypothesis, and a description of the experiment.
Final Forms (50 points):
● Informed Consent (25 points)
● Debriefing Form (25 points)
Drafts of Paper Sections (200 total points):
● Introduction (75 points)
● Methods (50 points)
● Results (50 points)
● Figure(s) + Captions (25 points)
Data Analysis Plan (25 points): After discussions between group members, each student must write up a data
analysis plan (10 of 25 points). Then each group must write an official data analysis plan (15 of 25 points). The
individual plans and official plan must be handed in and you must receive official approval from me before you
finalize your data analysis.
Final Paper in APA Style (100 points): After the initial proposal is approved by me, you and your group will
recruit participants, conduct the experiment, and collect data. Each individual will then write an independent
Page 16
research paper in APA style based on a review of the literature (Introduction), the methods used, the results, and
your interpretations (Discussion). The paper must be organized in the following order:
● Title Page
● Abstract
● Introduction
● Methods
● Discussion
● Tables
● Figures + Captions
The paper must include at least 12 references and it must be 10-15 pages, not including figures, tables, and
appendices. Again, this paper must be written in APA format. Please refer to the APA Manual for details.
PowerPoint Presentation (50 points): During the last few days of class, each group will present their final projects
in class. Each presentation should be 10-15 minutes and each member of the group must have an equal speaking
role (e.g., one person presents the introduction, another presents the methods, and the third presents the data and
interpretation). Be sure to practice ahead of time as a group. Both the group (10 points) and each individual (40
points) will be assessed.
Poster Presentation (50 points): On the last day of classes (Friday, December 9th, 2011), you and your group will
present your final project to your peers and the faculty of QU during the Psychology Methods Poster Session. At
least one of your team members must be present for the poster session.
Participant Pool: To conduct your research, you will need study participants. You will have access to the psychology
department’s participant pool through the SONA system. More information will be forthcoming.
Other Assignments: (100 total points | 10% of final grade)
Article Discussions (60 points): We will read several articles throughout the semester. You will need to answer the
accompanying article discussion question and submit it through Blackboard (under Assignments) prior to the start
of the class in which it is due.
IRB Training (20 points): To work with human subjects, you will need familiarity with the IRB and you will need
to complete an online training and submit proof of its completion.
Other Work (20 points): There will be other, small in-class and out-of-class assignments that will need to be
completed. More information on these will be covered as they arise.
Class Participation: (50 total points | 5% of final grade)
Attendance is imperative and will count toward your class participation grade. Students are allowed occasional
unexcused absences, but the work and assignments must still be completed. Consistent absences count heavily
against your grade. Please contact me if you have extenuating circumstances. In addition to attendance, class
participation involves showing up to class ready to discuss the assigned materials. You may be asked to lead
discussion.
Grading Summary:
WORK
POINTS
PERCENTAGE
Quizzes
250
25%
Page 17
Research Project
600
60%
Other Assignments
100
10%
Class Participation
50
5%
TOTAL
1000
100%
Late Work: Work must be handed in on time. The harsh reality is sometimes multiple projects are due at the same
time. It’s inconvenient, but it happens outside college too. This is all the more reason to plan ahead. Late work will
be penalized 20% the first day late and additional 20% each following day.
Special Accommodations:
Students who require special accommodations in the classroom or on course assignments due to a medical
condition or disability, please contact John Jarvis, the Coordinator of Learning Services at the Learning Center
(John.Jarvis@quinnipiac.edu or X5390), as soon as possible. You can see his open letter here:
http://www.quinnipiac.edu/x2774.xml. Once you have contacted John, then come speak with me. I am happy to
work with you.
