Department Chair: Glenn Geher, Psychology
First published in the May 2013 edition of The Bullhorn. The original publication can be found here.
When Glenn Geher started his undergraduate career at the University of Connecticut, he figured his psychology degree would be used towards becoming a therapist. “I thought psychologists and therapists were synonymous.” Once he took his introductory course, he discovered the very science-oriented aspect of the liberal arts degree, “about neurological activity, research, and statistics.” He soon found his interest in research psychology and teaching, and pursued the field at the University of New Hampshire, where he taught courses as an instructor and pursued a PhD in Social Psychology.
His interest in Evolutionary Psychology developed when he arrived at SUNY New Paltz, but received its fundamental grounding in his undergraduate and graduate work. During his time at the University of Connecticut, he admired his course on the evolution of animal behavior, but he wished to look at human psychology instead in his own research. As the evolutionary psychology field boomed in the 1990s, he attended a lecture by David Buss, who wrote The Evolution of Desire: Strategies of Human Mating, and the material coincided with his post-graduate relationship research. “It was very good for me to see the field was growing and matched my interests.”
When he and his wife, Kathy Geher (Psychology Lecturer and Director of the SUNY New Paltz’s Dual-Diploma program) received their PhDs in 1997, it took a few tries to find the right university. “Getting an academic job is very competitive and tough. To get one where you want to live is difficult.” When he found the opening in the SUNY New Paltz Psychology Department, he applied and joined the faculty, “partly because of geography and partly the type of school it was.” As a New Jersey native, he had heard of New Paltz and admired its academic environment.
Soon after joining the faculty, Glenn Geher discovered and acted upon his passion for evolutionary psychology, a field following the premise that human behavior should be understood by psychological patterns that correspond to reproductive success. His research addresses the interface of human mating and cognitive processes: mating intelligence.
He created an Evolutionary Psychology course and started the Evolutionary Psychology lab, attracting undergraduate and graduate students to develop constant projects in the field. His most recent book is Mating Intelligence Unleashed, co-written with Scott Barry Kaufman, published this past January.
Along with witnessing the rise of Evolutionary Psychology, Glenn Geher was also instrumental in the expansion of the field in the Northeast. In 2007, he helped launch the North Eastern Evolutionary Psychology Society (NEEPS) and started the Evolutionary Studies program on the SUNY New Paltz campus. He has continued to collaborate with David Sloan Wilson, Distinguished Professor of Biological Sciences and Anthropology at Binghamton University, to develop New Paltz’s program, based on Binghamton’s model, and to expand evolutionary studies to other schools. Collaborating with Jennifer Waldo of New Paltz’s Biology Department, Glenn helped secure a large National Science Foundation grant.
Today, Evolutionary Studies continues to grow and develop into a strong interdisciplinary program. Courses approach unique fields with an evolutionary edge, including English, Art History, and Theatre Arts. The program’s seminar series features speakers in different fields, ranging from historical revolutions to the science behind yawning. Geher sees the success of the program stemming from its unique interdisciplinary edge: “Most interdisciplinary programs are content-centered. EvoS starts with a basic idea, the principles of evolutionary theory, and connects courses not based on content-similarity, but how they can utilize this power set of ideas that have the capacity to connect several academic areas. It’s a set of principles that drives the academic program, rather than content. That’s what makes it exciting and interesting with students.”
The Psychology department also continues to grow at a significant rate. While student numbers at SUNY New Paltz match national trends, interest in psychology increased dramatically, nearly doubling its majors in the last six years. The department prides itself in strong student-faculty research, frequent presentations at conferences and a great record of students getting into advanced graduate programs. Glenn Geher knows the College recognizes the growing department, because the department can hire more faculty members. However, he expressed surprise that the SUNY New Paltz website lists Psychology as the top undergraduate program. “I’ve got to put that on my Facebook!”
Early on at SUNY New Paltz, Glenn Geher used to attend union meetings and workshops. “You always have an invested interest in the union,” but he has found himself having less time to devote to the important projects that UUP addresses. “I’m glad other people prioritize the union, and I fully appreciate and benefit from their work.”
Outside of his academic life, Glenn leads his life by a “life is short, play hard” motto. For the past seven years, he has rocked out as the lead guitarist of Questionable Authorities, the faculty punk rock band that performs at popular New Paltz hot spots. He stays physically active by running, hiking, and skiing. He has participated in a few marathons, such as the Trail’s End, the Cape Cod Times and the Duchess County Classic. He oversees the Alumni Hiking Committee, which coordinates an annual hiking trip with SUNY New Paltz alums.
