Michigan State Psychology is proud to announce that three of its faculty members, Dr. Henry Cowan, Dr. Meltem Yucel, and Dr. Aldo Barrita, have received the 2026 Rising Star Award from the Association for Psychological Science.
This award is presented to outstanding APS Members in the earliest stages of their research career post-PhD. It recognizes researchers whose innovative work has already advanced the field and signals great potential for their continued contributions.
Rising Star individuals are evaluated for their promise of excellence in research based on criteria like publications, recognitions, discoveries, broad impact, and a commitment to diversity in science.
Dr. Henry Cowan joined MSU’s Department of Psychology as an Assistant Professor in the clinical science research area in 2024. He earned his Ph.D. in Psychology at Northwestern University and completed a clinical internship and postdoctoral fellowship at Ohio State University. Dr. Cowan’s research lies at the intersection of clinical science and personality psychology. His focus includes a person-centered approach to understanding risk, resilience, and recovery from serious mental illnesses, such as schizophrenia. He also has a special interest in narrative identity, which has led him to study how individuals with psychosis perceive themselves as the protagonists in their life stories.
Dr. Meltem Yucel joined MSU’s Department of Psychology as an Assistant Professor in the social/personality research area in 2025. Dr. Yucel earned her doctoral degree from the University of Virginia and completed a postdoctoral fellowship at Duke University that was funded by the National Institutes of Health. Using insights from social and developmental psychology, she studies how and why people cooperate. Specifically, her research focuses on how children and adults understand rules, group identity, and moral development.
Dr. Aldo Barrita joined MSU’s Department of Psychology as a Dean’s Research Associate in the ecological-community psychology research area in 2024 and will transition to Assistant Professor this Fall. He earned his Ph.D. from the Psychological and Brain Sciences Ph.D. Program at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, receiving a doctoral degree with an emphasis in Social, Community, and Quantitative Psychology. His research focus includes how different forms of discrimination, primarily microaggressions, psychologically impact individuals from marginalized communities. Specifically, he has a special interest in Latinx and/or LGBTQ+ experiences with microaggressions as well as psychometrics.
MSU congratulates Drs. Cowan, Yucel, and Barrita on their remarkable achievement and looks forward to their continued contributions to psychological research. Their recognition as Rising Stars reflects the exceptional work of MSU's faculty and the University's ongoing commitment to excellence in innovative research.