Academic Integrity:
Academic integrity is paramount. Without it, you compromise who you are, erode the value of your education, and
waste everyone’s time. I take academic integrity very seriously, as does Quinnipiac. Quinnipiac has a universitywide Academic Integrity Policy. Among other things, you must not cheat on exams or assignments, offer
unauthorized assistance to others, or plagiarize. You must properly cite sources in your assignments, and your
work must be original for this course. Violations of the policy will be reported to the Academic Integrity Board and
will likely lead to an F in the course, suspension, and even expulsion from the university. If you have any questions
about the policy or how it applies to this course, please ask me or see the official policy here:
http://www.quinnipiac.edu/x1046.xml. Furthermore, if you are uncertain about what constitutes plagiarism, please
meet with me during office hours early in the semester or contact me with questions before you hand in assignment
in which plagiarism might be an issue. Ignorance of what constitutes plagiarism is not be an acceptable excuse. For
more information see: http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/owlprint/589/
University Resources:
The Learning Center: Tator Hall 119 (582-8628)
The Learning Center can be enormously helpful. Consider taking advantage of its general workshops on study
skills, its individualized tutoring services, and its writing assistance. The Learning Center is located in Tator Hall
119. I encourage you to check it regardless of how confident you are in your academic abilities. You can find more
information on the QU webpage: http://www.quinnipiac.edu/x2773.xml
Counseling Center: Health and Wellness Center, main entrance of Bobcat Alley (582-8680)
College life can be very challenging. If you need counseling, consider using Quinnipiac’s counseling services.
Quinnipiac makes counseling available to all its students and its likely its counselers have helped other students in
similar circumstances. I encourage you to seek out their assistance if you need help. You can get more information
from their QU webpage: http://www.quinnipiac.edu/x357.xml
Page 18
WK
DAY
MO
DATE
CLASS TOPIC
READING
ASSIGNMENTS
1
Mon
Aug
29
Introductions, info sheet, start
discussion of science
Chri - Ch 1
Szcu - Ch 1+2
Tues
Aug
30
LAB 1 - Form groups; brainstorming; literature search
Chri - Ch 2
Start to identify topics;
prepare Topic Approval
sheet
Wed
Aug
31
What is psychological science?
Chri - Ch 1+3
Fri
Sep
2
Doing psych science ethically
Chri - Ch 4
Mon
Sep
5
Tues
Sep
6
NO CLASS - LABOR DAY
LAB 2 - Structure of a scientific
paper; hypotheses; variables
Wed
Sep
7
Variables used in experiments
Chri - Ch 5
Fri
Mon
Sep
Sep
9
12
Reliability and validity
Research project brainstorming
Chri - Ch 6
Chri - Ch 3
Tues
Sep
13
LAB 3 - QUIZ; Experimental
design; work on proposals
Szuc - Ch 4
Wed
Fri
Mon
Sep
Sep
Sep
14
16
19
Tues
Sep
20
Wed
Sep
21
Fri
Sep
23
Mon
Sep
26
Tues
Sep
27
Wed
Sep
28
Fri
Sep
30
Mon
Oct
3
Tues
Oct
4
7
Wed
Fri
Mon
Oct
Oct
Oct
5
7
10
WK
DAY
MO
DATE
7
Tues
Oct
11
Wed
Oct
12
Data analysis
Fri
Mon
Tues
Oct
Oct
Oct
14
17
18
Data analysis
Data analysis
LAB 8 - QUIZ; Work with
2
3
4
5
6
8
Controls
Experimental design
Experimental design
LAB 4 - IRB; Informed Consent,
Debriefing, Final Measures
Experimental design in the
literature
Scientific writing - introduction +
methods
Research proposals and grants
LAB 5 - QUIZ; Informed
Consent, Debriefing, Final
Measures
Statistics review: descriptive
statistics
NO CLASS - Prof Ahern Traveling
Statistics review: comparing
groups
LAB 6 - Intro to Excel + SPSS;
Descriptive statistics
Data collection
NO CLASS - YOM KIPPUR
Data collection
CLASS TOPIC
LAB 7 - Set up data collection;
set up SONA; get final approval
Szuc - Ch 3
Chri - Ch 7
Chri - Ch 4
Chri - Ch 8
NOTES
Add/drop
ends
Enjoy!