One only needs to look at his faculty profile to obtain a clear sense of Glenn Geher as professor, father, outdoorsman, and more. Anything he uses often or treasures finds its way onto his internet space. “It’s the easiest way for me to find stuff. If I have it on a website, I know exactly where it is. The stuff that matters to me, I put it up on the web.” His online profile succinctly merges the professional and personal, just as his active life and passionate field of research work hand-in-hand.
His interest in Evolutionary Psychology developed when he arrived at SUNY New Paltz, but received its fundamental grounding in his undergraduate and graduate work. During his time at the University of Connecticut, he admired his course on the evolution of animal behavior, but he wished to look at human psychology instead in his own research. As the evolutionary psychology field boomed in the 1990s, he attended a lecture by David Buss, who wrote The Evolution of Desire: Strategies of Human Mating, and the material coincided with his post-graduate relationship research. “It was very good for me to see the field was growing and matched my interests.”
When he and his wife, Kathy Geher (Psychology Lecturer and Director of the SUNY New Paltz’s Dual-Diploma program) received their PhDs in 1997, it took a few tries to find the right university. “Getting an academic job is very competitive and tough. To get one where you want to live is difficult.” When he found the opening in the SUNY New Paltz Psychology Department, he applied and joined the faculty, “partly because of geography and partly the type of school it was.” As a New Jersey native, he had heard of New Paltz and admired its academic environment.
Soon after joining the faculty, Glenn Geher discovered and acted upon his passion for evolutionary psychology, a field following the premise that human behavior should be understood by psychological patterns that correspond to reproductive success. His research addresses the interface of human mating and cognitive processes: mating intelligence.
He created an Evolutionary Psychology course and started the Evolutionary Psychology lab, attracting undergraduate and graduate students to develop constant projects in the field. His most recent book is Mating Intelligence Unleashed, co-written with Scott Barry Kaufman, published this past January.
Along with witnessing the rise of Evolutionary Psychology, Glenn Geher was also instrumental in the expansion of the field in the Northeast. In 2007, he helped launch the North Eastern Evolutionary Psychology Society (NEEPS) and started the Evolutionary Studies program on the SUNY New Paltz campus. He has continued to collaborate with David Sloan Wilson, Distinguished Professor of Biological Sciences and Anthropology at Binghamton University, to develop New Paltz’s program, based on Binghamton’s model, and to expand evolutionary studies to other schools. Collaborating with Jennifer Waldo of New Paltz’s Biology Department, Glenn helped secure a large National Science Foundation grant.
Today, Evolutionary Studies continues to grow and develop into a strong interdisciplinary program. Courses approach unique fields with an evolutionary edge, including English, Art History, and Theatre Arts. The program’s seminar series features speakers in different fields, ranging from historical revolutions to the science behind yawning. Geher sees the success of the program stemming from its unique interdisciplinary edge: “Most interdisciplinary programs are content-centered. EvoS starts with a basic idea, the principles of evolutionary theory, and connects courses not based on content-similarity, but how they can utilize this power set of ideas that have the capacity to connect several academic areas. It’s a set of principles that drives the academic program, rather than content. That’s what makes it exciting and interesting with students.”
The Psychology department also continues to grow at a significant rate. While student numbers at SUNY New Paltz match national trends, interest in psychology increased dramatically, nearly doubling its majors in the last six years. The department prides itself in strong student-faculty research, frequent presentations at conferences and a great record of students getting into advanced graduate programs. Glenn Geher knows the College recognizes the growing department, because the department can hire more faculty members. However, he expressed surprise that the SUNY New Paltz website lists Psychology as the top undergraduate program. “I’ve got to put that on my Facebook!”
Early on at SUNY New Paltz, Glenn Geher used to attend union meetings and workshops. “You always have an invested interest in the union,” but he has found himself having less time to devote to the important projects that UUP addresses. “I’m glad other people prioritize the union, and I fully appreciate and benefit from their work.”
Outside of his academic life, Glenn leads his life by a “life is short, play hard” motto. For the past seven years, he has rocked out as the lead guitarist of Questionable Authorities, the faculty punk rock band that performs at popular New Paltz hot spots. He stays physically active by running, hiking, and skiing. He has participated in a few marathons, such as the Trail’s End, the Cape Cod Times and the Duchess County Classic. He oversees the Alumni Hiking Committee, which coordinates an annual hiking trip with SUNY New Paltz alums.
One only needs to look at his faculty profile to obtain a clear sense of Glenn Geher as professor, father, outdoorsman, and more. Anything he uses often or treasures finds its way onto his internet space. “It’s the easiest way for me to find stuff. If I have it on a website, I know exactly where it is. The stuff that matters to me, I put it up on the web.” His online profile succinctly merges the professional and personal, just as his active life and passionate field of research work hand-in-hand.
