Curtis Smith IV, a graduating senior, is the recipient of the 2020-21 Susan M. McHale Award, a diversity in research award.
The purpose of the Susan M. McHale Award for Outstanding Psychological Research by a Student Who Enhances Diversity is to encourage and honor students from under-represented groups who make a contribution to the advancement of knowledge of psychological science.
This year’s McHale Award was presented to Curtis for his extraordinary contributions to our department, university, and academic community. Curtis studies social and personality predictors of juvenile offending behavior. His honors thesis (“Bad Seed or Bad Soil:” The influence of dark personality and exposure to violence on offending in justice-involved youth) received highest honors and his work has been presented at conference presentations around the country and won “Best Undergraduate Poster” at the 2020 Southern Criminal Justice Association Conference. Curtis was recently accepted to the Psychological Science Ph.D. Program at University of California Irvine where he will continue his work on adolescent development, juvenile justice, and social policy with Dr. Elizabeth Cauffman.
Curtis was honored with the Susan M. McHale Award at the Psychology and Neuroscience Departmental Awards Ceremony on May 5, 2021. Congratulations, Curtis!