finalize topic; start
proposal process
TOPIC APPROVAL
DUE
Szuc - Ch 3
finalize proposals; start
consent and debriefing
forms
PROPOSALS DUE
Szuc - Ch 3
Chri - Ch 9
PROPOSALS DUE
Start draft of
Introduction
Chri - Ch 14
INFORMED
CONSENT,
DEBRIEFING DUE
Chri - Ch 15
Start setting up data file
READING
ASSIGNMENTS
INTRODUCTION
DRAFT DUE
GO LIVE WITH
SONA
NOTES
Page 19
Wed
Oct
19
Fri
Oct
21
Mon
Oct
24
Tues
Oct
25
Wed
Oct
26
Fri
Oct
28
Mon
Oct
31
Tues
Nov
1
Wed
Nov
2
Fri
Nov
4
Mon
Nov
7
Tues
Nov
8
Wed
Fri
Nov
Nov
9
11
Mon
Nov
14
Tues
Nov
15
Wed
Fri
Nov
Nov
16
18
Mon
Nov
21
Tues
Nov
23
Wed
Nov
23
Fri
Nov
25
WK
DAY
MO
DATE
14
Mon
Nov
28
Tues
Nov
29
Wed
Fri
Mon
Nov
Dec
Dec
30
2
5
Tues
Dec
6
Wed
Fri
Dec
Dec
7
9
9
10
11
12
13
15
datafile; writing in APA
Data analysis
TBA - Prof Ahern & QU students
at UMass Symposium
Data collection + writing Methods - Prof Ahern at Japan-US Prosocial Neuroscience
Meeting, Emory University
LAB 9 - Data entry; writing in
METHODS DRAFT
APA
DUE
Excel introduction + tutorial:
entering and manipulating data
Excel tutorial: visualizing data and
using functions
SPSS introduction + tutorial:
entering and defining data
LAB 10 - QUIZ; Data entry;
descriptive statistics practice
ALL DATA
SPSS tutorial: visualizing data
ENTERED
Last day
SPSS tutorial: analyzing data and
to
using functions
withdraw
Interpreting your data
LAB 11 - Descriptive statistics;
data analysis
Critiquing research articles
Interpreting your research
TBA - Prof Ahern at Society for
Neuroscience Meeting
LAB 12 - Data analysis; writing
in results in APA
Weaving it all together
Communicating your results
NO CLASS - THANKSGIVING
Work on your papers &
Enjoy!
BREAK
posters
NO CLASS - THANKSGIVING
RESULTS DRAFT
Enjoy!
BREAK
DUE
NO CLASS - THANKSGIVING
Work on your papers &
Enjoy!
BREAK
posters
NO CLASS - THANKSGIVING
Work on your papers &
Enjoy!
BREAK
posters
CLASS TOPIC
Writing in APA and presenting
effectively
LAB 13 - Work on PowerPoint
for Presentations
Presentations
Presentations
Presentations
LAB 14 - Finalize Final Papers;
Work on Posters
Finalize projects + presentations
Practice presentations
READING
ASSIGNMENTS
NOTES
FINAL PAPERS DUE
Page 20
Fri
Dec
9
Research Fair
TBA
TBA
TBA
FINAL
Page 21
APPENDIX 3
2011 Scholarly Work
Peer Reviewed Journal Article:

Dabrowska J, Hazra R, Ahern TH, Guo JD, McDonald AJ, Mascagni F, Muller JF, Young LJ, Rainnie
DG. (2011) Neuroanatomical evidence for reciprocal regulation of the corticotrophin-releasing factor and
oxytocin systems in the hypothalamus and bed nucleus of the stria terminalis: Implications for balancing
stress and affect. Psychoneuroendocrinology, 36(9), 1312-26.
Invited Talk at an International Conference:

Impact of early family dynamics on later life social relationship, US-Japan Social Neuroscience
Workshop, Atlanta, GA, October, 2011
Conference Abstracts & Posters:

Ahern TH, Holley A, Murray EK, Carr AV, Krug S, Forger NG. (2011) Cell death atlas of the postnatal
mouse brain: effects of age and sex. (Society for Neuroscience, Washington, DC, November 12-17).

