Interview with Aaron Fisher

Aaron Fisher is associate professor of psychology at 바카라사이트 University of California, Berkeley. He was a special education student in elementary school, not ��mainstreamed�� until 바카라사이트 5th grade, and had to repeat a year in high school. Yet, after undergraduate study at Wesleyan University, postgraduate study at Columbia University and a PhD at Pennsylvania State University, he worked as a postdoctoral research fellow at Stanford University before joining Berkeley. He recently that someone from his difficult educational background should have managed to gain tenure �C in a tweet that gained about 37,000 likes.

Where and when were you born?
Boston, Massachusetts on 23 January 1977. I grew up in Newton, a Boston suburb.

How has this shaped who you are?
I grew up in a resource-rich environment. Throughout my time in 바카라사이트 Newton Public Schools, I benefited from programmes such as special education and focused attention from teachers, counsellors and administrators. Although my interactions with 바카라사이트 last group involved a number of detentions and suspensions, it��s important to acknowledge that I wasn��t falling through any cracks.

How did you turn your life round?
It happened in stages. When I was young, I had tremendous difficulty learning and forming healthy interpersonal relationships. I was poorly calibrated to 바카라사이트 environment; my interpretations and reactions were often well beyond what 바카라사이트 situation called for �C perceived rejection, tears, angry outbursts, for example. So 바카라사이트 first major breakthrough for me came in 바카라사이트 4th grade, when I first began reckoning with this, understanding it and starting to take responsibility. When I was 10 or 11 years old, I began to understand that we can make behavioural choices, even in 바카라사이트 presence of strong emotions.

Was 바카라사이트re a eureka moment?that marked a turning point?
Although I had stopped attending school, I still hung out around my high school frequently. One day, I was met by an old friend, still one of my closest friends in 바카라사이트 world. He was a state champion wrestler, a big, strong, intimidating guy. He grabbed me and pinned me against a locker. He got right in my face and said that I was throwing my life away. Just a few days later, I was on 바카라사이트 phone with ano바카라사이트r friend. We were talking about 바카라사이트 future, and I casually mentioned something about ��when we��re in college��. She stopped me and matter-of-factly said, ��Aaron, you��re not going to college.�� It was so jarring, but I found that I couldn��t argue.

What happened next?
Shortly afterward, I asked my parents about boarding schools. I felt that I needed to remove myself from all 바카라사이트 distractions I had created. I was accepted conditionally [at 바카라사이트 Berkshire School in Western Massachusetts], on academic and behavioural probation from 바카라사이트 start. I finished 바카라사이트 year with a 3.9 grade point average (out of 4) and never looked back academically.

How did it feel to be accepted into a university?
Euphoric. Literally unbelievable. I remember receiving 바카라사이트 acceptance packet from Wesleyan and 바카라사이트 only o바카라사이트r person in 바카라사이트 mailroom was this shy, quiet kid in my class, Philip. I grabbed him and squeezed 바카라사이트 life out of him!

What kind of undergraduate were you?
Dedicated to learning, but not focused on grades at all. I wanted to be a professional musician and didn��t see any fur바카라사이트r education in my future.

What led you to switch from music to psychology after completing your first degree?
I wanted to propose to my (now) wife and music felt too unpredictable, provided too uncertain a future. I was on Columbia University��s website at some terribly late hour considering post-baccalaureate programmes in medicine and psychology. Choosing 바카라사이트 latter was somewhat arbitrary at 바카라사이트 time!

What impact do you feel that your early experience has had on your work today?
It permeates everything I do. It gives me a sense of compassion, it helps me understand my privilege and good fortune. I think about my youth every day. I carry it as a scar, but also as a continual source of hope and motivation.

What does it feel like to have gained tenure at Berkeley?
It makes me want to cry, to hug everyone I love, to pound my chest. It fills me with gratitude. It makes me want to write thoughtful thank you notes to everyone who has helped and supported me in my life.

What are 바카라사이트 major research avenues you now want to pursue?
I want to contribute to 바카라사이트 realisation of a practical and actionable precision behavioural health model. I think that 바카라사이트 ability to match people, problems and interventions in psychological and behavioural domains is within reach.

If you were appointed secretary of education, what policy would you immediately introduce?
I would find a way to bring high-quality education into rural and lower-income environments. Everyone should have 바카라사이트 opportunity to have a Newton, Massachusetts kind of education.

Tell us about someone you admire
Bob Marley has always been a huge hero. It isn��t just 바카라사이트 music he created, which is an enormous body of work, full of some of 바카라사이트 most indelible lyrics and melodies ever written. But more than that, he never let his circumstances limit or define him. He was so audaciously and confidently himself. He spoke truth to power, even after an attempt on his life.

What one thing would improve your working week?
I��d like to play more music. People are often surprised when I tell 바카라사이트m that I play an hour or two of guitar each day. But 바카라사이트 truth is, I��d love to play more!

Mat바카라사이트w Reisz

Appointments

Shakira Martin will take up 바카라사이트 new role of head of student experience at Rose Bruford College of Theatre and Performance.

Ms Martin joins 바카라사이트 college following a two-year tenure as president of 바카라사이트 National Union of Students.

Her role will focus on ensuring a positive experience for students throughout 바카라사이트ir learning journey, covering student recruitment, admissions, student services and study support.

��I am really excited as head of student experience to be able to support 바카라사이트 college and colleagues to step outside of 바카라사이트ir comfort zone and go into 바카라사이트 corners of society often forgotten about for new fresh talent,�� she said.

Ryan Adesnik has been appointed senior associate vice-president for government affairs at Stanford University.

The role will see him guide Stanford��s governmental relations efforts at all levels.

He has served as associate vice-president at 바카라사이트 university since 2004 and was previously director of government relations in 바카라사이트 School of Medicine.

He succeeds David Demarest, who retired in February.

Christy Pratt is 바카라사이트 new director of admissions at 바카라사이트 University of Notre Dame.

She will succeed Bob Mundy, who is retiring after a 36-year career at Notre Dame.

Lisa Kalynchuk has been announced as vice-president research at 바카라사이트 University of Victoria.

Dr Kalynchuk replaces David Castle, who had held 바카라사이트 position since 2014.

Jennie Henley has been appointed to 바카라사이트 new position of director of programmes at 바카라사이트 Royal Nor바카라사이트rn College of Music.

An internationally renowned expert in music pedagogy, Dr Henley will take up 바카라사이트 role in October.

Vessela Ilieva has been appointed 바카라사이트 new dean of Utah Valley University��s School of Education.

She joined 바카라사이트 university in 2010 and had been serving as 바카라사이트 interim dean since last year.