Department of Psychological & Brain Sciences
Announcements
- October 7, 2026: UCR Psychology participated in the national PSYC Good Deed Day.
- July 1, 2026: Welcome our new chair, Dr. Kate Sweeny!
- February 10, 2026: Dr. Sonja Lyubomirsky released a new book, How to Feel Loved. See the NYT feature here.
- January 1, 2026: A very warm welcome to our new faculty, Dr. Kiera Coulter.
- October 8, 2025: UCR Psychology participated in the national PSYC Good Deed Day.
- July 14, 2025: Dr. Olivia Atherton was awarded a Hellman Fellowship.
- July 1, 2025: A very warm welcome to our three new faculty: Dr. Na Yeon Kim, Dr. Bernardette Pinetta, and Dr. Deepa Ramamurthy! In addition, please welcome our new vice chair, Dr. Liz Davis.
Psychology in the News
September 25, 2026
Designer, philosopher, psychologist recognized for excellence
The College of Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences, or CHASS, has announced the recipients of its 2025-26 awards for teaching, excellence in research and/or creative activities, and community engagement.
September 17, 2026
Department of Psychology renamed to Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences
The Department of Psychology recently adopted a new name: the Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences. This change reflects the department’s expanded reach, from the neural pathways that inspire thought to the complex stories of human growth and connection. By including 'Brain Sciences' in its name, UC Riverside joins the national discussion and demonstrates its commitment to interdisciplinary and innovative research. “Our new name better captures the exciting breadth of what we do in our department, as our faculty and students study everything from the brain to behavior, relationships
August 19, 2026
When a ‘tired heart’ gets lost in translation
A new paper from researchers at the University of California, Riverside and Pitzer College asserts that older immigrants are especially likely to describe pain, anxiety, depression, and distress using culturally embedded metaphors and idioms that are easily lost in translation.
August 12, 2026
KIND Lab helps families make safer beauty choices
Workshop on campus brought 12 families together to learn about beauty products and enjoy free youth hairstyling
August 07, 2026
Student-Led, Statewide Impact
From April 24 to 26, 2026, the inaugural California Well-Being Conference (CaWBC) brought together faculty, postdoctoral scholars, and graduate students from 11 higher education institutions across the state to showcase research, exchange ideas, and build lasting professional networks. Hosted by the UCR Department of Psychology, the CaWBC was a vibrant, multi-day meeting of minds dedicated to the science of human flourishing. Conference co-chairs and UCR psychology Ph.D. students Madison Montemayor-Dominguez and Stephen Cadieux organized the three-day academic conference under the faculty
July 24, 2026
Extracurricular: Learning never retires
By building new skills, psychologist Rachel Wu is redefining what lifelong learning looks like
March 06, 2026
Wu named fellow of Association for Psychological Science
Rachel Wu, an associate professor of psychology at UC Riverside, has been made a fellow of the Association for Psychological Science.
March 04, 2026
Psychologist named a CASEL Weissberg Scholar
Bernardette Pinetta’s community-engaged, equity-focused research supports diverse youths’ development and well-being
Faculty in the News
- January 5, 2026: Dr. Rachel Wu was featured in WalletHub's recent article about Keeping Your New Year’s Resolutions.
- July 17, 2025: Dr. Rachel Wu was featured on apa.org.
- July 1, 2025: Dr. Rachel Wu was interviewed by WalletHub.com.
- June 18, 2025: Dr. Megan Robbins was interviewed by Vox.
- May 20, 2025: Dr. Tuppett Yates, the Department Chair, was featured in UCR Magazine.
- May 1, 2025: Dr. Sonja Lyubomirsky was featured in The New York Times.
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