Richard Slatcher, Chris Trentacosta and Antonia Abbey, professors in Wayne State University’s Department of Psychology, have received recognition from the American Psychological Association (APA).
Both Slatcher and Trentacosta were awarded with Early Career Awards. Winners were nominated by other faculty members and selected based upon the culmination of their work up to 10 years post-grad.
Slatcher (left) received the 2016 award for Outstanding Contributions to Health Psychology by an Early Career Professional. His research focuses on social relationships and their effects on physical health.
“It’s nice to have the work that my students and I have been doing recognized,” Slatcher said. “I view this not as an individual award, but really an award for my students and my team.”
Trentacosta (right) — who recently reached his 10th post-grad year — received the 2016 Early Career Award for Outstanding Contributions to Benefit Children, Youth and Families. His latest work was a collaboration with Detroit Public Schools on family-based intervention programming. The project involves providing children and families with feedback on children's strengths, as well as areas that might need attention, which allows families to set goals to improve children's well-being and prevent problem behaviors.
Abbey (left) was bestowed with the Strickland-Daniel Mentoring Award. The award recognizes outstanding feminist mentoring that provides several components to students including introducing mentees to professional networks, offering formal mentoring events and programs, and providing coaching, supervision and consulting to women psychologists in practice. Abbey was nominated by two of her current students.
Psychology department Chair Boris Baltes expressed positive thoughts for the professors’ accomplishments.
"I am very pleased that Drs. Abbey, Slatcher and Trentcosta have won these awards,” Baltes said. “They are all very deserving of them and the department is extremely proud of their accomplishments."
Trentacosta, Slatcher and Abbey will be honored during the APA’s national convention, which will be held Aug. 4-7 in Denver.