Bowling Green, Ky. - Dr. Sharon Mutter, a psychology professor at Western Kentucky University, has been selected as one of three recipients of the Women in Cognitive Science Mentorship Award for 2005.

The WICS Mentorship Awards are designed to encourage established scientists, both male and female, to develop the research and publication skills of female graduate and undergraduate students in cognitive science. Three awards are made each year to scientists who have demonstrated sustained, effective mentorship of female students and who have also served as a research adviser or supervisor to one or more female students during the academic year immediately preceding the nomination.

During her 14 years at WKU, Dr. Mutter has been a mentor to a substantial number of female undergraduate and graduate students. Ten of those students completed a master’s thesis under her direction and six of those went on to doctoral programs, several in cognitive science. Two of her former students are now in academic positions, and three are professional psychology practitioners.

Dr. Mutter also has supervised a large number of female undergraduates working on independent study research projects. Her mentoring of female students has extended well beyond just those students working directly in her lab.

From 2001 to 2004, she was principal investigator on a National Science Foundation Research Experience for Undergraduates center grant that brought 36 students to Western over three summers for an intensive eight-week research internship to work with cognitive scientists at Western in perception, infant cognition, social cognition and cognitive aging. All but four of those students were women. NSF has renewed Western’s REU center grant for another three years.

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For information, contact Steven Haggbloom at (270) 745-4427.