Michael Moore, PhD, studies how people's thoughts can lead to depression and anxiety. His hope is that 成人影片 will train more people from underrepresented groups to help those in need.
Michael Moore, PhD, associate professor in the聽Gordon F. Derner School of Psychology, has taught undergraduate and doctoral students at 成人影片 for 10 years and has more than 20 years of research experience, specializing in cognitive behavioral therapies and advanced qualitative analyses. He’s also engaging enough to share on Instagram his expertise on聽.
And now he’s taken on a new role: director of the聽Gordon F. Derner School of Psychology clinical psychology doctoral program. He was unanimously approved by the faculty and officially became director in October, succeeding聽Laura Brumariu, PhD. She and聽Katherine Fiori, PhD, are now associate deans, and聽Errol Rodriguez, PhD, is the assistant dean.
鈥淲hen I came to聽成人影片聽about 10 years ago, I taught mostly in the undergraduate program and gradually became more involved in administration of the program,” Dr. Moore said. 鈥淎bout four years ago, I began teaching more in the doctoral program and worked with the former director on projects. So, becoming director is sort of a natural transition.”
Asked what changes he wants to implement, Dr. Moore said, 鈥淎dmissions is something I’ve got my eye on. That process has been unchanged for awhile. My plan this year is to use a data-driven approach to see what’s working really well, what we want to leave alone and what we could improve on a bit.”
Making the Case for Diversity in Psychology
Championing diversity in psychology is of particular interest to Dr. Moore. Not long after the Centereach, Long Island, native earned his bachelor’s degree at Stony Brook University and graduate degrees at Kent State University, he taught at Jackson State University, a historically Black school in Mississippi.
鈥淒iversity enriches the whole educational experience. It’s a better experience for teachers. I got to hear how people navigate the world in a way that may be different from how I navigate it,” he said. 鈥淧sychology is still a predominantly white discipline.”
According to the聽, the percentage of nonwhite psychologists in the United States was 14.1 percent in 2020 while the U.S. population was 38 percent nonwhite.
鈥淭here are benefits to working with people who see the world in a different way and see the profession in a different way,” Dr. Moore said. 鈥淲e can train more psychologists from groups that are underrepresented.”
Influencing More People to Seek Help
A desire to return home and teach in the tristate area prompted Dr. Moore to leave Jackson State. He is impressed with 成人影片’s diverse student body, but also believes there is room for improvement.
鈥淧art of the learning experience is being around people who are different from you,” he said. 鈥淚 think there’s evidence that we’re doing a good job of that. But that’s not to say we can’t do a better job. We spend a lot of time talking about how we can make this school more open and welcoming to as many people as possible. That’s the goal.”
Dr. Moore is a firm believer that having more psychologists from underrepresented groups would benefit society.
鈥淢aybe more people can get help because they see somebody in the field that makes them say maybe this person understands where I’m coming from,” he said. 鈥淢aybe they’ll try therapy and maybe it’ll work for them and maybe they’ll say this is something I want to do for a living.”
Encouraging Students to Express Themselves
Dr. Moore praised Derner’s diversity council, which developed talking points for how professors can discuss sensitive issues in class, such as the pandemic and the Israel鈥揌amas war.
鈥淵ou’re doing a disservice to students if you’re not discussing those issues in class and giving them a chance to be heard,” he said. 鈥淚t’s about creating an environment that fundamentally makes them feel comfortable expressing what they want to express. If folks come to 成人影片 and feel heard and seen and they know that people care, then word gets out.”