Board Member Spotlight
Name: Dawn Blasko
Major: Psychology
Company: Penn State Behrend
Title: Associate Professor of Psychology
Job Description:
I teach courses like cross-cultural psychology, research methods, and cognition. I work on research with students on how language works. I am interested in the creative stuff like metaphor, sarcasm and poetry. How do we make the mental leap necessary to know what the speaker intended? It’s a fascinating field. The second area I study is spatial intelligence. How do we imagine our world, make mental maps of our environment, and navigate around the world. My current studies are looking at Pokemon Go as an engaging game that encourages people to run around in the real world looking for virtual creatures. The game is motivating, so this leads to lot’s of interesting questions. How do experts differ from novices in the way they play and move in the world? How does playing with a partner or team impact on enjoyment and performance? Can games like these be used to improve mood and increase exercise? When do players get so obsessed that that there are negative consequences?
LEC-PSAA Position/Committee Chair:
Board member, Scholarship chair
Why are you involved with the Lake Erie Chapter of the Penn State Alumni Association?
I got involved because my husband graduated from Penn State. As the chair of the University Faculty Senate, I had the opportunity to spend a year on the executive board of the alumni association and I realized all of the positive things that alumni contribute to the organization.
What is your favorite Penn State moment?
I have so many great moments. I loved seeing students’ excitement when we took them abroad to new places like South Africa and Japan.
As a member of the Lake Erie chapter of the Alumni Association, I was excited when we hit our goal for the endowed scholarship. I have seen so many students that can’t afford college that funding even one new scholarship is a great feeling.
What do you like most about your career?
It's creative and you have a lot of freedom to decide what to study, and what to teach. If you’re energetic and curious about the world, and if you love to help people learn, then being a professor is the perfect career!
What are your hobbies?
I love music and play the flute. I love horses. I like to read and I like to garden. Getting outside always makes me feel better. Playing with my grandson is my newest hobby!
Where else do you volunteer?
A lot of my volunteer time is working with outreach by offering STEM programs and teaching about behavior science.
What is your favorite restaurant in Erie/Crawford/Venango?
There are so many good ones. Recently I ate at Alkeme, downtown Erie on N park row and the food was great. The cheesecake was to die for!
One piece of career advice to recent Penn State graduates:
Follow your heart and your head when you pick a career. If you choose a career path that does not excite you and make you feel fulfilled, then talk to some people and find the right place for you.
Why should alumni get involved with LEC-PSAA?
It’s a wonderful way to meet new people and to have some fun, with others that believe in Penn State. You can find friends with similar interests and contribute to the next generation with mentoring and by helping to raise money for scholarships.
Why should alumni meet you?
I love Penn State and I have traveled to every Penn State college and campus, so I value all of the diverse and different places in the University. I’ve been with the university a long time and I have seen many students move out into the world with a great education and accomplish remarkable things. I have a strong background in higher education, so I can talk about pathways to careers. As a cognitive psychologist, I study how people learn, think and remember and I love to talk about creativity.
Major: Psychology
Company: Penn State Behrend
Title: Associate Professor of Psychology
Job Description:
I teach courses like cross-cultural psychology, research methods, and cognition. I work on research with students on how language works. I am interested in the creative stuff like metaphor, sarcasm and poetry. How do we make the mental leap necessary to know what the speaker intended? It’s a fascinating field. The second area I study is spatial intelligence. How do we imagine our world, make mental maps of our environment, and navigate around the world. My current studies are looking at Pokemon Go as an engaging game that encourages people to run around in the real world looking for virtual creatures. The game is motivating, so this leads to lot’s of interesting questions. How do experts differ from novices in the way they play and move in the world? How does playing with a partner or team impact on enjoyment and performance? Can games like these be used to improve mood and increase exercise? When do players get so obsessed that that there are negative consequences?
LEC-PSAA Position/Committee Chair:
Board member, Scholarship chair
Why are you involved with the Lake Erie Chapter of the Penn State Alumni Association?
I got involved because my husband graduated from Penn State. As the chair of the University Faculty Senate, I had the opportunity to spend a year on the executive board of the alumni association and I realized all of the positive things that alumni contribute to the organization.
What is your favorite Penn State moment?
I have so many great moments. I loved seeing students’ excitement when we took them abroad to new places like South Africa and Japan.
As a member of the Lake Erie chapter of the Alumni Association, I was excited when we hit our goal for the endowed scholarship. I have seen so many students that can’t afford college that funding even one new scholarship is a great feeling.
What do you like most about your career?
It's creative and you have a lot of freedom to decide what to study, and what to teach. If you’re energetic and curious about the world, and if you love to help people learn, then being a professor is the perfect career!
What are your hobbies?
I love music and play the flute. I love horses. I like to read and I like to garden. Getting outside always makes me feel better. Playing with my grandson is my newest hobby!
Where else do you volunteer?
A lot of my volunteer time is working with outreach by offering STEM programs and teaching about behavior science.
What is your favorite restaurant in Erie/Crawford/Venango?
There are so many good ones. Recently I ate at Alkeme, downtown Erie on N park row and the food was great. The cheesecake was to die for!
One piece of career advice to recent Penn State graduates:
Follow your heart and your head when you pick a career. If you choose a career path that does not excite you and make you feel fulfilled, then talk to some people and find the right place for you.
Why should alumni get involved with LEC-PSAA?
It’s a wonderful way to meet new people and to have some fun, with others that believe in Penn State. You can find friends with similar interests and contribute to the next generation with mentoring and by helping to raise money for scholarships.
Why should alumni meet you?
I love Penn State and I have traveled to every Penn State college and campus, so I value all of the diverse and different places in the University. I’ve been with the university a long time and I have seen many students move out into the world with a great education and accomplish remarkable things. I have a strong background in higher education, so I can talk about pathways to careers. As a cognitive psychologist, I study how people learn, think and remember and I love to talk about creativity.
