Lawrence Burns

Lawrence Burns serves as a Professor in the Psychology Department at Grand Valley State University, specializing in Personality and Clinical Psychology with emphasis on Scholarship of Teaching and Learning. His teaching portfolio includes Psychopathology (PSY 303), Controversial Issues in Psychology (PSY 311), History and Systems (PSY 405), and the Psychology Capstone (PSY 492).

His educational background includes:

• B.S. from California Maritime Academy
• M.S. and Ph.D. from State University of New York - Stonybrook

Dr. Burns' research demonstrates dual expertise in clinical/personality psychology and pedagogical innovation. His work explores perfectionism's role in procrastination and relationship satisfaction, psychological well-being among honors students, and evidence-based teaching methods for capstone courses. The Scholarship of Teaching and Learning forms a consistent thread through his publications, reflecting his Pew Teaching Excellence Award recognition.

Analysis of his 2018-2023 publications reveals three dominant research streams: (1) personality trait impacts on behavioral outcomes (perfectionism-procrastination relationship), (2) pedagogical research focused on discussion-based learning in capstone courses, and (3) psychometric validation of assessment tools. His work consistently bridges clinical psychology theory with practical educational applications.

Professional recognition includes:

• Pew Teaching Excellence Award (2000)
• Outstanding University Service Award (2010)

While specific advisee names aren't listed, his co-authorship patterns with undergraduate researchers (e.g., Plominski, Carpenter, Phillips) indicate active mentorship of student research projects. His capstone teaching role suggests ongoing supervision of senior thesis work. No grant details are provided, though his university service award implies significant committee work.

Office-based research activities are conducted from 2219 Au Sable Hall, though no dedicated lab space or research teams are specified in the available information.