— Biography from the 2021 Spring Commencement program —

Dr. Steirn earned degrees from West Virginia University and the University of Georgia, where she was awarded the PhD in experimental psychology. Afi:er serving appointments at Berea College, Wabash College, and the University of Kentucky, where she was funded by the National Science Foundation, Dr. Steirn began at Georgia Southern University as an assistant professor in 1991. Promoted to the rank of associate professor in 1997, Dr. Steirn published 21 peer-reviewed articles primarily in the area of animal cognition, as well as the teaching of psychology. A strong supporter of student research, she mentored students at the undergraduate, master's, and doctoral levels. Dr. Steirn embraced service opportunities, being a vocal advocate for faculty on the Faculty Senate multiple times and serving on diverse university, college, and departmental committees. It is in the area of teaching that Dr. Steirn's contributions may best be remembered. She developed innovative Freshman Seminar courses such as Healing a Wounded World, as well as Senior Seminar courses that examined psychology in the media, and the Research Experience course that improved students' ability to gain research skills. Her creativity extended to the teaching process itself, as demonstrated by her use of the "flipped classroom" technique before the label was popular. Students in her class were more likely to learn by doing than through lectures and will remember the history of psychology through their projects celebrating Fechner Day in honor of psychology's beginning. Her creativity in the classroom resulted in her receiving the College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences Award for Distinction in Teaching. For her many contributions to the department, college, University, and profession, Dr. Janice Steirn has earned the title of Associate Professor Emerita of Psychology.*