Forger NG, Ahern TH*, Conner C, De Vries GJ, Straubhaar J, Akbarian S. (2011) Genome-wide
epigenetic profiling of H3K4me3 histone modifications in the BNST / MPOA of adult male and female
mice. (Society for Neuroscience, Washington, DC, November 12-17) * I submitted and presented as if
first author, but was only allowed to submit one first author abstract.

Anacker A, Ahern TH, Young LJ, Ryabinin A. (2011) Alcohol self-administration inhibits the
expression of partner preference in a sex-specific manner in prairie voles (Society for Neuroscience,
Washington, DC, November 12-17).

Carr AV**, Ahern TH, Krug S, Fitzpatrick E, Forger NG. (2011) The effects of sex and ages on
postnatal cell death in the mouse amygdala. (21st Annual NEURON Conference, Quinnipiac University,
Hamden, CT, November 6). ** AV Carr is an undergraduate mentee.

Ahern, TH, Krug S, Carr AV, Fitzpatrick E, Murray EK, Forger NG. (2011) Cell death atlas of the
postnatal mouse brain: effects of age and sex. (12th Annual Symposium of the Center for Neuroendocrine
Studies, UMass, Amherst, MA, October)
Page 22
APPENDIX 4
CV
Page 23
Curriculum Vitae
TODD HANCOCK AHERN, PHD
Assistant Professor
Department of Psychology
Center for Behavioral Neuroscience
Quinnipiac University
275 Mount Carmel Avenue, BC-SCI
Hamden, CT 06518
(203) 582-6402
todd.ahern@quinnipaic.edu
EDUCATION
Postdoctoral
Fellowship
University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA
Center for Neuroendocrine Studies
Advisor: Nancy G. Forger, PhD
2010-2011
PhD
Emory University, Atlanta, GA
Neuroscience
Advisor: Larry J. Young, PhD
Committee: Elaine Walker, David Weinshenker, Kerry Ressler,
Elizabeth Binder
Dissertation: Family life and its consequences: insights from the
monogamous prairie vole (Microtus ochrogaster)
2004-2010
BA
Oberlin College, Oberlin, OH
Majors: Neuroscience, Biology
1998-2002
ACADEMIC EMPLOYMENT
Assistant Professor
Department of Psychology, Behavioral Neuroscience Program
Quinnipiac University, Hamden, CT 06518
2011-Present
COURSES TAUGHT
Methods of Psychology I: The Experimental Tradition (PS307)
Introduction to Psychology (PS101)
Medical Models of Brain Disease (NBB307S)
SIRE Undergraduate Program Organizer and Teacher
Introduction to Neurobiology (NBB301, Teaching Assistant)
Quinnipiac
Quinnipiac
Emory
Emory
Emory
2011 Fall
2011 Fall
2009 Fall
2007-2008
2005 Fall
Ahern Lab, Quinnipiac
Ahern Lab, Quinnipiac
Ahern Lab, Quinnipiac
Ahern Lab, Quinnipiac
Forger Lab, UMass
Forger Lab, UMass
Forger Lab, UMass
Young Lab, Emory
2011-Present
2011-Present
2011-Present
2011-Present
2011-Present
2010-Present
2010-2011
2009-2010
MENTORING
Kiriana Morse, Undergraduate
Victoria (Tori) Hegedus, Undergraduate
Stephen Miloro, Undergraduate
SriSavitha (Savitha) Kolla, Undergraduate
Emmett Fitzpatrick, Undergraduate
Audrey V. Carr, Undergraduate
Amanda Holley, Masters Student
Andrew D. Kim, Undergraduate
Page 24
Jeanine Kamphuis, University of Groningen Internship
Lauren Spiegel, ION Summer Fellow
Amy Mahan, Graduate Rotation Student
Nykia Burke, RISE Summer Fellow
Young Lab, Emory
Young Lab, Emory
Young Lab, Emory
Young Lab, Emory
2006-2007
2006 Summer
2006 Summer
2005 Summer
SERVICE & ADMINISTRATION
Chair of the Website Committee, Society for Behavioral Neuroendocrinology
Member, Behavioral Neuroscience Advisor Committee, Quinnipiac
Member, Psychology Major Graduate School Panel (Penny Leisring), Quinnipiac
Department Executive Committee (DEC), Search Committee, Quinnipiac
Advisor, 12th Annual Symposium for the Center for Neuroendocrine Studies, UMass
Co-Chair, 11th Annual Symposium for the Center for Neuroendocrine Studies, UMass
Chair of the Organizing Committee, Vole Meeting, Emory
Graduate Student Representative to the Executive Committee, Emory
2011-Present
2011-Present
2011 Fall
2011-Present
2011
2010
2008-2009
2005-2007
RESEARCH INTERESTS
How early life social environment influences long-term social behavior – particularly family dynamics, sex
differences, and sociality, and how they interact to produce behavioral variation. I use small rodents, such as
monogamous prairie voles and laboratory mice, to gain mechanistic insight.
