Beth Ann Rice, Council Member Nominee

Institutional affiliation: Slippery Rock University         

Area of specialization: Behavioral Neuroscience and Psychopharmacology

Website (if applicable):

https://www.linkedin.com/in/beth-ann-rice-359a3a17b/

Summary of professional interests:

Dr. Rice is passionate about understanding hormones and their impact on drug addiction-like behaviors. Dr. Rice prioritizes including student collaborators in her research, as exemplified by the work of Radevski & Rice, 2022 making her an ideal candidate to serve and positively influence the MPA community. Dr. Rice has shown evidence that the reduction of stress hormones significantly reduces problematic drug taking like-behaviors in an animal model (Rice et al., 2019). Dr. Rice’s teaching and advising philosophies are rooted in the belief that creating an inclusive learning environment is essential for conductive learning. She employs innovative curriculum designs, pedagogical practices, and holistic advising techniques to ensure that every member of the community feels valued and supported. For example, in 2022, Dr. Rice gave an invited talk at MPA on strategies to support and engage undergraduates in research that included speakers from four different campuses.  Furthermore, Dr. Rice’s steadfast commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) is evident in her active pursuit of a DEI designation for the course Drugs and Behavior at Slippery Rock University. She is dedicated to amplifying the voices of MPA’s diverse students, faculty, and research membership through initiatives such as symposia, workshops, and professional development events. Dr. Rice’s passion for fostering an inclusive and supportive environment for all members of the MPA community is unwavering, and they are fully committed to playing their part in making this vision a reality.

Representative publications:

*student contributors

Skogsberg, K. & Rice, B.A. (2023) Using authentic assessments to teach scientific communication to Psychology students. Prompt: A Journal of Academic Writing Assignments. https://10.31719/pjaw.v7i2.125

Panicker, S., Akins, C. K., & Rice, B. A. (2023). Ethics and regulation of research with nonhuman animals. In H. Cooper (Ed.), APA handbook of research methods in psychology (2nd ed., Vol. 1). American Psychological Association. https://doi.org/10.1037/0000318-004

Radevski, M. E.*, & Rice, B. A. (2022). Characterizing sign-tracking behavior in female Japanese quail (Coturnix japonica). Experimental and Clinical Psychopharmacology. https://doi.org/10.1037/pha0000562

Rice, B. A., Saunders, M. A., Jagielo-Miller, J. E., Prendergast, M. A., & Akins, C. K. (2019). Repeated subcutaneous administration of PT150 has dose-dependent effects on sign tracking in male Japanese quail. Experimental and clinical psychopharmacology. http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/pha0000275

Rice B.A., Akins C.K. (2019) Sign Tracking. In: Vonk J., Shackelford T. (eds) Encyclopedia of Animal Cognition and Behavior. Cham: Springer International Publishing.

Representative honors or awards:

  • Nu Rho Psi President elect (2024); President (2025); Past President (2026)
  • SRU Presidents Award for Excellence in Advisement nominee (2022; 2024)
  • Faculty/Student Research Grant, proposal title “Avian model of ethanol Reward” (2021)
  • High Impact Practices in undergraduate research designation for the course: Learning (2020)
  • Diversity Equity and Inclusion certification for the course: Drugs and Behavior (2022)

Involvement in MPA:

Dr. Rice joined the Midwest Psychology Association (MPA) as a graduate student in 2012 and has since experienced significant professional growth within the organization. With pride, she served as a neuroscience program committee member for three years, from 2019 to 2022. Dr. Rice holds the position of MPA representative for Slippery Rock University (SRU), a role she has fulfilled since 2018. In this role, Dr. Rice has brought over 12 undergraduates to present at conferences and has an additional 2 mentees presenting at the 2024 conference. Throughout her tenure, Dr. Rice has had the privilege of moderating MPA paper sessions annually.  Additionally, in 2021, Dr. Rice was invited by MPA to organize a symposium on teaching behavioral sciences with activities and laboratory experiments, followed by an invited workshop in 2022 on supporting undergraduate research. Collaborating closely with faculty members, Dr. Rice has delivered engaging and pertinent content for MPA events while aiding numerous SRU students in the preparation and presentation of their posters. In the ongoing year of 2024, Dr. Rice is proud to continue her service as the SRU representative for students, further solidifying their dedication to fostering a vibrant and supportive community within MPA.