Departmental pride

Robert Rodger, former chair of the Department of Psychology, gets unveiling honours.(Nick Pearce Photo)

Psychology students, staff and professors gathered recently around a large mysterious wall plaque, which was disguised by a blue drape.

About to be unveiled was a five-by-one metre display which documents the history of Dalhousie’s Department of Psychology. The honour of the unveiling was awarded to Robert Rodger, who served as department chair during the 1980s.

Taking the form of an timeline, the display starts with George Ramsay, the ninth Earl of Dalhousie, who founded the university in 1818.

It also showcases influential psychology students and interesting facts about the department. Did you know, for example, that the first psychology class in Canada was taught right here at Dalhousie?

“This really brings it home to you,” says Dr. Rodger, relating Dalhousie’s contribution to the world of psychology research. “This is a remarkable piece of work.”

The people responsible for this plaque include Tim Juckes, senior instructor, and his students, who interviewed past and present faculty members to fill in the detailed timeline.

The plaque also describes the many research projects the department has completed and is currently conducting, including aversive stimuli in classical conditioning, social communication in wolves and the behavior of seals on Sable Island. As stated on the plaque, the department is a diverse blend of animal and human experimentalists, clinical psychologists, and neuroscientists.