PUBLICATIONS – Refereed Journal Articles
1. Dabrowska J, Hazra R, Ahern TH, Guo JD, McDonald AJ, Mascagni F, Muller JF, Young LJ, Rainnie DG.
(2011) Neuroanatomical evidence for reciprocal regulation of the corticotrophin-releasing factor and oxytocin
systems in the hypothalamus and bed nucleus of the stria terminalis: Implications for balancing stress and
affect. Psychoneuroendocrinology, 36(9), 1312-26.
2. Ahern TH, Hammock EAD, Young LJ. (2010) Parental division of labor, coordination, and the effects of
family structure on parenting in monogamous prairie voles (Microtus ochrogaster). Developmental
Psychobiology, 53(2), 118-31.
3. Markris N, Seidman LJ, Ahern T, Kennedy DN, Tsuang MT, Goldstein JM. (2010) White matter volume
abnormalities and associations with symptomology in schizophrenia. Psychiatry Research, 183(1), 21-9.
4. Blumstein DT, Ebensperger LA, Hayes LD, Vasquez RA, Ahern TH, Burger JR, Dolezal AG, Dosmann A,
Gonzalez-Mariscal G, Harris BN, Herrera EA, Lacey EA, Mateo J, McGraw LA, Olazabal D, Ramenofsky M,
Rubenstein DR, Sakhai SA, Saltzman W, Sainz-Borgo C, Soto-Gamboa M, Stewart ML, Wey TW, Wingfield
JC, Young LJ. (2010) Toward an integrative understanding of social behavior: new models and new
opportunities. Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience, 4, 34.
5. Ahern TH, Young LJ. (2009) The impact of early life family structure on adult social attachment, alloparental
behavior, and the neuropeptide systems regulating affiliative behaviors in the monogamous prairie vole
(Microtus ochrogaster). Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience, 3, 17.
6. Ahern TH, Burkett JP, Modi MM, Young LJ. (2009) Evaluation of two automated metrics for analyzing
partner preference tests. Journal of Neuroscience Methods, 182(2), 180-8.
Page 25
7. Bosch OJ, Nair HP, Ahern TH, Neumann ID, Young LJ. (2009) The CRF system mediates passive stresscoping behavior following the loss of a bonded partner in a monogamous rodent. Neuropsychopharmacology
34, 1404-1415.
8. Raju DV, Ahern TH, Shah DJ, Wright TM, Smith TM. (2008) Differential synaptic plasticity of the
corticostriatal and thalamostriatal systems in MPTP-treated monkey model of parkinsonism. European Journal
of Neuroscience, 27(7), 1647-58.
9. Goldstein JM, Seidman LJ, Makris N, Ahern T, O’brien LM, Caviness VS Jr, Kennedy DN, Faraone SV,
Tsuang MT. (2006) Hypothalamic abnormalities in schizophrenia: sex effects and genetic vulnerability.
