Behavioral and Social Sciences Faculty
Faculty members in the Department of Behavioral and Social Sciences are involved in clinical practice, research, and community service. Students have the opportunity to work alongside them to gain valuable experience. You will benefit from the research expertise of your professors, who will encourage you to present your research at local and national meetings. You will also be able to learn about community health and social service organizations first hand.
The faculty’s areas of specialization include:
- Medical Anthropology
- Clinical/quantitative psychology
- Global Health
- Health Communication
- Health Psychology
- Experimental Psychology
- Clinical Neuropsychology
- Industrial/organizational Psychology
- Sociology
- Patient-Provider Communication
- Public Health
Claudia Parvanta, PhD
Professor of Anthropology
Chair, Department of Behavioral and Social Sciences
c.parvan@usciences.edu | 215.596.8920
Dr. Parvanta received her PhD from the University of Pennsylvania, where she also received the MA and BA in Anthropology. Her research interests are health behavior, health communication, and health literacy.
Kelly Allison, PhD
Visiting Assistant Professor of Clinical Health Psychology
k.allison@usciences.edu | 215.596.8927
Dr. Allison earned her PhD and MA at the Miami University of OH, and her BA from the University of Notre Dame. She oversees the graduate practicum in Health Psychology.
Elizabeth Amy Janke, PhD
Assistant Professor of Psychology
e.janke@usciences.edu | 215.596.8517
Dr. Janke earned a PhD from Ohio University, a MSEd from University of Pennsylvania and a BA and BA Honors from Villanova University. Her research targets the intersection of health behaviors, psychosocial risk factors, and chronic disease with a recent focus in the area of pain and obesity. Research focuses on understanding and addressing the problem of pain alongside other issues whether physical (e.g., hepatitis C), psychiatric (e.g., depression), and/or health risk behaviors (e.g., smoking, poor diet, and limited physical activity).
Joseph V. Lambert, PhD
Professor of Psychology
j.lamber@usciences.edu | 215.596.8588
Dr. Lambert earned a PhD, MA and BA from Temple University. His research interests include classical conditioning of the immune system, depression and suicide prevention.
Kenneth Leibowitz, MA
Assistant Professor of Communication
k.leibow@usciences.edu | 215.596.8902
Mr. Leibowitz earned an MA from West Virginia University and a BA from Rutgers University. His expertise in patient counseling, and interpersonal communication are sought by health agencies, hospitals, and pharmaceutical companies in the region.
Brad May , PhD
Visiting Assistant Professor of Psychology and Communication
b.may@usciences.edu | 215.596.8511
Dr. May earned his PhD from the U.S. International University, his MA from the New School in New York, and his BA from Bard College.
Stephen Moelter, PhD
Associate Professor of Psychology
Director, Undergraduate Psychology Program
s.moelte@usciences.edu | 215.596.7534
Dr. Moelter earned a PhD from Drexel University and a BS from Pennsylvania State University. He is a past president of the Philadelphia Neuropsychology Society (www.pns-pa.org) and is the Chair of the Education Committee of the National Academy of Neuropsychology (www.nanonline.org). His research focuses on understanding the cognitive changes associated with neurologic or psychiatric illness, especially dementia and schizophrenia. The Pennsylvania Department of Health, the National Institutes of Health, and VA Stars and Stripes Healthcare Network have supported his research.
Michelle Ramirez, MPH, PhD
Assistant Professor of Anthropology
m.ramirez@usciences.edu | 215.596.8548
Dr. Ramirez is a medical anthropologist who received her PhD from the University of Iowa, and her MPH from Portland State University in Portland, OR. She has conducted field work in many parts of Mexico and specializes in women’s health issues. Her research interests are in sexuality, gender, complementary and alternative medicine and cancer survivorship.
Linda Robinson, PhD
Assistant Professor of Psychology
Acting Director, Health Psychology Program
l.robinson@usp.edu | 215.596.8517
Dr. Robinson received her PhD and MS from Texas Christian University and her BS from Pennsylvania State University. She studies industrial and organizational psychology.
Joseph W. Ruane, PhD
Professor of Sociology and Health Policy
j.ruane@usciences.edu | 215.596.8906
Dr. Ruane received his PhD from the University of Delaware, his MA from Temple University, and his BA from St. Charles Borromeo Seminary. His research interests are occupations and professions, urban issues and policies, organizations, politics and healthcare, and mental health policy.
C. Alix Timko, PhD
Assistant Professor of Psychology
a.timko@usciences.edu
Dr. Timko received an MA in clinical health psychology from MCP Hahnemann University and a PhD in clinical psychology from Drexel University. She completed a pre-doctoral internship at the Center for Counseling and Student Development at the University of Delaware and a post-doctoral residency at the Renfrew Center of Philadelphia. Her research interests include the treatment and prevention of disordered eating in adolescent males and females, understanding the differences between dieting and restraint, and the use of acceptance-based treatment with adolescents. She is currently Principal Investigator on an NIMH funded study that is developing a new acceptance based family treatment for adolescents with anorexia nervosa.
Mei-Ling Wang, PhD
Associate Professor of Communication
m.wang@usciences.edu | 215.895.1155
Dr. Wang earned her PhD from the University of Maryland, her MA from San Francisco State University and her BA from the National Taiwan University. She studies global health, social justice, and international communication.