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Full Time Faculty

​The tenured and tenure-track faculty members of the Department of Psychology are listed below. You can also visit the web page for faculty research for more information on the research interests of each faculty member.

Note: KH = Martin Luther King Hall. When calling from off-campus, the area code and prefix for all telephone extensions is (323) 34x-xxxx.

Corinne Bower, Ph.D. 
Dr. BowerAssistant Professor, joined faculty in 2022
Ph.D., 2017, Pennsylvania State University
Research Lab: Child Development and Learning Lab
Phone: 3-5941
 
Mitchell Eisen, Ph.D. [Director, Forensic MS program]
Dr. EisenProfessor, 
Ph.D., 1993, University of Miami
Research Lab: Forensic Psychology Lab
Phone: 3-5006
 
Joel Ellwanger, Ph.D. [Department Chair]
Dr. EllwangerProfessor, joined faculty in 2002
Ph.D., 1997, Northwestern University
Research Lab: Human Psychophysiology Laboratory
Phone: 3-2252
 
Gaithri Fernando, Ph.D. [Department Associate Chair]
Dr. FernandoProfessor
Ph.D., 1996, Fuller Theological Seminary
Research Lab: Center for the Study of Traumatic Stress Lab
Phone: 3-2260
 
Steven Frenda, Ph.D.
Dr. FrendaAssistant Professor, joined faculty in 2016
Ph.D., 2014, University of California, Irvine
Phone: 3-2277
 
 
Senqi Hu, Ph.D. 
Dr. HuProfessor, joined faculty in 2011
Ph.D., 1990, Pennsylvania State University
Phone: 3-2260
 
 
Matthew Jackson, Ph.D.   
Jackson PicAssistant Professor, joined faculty in 2017
Ph.D., 2013, University of California, Los Angeles
Phone: 3-2259
 
 
Robert Kennison, Ph.D.   
Kennison picProfessor, joined faculty in 2006
Ph.D., 2000, Claremont Graduate University
Research Lab:  Silver Eagle Memory and Aging Lab
Phone: 3-2265

E-mail:  rkennis@calstatela.edu  |  Web: http://www.calstatela.edu/faculty/rkennis/

 

Eric L. Kohatsu, Ph.D.   
Dr. KohatsuProfessor
Ph.D., 1992, University of Maryland, College Park Los Angeles
Phone: 3-2270
 
 
Alma Olaguez, Ph.D.
Dr. MatthiesAssistant Professor
Ph.D., 2021, University of California, Irvine
Research Lab: Legal Attitudes Lab
Phone: 3-5109

 

Brigitte Matthies, Ph.D.
Dr. MatthiesProfessor Emerita
Ph.D., 1993, McGill University
Phone: 3-5109

 

Pamela Regan, Ph.D.
Dr. ReganProfessor, joined faculty in 1996
Ph.D., 1994, University of Minnesota
Research Lab: Social Relations Lab
Phone: 3-2289
 
Heidi Riggio, Ph.D.
Dr. RiggioProfessor, joined faculty in 2005
Ph.D., 2001, Claremont Graduate University
Phone: 3-5617

 

Henry D. Schlinger, Jr., Ph.D.
Dr. SchlingerProfessor
Ph.D., 1985, Western Michigan University
Research Lab: Behavior Analysis Lab
Phone: 3-2250
 
Ji Son, Ph.D.
Dr. SonProfessor
Ph.D., 2007, Indiana University
Research Lab: Learning Lab
Phone: 3-2261
 
Doug Stenstrom, Ph.D.
Dr. StenstromProfessor
Ph.D., 2008, University of Southern California
Research Lab: Learning Lab
Phone: 3-2258
 
Yvette Z. Szabo, Ph.D.
Dr. SzaboAssistant Professor, joined faculty in 2022
Ph.D., 2017, University of Louisville
Research Lab: Psychoneuroimmunology Research On Stress, PTSD, Emotion and Recovery (PROSPER) Lab
Phone: 3-5060
 
Karen Wu, Ph.D. [Director, MA program]
Dr. WuAssociate Professor, joined faculty in 2017
Ph.D., 2016, University of California, Irvine
Research Lab: Culture and Relationships Lab
Phone: 3-2283