Biological Psychiatry, 61(8), 935-45.
10. Mitchell HA, Ahern TH, Javors MA, Eagles DA, Martillotti J, Liles LC, Weinshenker D. (2006) The effects
of norepinephrine transporter inactivation on locomotor activity in mice. Biological Psychiatry, 60(10), 104652.
11. Ahern TH, Javors MA, Eagles DA, Martillotti J, Mitchell HA, Liles LC, Weinshenker D. (2006) The effects
of chronic norephinephrine transporter inactivation on seizure susceptibility in mice.
Neuropsychopharmacology, 31(4), 730-8.
12. Goldstein JM, Jerram M, Poldrack R, Ahern T, Kennedy DN, Seidman LJ, Makris N. (2005) Hormonal cycle
modulates arousal circuitry in women using functional magnetic resonance imagining. Journal of
Neuroscience, 25(40), 9309-16.
MANUSCRIPTS IN PROGRESS
1. Ahern TH, Walker EF, Young LJ. (in preparation) Family life and its neurobiological and behavioral
consequences: Perspectives from clinical studies and animal models. Manuscript in preparation
2. Ahern TH, Houston I, Krug S, Conner C, De Vries GJ, Straubhaar J, Akbarian S, Forger NG. Genome-wide
epigenetic profiling of H3K4me3 histone modifications in the BNST / MPOA of adult male and female mice.
Manuscript in preparation
3. Ahern TH, Krug S, Carr AV, FitConner C, De Vries GJ, Straubhaar J, Akbarian S, Forger NG. Cell death
atlas of the postnatal mouse ventral forebrain and hypothalamus: effects of age and sex. Manuscript in
preparation
4. Anacker A, Ahern TH, Young LJ, Ryabinin A. Alcohol self-administration inhibits the expression of partner
preference in a sex-specific manner in prairie voles. Manuscript in preparation
INVITED TALKS
1. Impact of early family dynamics on later life social relationships (US-Japan Social Neuroscience Workshop,
Emory University, Atlanta, GA, October, 2011).
2. Family life and its consequences: insights from the monogamous prairie vole (Microtus ochrogaster)
(Hormones for Breakfast, Center for Neuroendocrine Studies, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA,
September, 2010).
Page 26
3. Family life and its consequences: insights from the monogamous prairie vole (Microtus ochrogaster) (Emory
University Neuroscience Program Recruitment Weekend, Frontiers in Neuroscience Seminar, Atlanta, GA,
February, 2010).
4. Family life and its consequences: insights from the monogamous prairie vole (Microtus ochrogaster) (NSF
Conference on Intraspecific Variation and Social Systems, Santiago, Chile, September, 2009).
5. Evaluation of two automated systems for analyzing partner preference tests. (Vole Meeting, Atlanta, GA,
February, 2009).
POSTERS
1. Ahern TH, Holley A, Murray EK, Carr AV, Krug S, Forger NG. (2011) Cell death atlas of the postnatal
mouse brain: effects of age and sex. (Society for Neuroscience, Washington, DC, November 12-17).
2. Forger NG, Ahern TH, Conner C, De Vries GJ, Straubhaar J, Akbarian S. (2011) Genome-wide epigenetic
profiling of H3K4me3 histone modifications in the BNST / MPOA of adult male and female mice. (Society for
Neuroscience, Washington, DC, November 12-17)
3. Anacker A, Ahern TH, Young LJ, Ryabinin A. (2011) Alcohol self-administration inhibits the expression of
partner preference in a sex-specific manner in prairie voles (Society for Neuroscience, Washington, DC,
November 12-17).
4. Carr AV, Ahern TH, Krug S, Fitzpatrick E, Forger NG. (2011) The effects of sex and ages on postnatal cell
death in the mouse amygdala. (21st Annual NEURON Conference, Quinnipiac University, Hamden, CT,
November 6).
