If you have ever been curious psychological research and its role in everyday life, then you might want to attend an upcoming presentation by Alan Kraut.

Kraut, who has more than 30 years of experience as a scientist, is the founding executive director of the Association of Psychological Science, a 27,000-member organization dedicated solely to the interests of research and academic psychology and its contributions to the public interest.

Kraut will present at 1 p.m. on Wednesday, April 29 in the room W205 in the Anatomy/Zoology Building. His talk is entitled “Psychological Science is Important” and will explain why “just about anything newsworthy these days has a psychological slant to it. That is, something that is connected to the behavior that research psychologists study.”

Some of the examples he gives are:  “Negotiations with Iran – Psychological Science; Why anyone would ever choose to crash a plane? – Psychological Science; How students learn – Psychological Science; Your dating relationship not going well? – Psychological Science; Discrimination by police – Psychological Science. The research conducted by scientific psychologists has a lot to say about all these issues and many more.”

Jessica Witt, a professor of psychology at Colorado State University, said the presentation is geared toward undergraduates but is open to anyone who wants to attend.

“Alan is a terrific speaker,” Witt said. “He makes current faculty proud to be researchers in psychology and current students eager to get involved.”