News

By Jacqueline Campbell

Dr. Bryan Poole, lecturer in psychology at Lee University, has successfully defended his dissertation in experimental psychology at the University of Alabama.

Poole joined the faculty at Lee in August 2013 and teaches courses such as writing for psychology, learning and cognition, introductory and advanced research methods and statistics, and advanced independent research.

“I have always had a passion for Lee, its mission, and its students, and I was thrilled when they offered me a job in the Department of Behavioral and Social Sciences,” said Poole.

Poole’s dissertation titled “Exploring the Neural Substrates of Approach Motivation and Time Perception” sought to investigate how having a perception of “time flying” during approach-motivated positive states reflected changes in the human brain.

He began his studies at the University of Alabama in fall of 2010 and focused his research in the area of social psychology, including social-cognitive topics such as emotion, motivation, attention, and time perception. Some of this research has been published in a variety of top-tier psychology journals, such as Psychological Science, Social Cognitive Affective Neuroscience, Brain and Cognition, and Experimental Brain Research.

Poole also holds a master’s degree in experimental psychology from Middle Tennessee State University and a bachelor’s degree from Lee, where he majored in psychology and history.

He is married to Betsy Poole, who is currently teaching Spanish at Lee and finishing her dissertation in Spanish Literature. The two have been married for just over a year, and when not teaching or writing, they enjoy hiking and photography.