5. Ahern, TH, Krug S, Carr AV, Fitzpatrick E, Murray EK, Forger NG. (2011) Cell death atlas of the postnatal
mouse brain: effects of age and sex. (12th Annual Symposium of the Center for Neuroendocrine Studies,
UMass, Amherst, MA, October)
6. Ahern TH, Young LJ. (2010) Parental division of labor, coordination, and the effects of family structure on
parenting in monogamous prairie voles (Microtus ochrogaster). (Behavioral Epigenetics Conference, Boston,
MA, October 29-30).
7. Ahern TH, Young LJ. (2010) Parental division of labor, coordination, and the effects of family structure on
parenting in monogamous prairie voles (Microtus ochrogaster). (Parental Brain Conference, Edinburgh,
Scotland, September).
8. Ahern TH, Young LJ. (2009) Early life family structure influences primiparous parenting behavior and
hypothalamic oxytocin content. (Society for Neuroscience, Chicago, IL, October).
9. Ahern TH, Young LJ. (2009) Early life family structure influences emotionality, spontaneous parental
behavior, and neuropeptide receptors in adult prairie vole. (Vole Meeting, Atlanta, GA, February).
10. Ahern TH, Young LJ. (2008) Early life family structure influences emotionality, spontaneous parental
behavior, and neuropeptide receptors in adult prairie vole. (Society for Neuroscience, Washington, DC,
November).
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11. Ahern TH, Young LJ. (2008) Early life family structure influences emotionality and spontaneous parental
behavior in adult prairie voles. (International Behavioral Neuroscience Society, St. Thomas, Virgin Islands,
June).
12. Ahern TH, Young LJ. (2008) Early life family structure influences exploratory, anxiety, and social behavior
in adult prairie voles. (South East Nerve Net, Atlanta, GA, March).
13. Ahern TH, Young LJ. (2007) CRF-R2 mRNA expression in the prairie vole brain: a species comparison at
the neuroanatomic and genetic levels. (Society for Neuroscience, San Diego, CA, November).
14. Ahern TH, Javors MA, Eagles DA, Martillotti J, Mitchell HA, Liles LC, Weinshenker D. (2005)
Norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors may be proconvulsant. (Society for Neuroscience, Washington, DC,
November).
15. Smith Y, Raju DV, Ahern TH, Verreault M. (2005) Striatal and cortical projections of the dorsal and ventral
tier thalamic relay nuclei in rat. (Society for Neuroscience, Washington, DC, November).
16. Pare JF, Raju DV, Ahern TH, Smith Y. (2005) Changes in subcellular distribution of vesicular glutamate
transporter2 in the MPTP monkey model of Parkinson. (Society for Neuroscience, Washington, DC,
November).
17. Goldstein, JM, Seidman, LJ, Makris, N, Ahern, T, O’Brien, L, Caviness, VS, Kennedy, D, Faraone, SV,
Tsuang, MT. (2005) Hypothalamic abnormalities in schizophrenia: sex effects & genetic vulnerability.
(International Congress on Schizophrenia Research, April).
