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Kelly Lambert, Ph.D.,
Macon and Joan Brock Professor
of Psychology at Randolph-Macon College |
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Kelly Lambert, Ph.D., the Macon and Joan Brock Professor of Psychology at Randolph-Macon College, has been named the 2008 Virginia Professor of the Year by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching and the Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE).
Lambert was presented with this distinguished award during a luncheon and celebration reception in Washington, DC on November 20, 2008.
“We are extremely proud of Kelly Lambert,” said R-MC president Robert R. Lindgren. “She is truly deserving of this prestigious award and so representative of the wonderful faculty members we have at Randolph-Macon College. Professor Lambert changes the lives of her students through her passion for teaching and for her ability to engage them in research. She has richly earned this honor.”
CASE and the Carnegie Foundation have been partners in offering Professor of the Year awards since 1981. Dr. Lambert is among winners from 44 states, the District of Columbia and Guam. Recipients were selected from a pool of nominated faculty members from colleges and universities throughout the country.
“I am humbled by this recognition, especially when I think of all the dedicated educators in Virginia,” said Lambert. “I love what I do and still feel that same excitement when I enter the classroom today that I felt when I first came to Randolph-Macon two decades ago.” She continued, “The College is extremely supportive of all we do here including our work with the Schapiro Undergraduate Research Fellowship program which is so important in providing students opportunities they would only receive on a graduate level at other colleges or universities.”
Professor Serge Schreiner, Ph.D., is the chair of R-MC’s chemistry department and co-directs the Schapiro Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF) program with Lambert. He remembers that back in 1995, she was one of the original champions of undergraduate research and believed strongly that the best way to teach is through research. “She always puts her students first – they are her biggest concern. When she champions for something, it’s not for her, but for what’s in the best interest of students.” Dr. Schreiner added that he and Dr. Lambert became friends from the first day they met. He described her as the consummate teaching scholar and said “she has a way of transforming students – she manages to help them cultivate their abilities and turns them on to learning.”
Similar tributes were shared by many of Dr. Lambert’s colleagues. Psychology professor Dr. Kristen Klaaren has worked with her for over 14 years. She said,” Dr. Lambert has always been an excellent role model who demonstrates how to be a true teacher and scholar. She has abundant energy and enthusiasm for psychological discovery, and is good at dreaming up creative learning opportunities for her students as well as her colleagues.” She adds, “Dr. Lambert is a true team player. Despite all of her individual success and her many responsibilities, she never fails to contribute her share and more to departmental and college-wide efforts.”
Humanities professor Dr. M. Thomas Inge recalled his experience of “team-teaching” with Dr. Lambert during a First-Year Experience course that explored humor, what makes people laugh, and the importance of comedy in our lives. “She was bringing the depth of her knowledge to bear from psychological and neurobiological perspectives, while I was examining the cultural values of humor as found in everything from literature and stand-up comedy to jokes and comic strips.” Dr. Inge called this “one of those rare and magical moments that seldom happen in the classroom. “She has an engaging classroom presence.” He continued, “Sometimes we agreed and just as often disagreed, but it was a unique experience for the students to see two scholars engaged in such a lively exchange of ideas.” When asked what he thought about Dr. Lambert being named Virginia Professor of the Year, Inge said “she is the kind of person teaching awards were made for.”
That comment is validated just by the recognitions she’s received this academic year alone. Since September 2008, Dr. Lambert was named as the first recipient of the Macon and Joan Brock Professorship in Psychology at R-MC and was awarded a $640,000 grant from the National Science Foundation. The NSF grant will be used to investigate the paternal brain circuit in a mouse model.
Dr. Lambert’s enthusiasm for research is contagious in the classroom. R-MC alumna Catherine Franssen’99 said Dr. Lambert had a profound effect on her as a student. “Dr. Lambert always expected a lot of her students which motivated each of us to work harder.” Franssen said she became “hooked for life on research” after working with Dr. Lambert on a SURF project and went on to graduate school before landing a research job. Her excitement for research has come full circle. Franssen now works with Dr. Lambert as a post-doctoral fellow and appreciates the valuable mentorship. “She can be demanding of her students while still being compassionate - this is an incredibly difficult balance, yet Dr. Lambert achieves it effortlessly,” said Franssen.
Current students are just as affected by their classroom experience with Dr. Lambert. Leslie Hainley ’09 wants to become a professor after graduate school. She’s gained greater admiration for Dr. Lambert by working in her Behavioral Neuroscience Laboratory. “Dr. Lambert educates us about the impact of animal research on psychology as a field and has really instilled in us a sincere respect for our animals,” said Hainley. “She is eager for each of us to format our own, original research projects and wishes the best for all of her students.”
Stephanie Karsner ’09 said Dr. Lambert is the most influential person in her college career, “her positive attitude and love for her research endeavors is the reason I am a psychology major and applying to graduate programs in animal behavior and behavioral neuroscience.” She added, “I would have never known I could combine my fascination with animals with my interests in psychology and neuroscience without Dr. Lambert’s guidance and advice.”
Nationally recognized for her research accomplishments in the area of neuroscience, Dr. Lambert’s latest book is titled Lifting Depression: A Neuroscientist's Hands-On Approach to Activating Your Brain's Healing Power. She also co-authored a textbook titled Clinical Neuroscience: The neurobiology of mental health with long-time colleague Craig Kinsley, Ph.D., and has written numerous articles which were printed in national professional journals.
“I can’t think of anyone who is as qualified and more deserving of this award than Kelly,” said Dr. Kinsley. “Kelly’s love for what she does runs deep. It’s a full blown obsession. Once you have that, you’re not working for awards or recognition; you’re working because you love it. That defines Kelly.” He adds that Dr. Lambert is a very positive face for Randolph-Macon in the scientific community as well as with her students. “She’s a committed professional scientist and a great role model – students look at her and say, maybe I can do that, maybe I can be like that.” He continued, “When we worked on our book, we worked together so well and remained the best of friends during the whole process. She’s just a good, solid person. There’s no way I could have done everything I’ve done without Kelly as a colleague - it’s benefited my career and hundreds of students.”
Dr. Lambert earned her Bachelor’s degree from Samford University and her Master’s and Ph.D. from the University of Georgia. She joined the faculty at R-MC 1989 and is chair of the department of psychology and co-director of the Schapiro Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF) program. In 2007, she was awarded the Samuel Nelson Gray Distinguished Professor Award at R-MC and in 2001, received the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia Outstanding Faculty Award. In 2009, she will begin a two-year term as president of the International Behavioral Neuroscience Society (IBNS).