The Department of Psychology will recognize Alumnus of the Year/Lifetime Achievement awardee Dr. Eric Wesselmann, M.A. ’05, on Alumni Day on Friday, September 27. Dr. Wesselmann is a professor in the Department of Psychology at Illinois State University and will present a talk titled “Stigma, Social Exclusion, Support & Serendipity: A Researcher’s Journey,” from 10:30-11:30 a.m. in DeGarmo Hall 206.
A graduate of the I/O-Social Psychology master’s program at Illinois State, Wesselmann went on to complete a Ph.D. in psychology in 2011 from Purdue University in Indiana and found his professional home back here at his alma mater in the Department of Psychology. His B.A. was also here at ISU in psychology with a minor in film studies in 2003.
Eric publishes research on social inclusion and exclusion, sexual harassment, social stigma, and the psychology of religion and spirituality. He has published in various psychology and interdisciplinary journals, including Aggressive Behavior, Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, and Psychological Science. Eric has co-edited special issues in the Journal of Social Psychology, Journal of Prevention & Intervention in the Community, and Self & Identity. His research has been recognized both nationally and internationally by academics, practitioners, and popular press. The Association for Psychological Science recognized him with a Rising Star designation in 2015, and he has served as a grant reviewer for the U.S. National Science Foundation, as well as for funding organizations in Canada, England, Germany, and Poland. His research has been cited in public policy documents both in the U.S. and across the globe, including Australia, Canada, Germany, Finland, the Netherlands, the Philippines, Turkey, and the United Nations. He has been interviewed by media outlets in the U.S. as well as Canada, England, and France.
Dr, Wesselmann also has research interests on the interface of psychology, fandom, and popular culture, having published related work in the journals Psychology of Popular Media, Teaching of Psychology, and Journal of Fandom Studies. He has contributed chapters to ten volumes of the Popular Culture Psychology series (e.g., Spider-Man Psychology, Stranger Things Psychology, Wonder Woman Psychology). Eric regularly discusses the overlap between psychology and popular culture topics at conventions locally and nationally. Eric has contributed to several podcasts for WGLT Psych Geeks, co-curates an ongoing film series for The Normal Theater called FilmCULTure, and has a YouTube channel (Digital Golgotha Productions) where he hosts discussions on the dynamics of popular culture and psychology with scholars, creators, and actors.