AWARDS
NIH-funded Postdoctoral Fellowship of the Center for Neuroendocrine: T32 MH020051
Dean’s Teaching Fellowship (DTF), Emory University, Graduate School of Arts & Sciences
Scholarly Inquiry & Research at Emory (SIRE) Graduate Fellowship (mentoring & teaching)
Integrated Psychobiology & Psychopathology Predoctoral Fellowship: 5 T32 GM12453-03
National Science Foundation (NSF) Predoctoral Fellowship Honorable Mention
Training in Systems and Integrative Biology - Neuroscience Fellowship: GM 08605, NIH
National Science Foundation (NSF) Predoctoral Fellowship Honorable Mention
Training in Systems and Integrative Biology - Neuroscience Fellowship: GM 08605, NIH
2010-2011
2009-2010
2007-2008
2006-2009
2006
2005-2006
2005
2004-2005
PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS
Society for Behavioral Neuroendocrinology
Society for Neuroscience
2011-Present
2004-Present
PEER REVIEWER FOR JOURNALS
Hormones and Behavior
Journal of Neuroendocrinology
The Journal of Neuroscience
Psychoneuroendocrinology
MEDIA
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Jim Thornton, Men’s Health: The Science of Heartbreak
01/28/2009
PUBLIC OUTREACH
Brain Awareness Month (Regina Caeli Academy, Norcross, GA, Kari Beckman)
Halloween Brains (InTown Community School, Toco Hills, GA, Tina Simpson)
Brain Awareness Month (Regina Caeli Academy, Norcross, GA, Kari Beckman)
Brain Awareness Month (Regina Caeli Academy, Norcross, GA, Kari Beckman)
Brain Awareness Month (Cross Keys High School, Atlanta, GA, Monique Davis)
Brain Awareness Month (Regina Caeli Academy, Norcross, GA, Kari Beckman)
Halloween Brains (Lilburn High School, Lilburn, GA)
Career Day (Morris Brown High School Program, Atlanta, GA, Vangela Humphries)
Brain Awareness Month (Cross Keys High School, Atlanta, GA, Monique Davis)
02/09/2009
10/31/2008
02/19/2007
02/19/2007
03/24/2006
01/28/2006
10/31/2005
07/07/2005
03/17/2005
SKILLS
Laboratory: Partner Preference Test, Elevated Maze, Open Field Maze, Forced Swim Test, Tail Suspension Test,
Morris Water Maze, Sucrose Preference Test, Alcohol Consumption Test, Family Dynamics Behavioral
Observation, Osmotic Minipump Implantation, Rodent Perfusion, Dissection, Brain Extraction & Dissection,
Vibratome, Cryostat, Freezing Microtome, Immunohistochemistry, in situ Hybridization, Autoradiography
Receptor Binding, Stereology, Electron Microscopy, PCR, Gene Fragment Gel Extraction, Plasmid DNA
Purification, Restriction Enzyme Digestion, Vector/Insert Ligation, Bacterial Plasmid Transformation, Aseptic
Technique, Southern Blot, Tract-tracing (using PHA-L), Trifluorethyl Seizure Induction, Structural & Functional
MRI Data Acquisition, Computer-based Morphometric Analysis of Structural MRIs
Computer: Windows OS, Mac OS, Office Software (PC & Mac), JMP, SPSS, R, SigmaStat, Adobe Photoshop,
Adobe Illustrator, DreamWeaver, Expression Web, iWeb, Google’s Web Services*, LabLife, Invitrogen’s Vector
NTI, EndNote, QUOSA, Zotero, AIS 6.0 Optical Density Analysis Software, ImageJ, StereoInvestigator, Noldus
EthoVision Behavioral Video-tracking Software, Clever Sys Inc. Behavioral Video-tracking Software**
* As a graduate student and as a postdoc, I have put considerable energy into making labs more effective through
the use of cloud-computing. This process involved instituting online lab calendars to coordinate lab personnel, the
electronic storage of lab protocols (allowing password-protected access from any computer), online ordering
sheets, the rapid sharing of new information, and the simple programming of protocols into spreadsheets, allowing
users to obtain accurately auto-calculated solution recipes for their individual assays thus decreasing chemical
waste as well as protocol errors due to miscalculations.
** By working closely with Clever Sys Inc. software engineers, I helped refine their SocialScan product line to
allow automated prairie vole partner preference (PP) testing without the need to mark animals. PP testing typically
runs for 3 hours and all vole PP scoring used to be performed by hand, making large-scale studies prohibitive. I
worked with Clever Sys Inc. to adjust their behavioral tracking software and I redesigned PP testing chambers to
allow rapid, high-throughput, high-reliability testing of PPs in prairie voles and other small rodents; see Ahern et
al. (2009) above. I made the design of these chambers publicly available so that other vole researchers can build
their own and so Clever Sys Inc. can offer automated PP packages that include their SocialScan software and my
PP chambers. My primary goal was to help move the study of social neuroscience forward.
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