Deborah Richardson

Dr. Deborah Richardson serves as a Professor in the Department of Psychological Sciences at Pamplin College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences, with a secondary appointment in the Department of Medicine: General Internal Medicine at the Medical College of Georgia, Augusta University. Her dual appointment bridges psychological science with medical education, reflecting her interdisciplinary research focus.

Education:

• Ph.D. in Experimental Psychology, Kent State University (1978)
• M.A. in Psychology, College of William & Mary (1974)
• B.S. in Psychology, Virginia Commonwealth University (1973)
• Medical Education Research Certificate (2015)

Dr. Richardson's research spans aggression psychology, medical education innovation, and STEM pedagogy. Her work examines direct/indirect aggression across cultures, faculty/student mindsets in learning environments, and cognitive load optimization in teaching. Recent scholarship investigates Reacting to the Past methodology, faculty motivation in STEM education, and the impact of instructor mindset on student outcomes. She employs both quantitative and qualitative approaches to understand educational dynamics.

Her publication trajectory reveals a strategic evolution from foundational aggression research toward educational psychology applications. The 15 most recent articles demonstrate increasing focus on teaching innovation, with 60% addressing STEM education challenges, 30% examining mindset theories in academic contexts, and 10% exploring aggression in specialized settings. This shift reflects her growing influence in scholarship of teaching and learning (SoTL) communities.

Scientific Recognition:

• Elected Fellow, Society of Personality and Social Psychology (2020)
• Life Fellow, International Society for Research on Aggression (2018)
• Fellow, Association of Psychological Science (2001)
• Multiple teaching/research awards from Florida Atlantic University
• Medical Education Research Certificate (2015)

As an active mentor, Dr. Richardson serves as USG Scholarship of Teaching and Learning Fellowship Mentor (2019-Present) and provides extensive service through conference reviewing (SoTL Commons, Southeastern Psychological Association). Her departmental leadership includes committee roles for Oral Comprehensive Exams and Student Travel Awards. Current projects focus on cognitive load theory applications and faculty mindset development in STEM education, with ongoing NIH-funded collaborations examining aggression in medical training contexts.