Ashley Tracas, a master student in the SDSU Department of Psychology was awarded the Becky Award for her thesis entitled: Communication and sexual behaviors among friends with benefits partners. The Bryson-Kissinger family established the Rebecca Bryson-Kissinger Memorial Award in 2000 to honor the memory of their former faculty colleague, who for many years served as the Department’s graduate adviser. The award, affectionately known as the “Becky,” is given to the master’s student in the Department of Psychology whose thesis has been selected as the best from among those submitted during that academic year. The award carries with it a stipend of $500.
Currently three posters using Ashley Tracas thesis data have been accepted to and will be presented at the 2016 Society for Personality and Social Psychology Convention. Additionally, Ashley Tracas and her mentor Dr. Allison Vaughn are continuing to work with her thesis in the hopes of publishing the data. There are currently five papers in the works.
Thank you to the members of the selection committee Dr. Jeff Bryson, Dr. Jeff Conte, and Dr. Jennifer Thomas. Congratulations to both Ashley Tracas and her mentor Dr. Allison Vaughn!