Steiger and Sterba honored by Society of Multivariate Experimental Psychology

James H. Steiger (Vanderbilt)

Two faculty members at Vanderbilt’s Peabody College of education and human development have received prestigious honors from the Society of Multivariate Experimental Psychology.

James H. Steiger, a professor of psychology and human development, is the 2015 recipient of the Sells Award for Distinguished Multivariate Research.

Sonya K. Sterba, assistant professor of psychology, is the recipient of the Cattell Early Career Research Award.

Sonya K. Sterba (Vanderbilt)

This is the first year Vanderbilt faculty have received these awards.

The Sells Award for Distinguished Multivariate Research is presented to an individual who has made distinguished lifetime achievement in multivariate experimental psychology. This award represents the highest honor bestowed by the society in recognition of contributions to the field.

The Cattell Early Career Research Award is an early-career award given annually by the society to a young researcher who has made outstanding contributions to multivariate experimental psychology and who shows promise of continued work of a very high quality.

SMEP is an organization of researchers interested in multivariate quantitative methods and their application to substantive problems in psychology and related fields. It was founded in 1960 as a small elective society—there are only 65 active members—in order to facilitate high-level research as well as intensive interaction among members.

Society member David Lubinski, professor of psychology, hosted the annual meeting at Peabody in 2014. Other Peabody faculty who are members include Kris Preacher, associate professor of psychology; and Joseph L. Rodgers, Lois Autrey Betts Professor of Psychology.