By Bina Davison on behalf of Features Staff
Each month, the YU Observer aims to highlight a YU faculty member. For the October edition, the YU Observer is highlighting Professor Lisa Chalik.
Name: Lisa Chalik
Department: Psychology
Educational Background/Qualifications: I got my BA in Psychology from Rutgers in 2009, and my PhD in Psychology from NYU in 2016
Hometown: Cherry Hill, NJ
How long have you worked at YU?: This is my third year.
What got you passionate about your field?: I was always interested in understanding how people think. I took AP Psych in high school and loved it, so I decided to study Psychology in college. Then I just never stopped.
What do you like about working at YU?: I love being able to support and interact with all of the phenomenal students at Stern, both in the classroom and out of it. I’m consistently amazed by the insight, intellect, and academic motivation of the students in the Stern community, and I consider it to be a huge honor to be able to play some role in these women’s academic lives.
How has COVID/Zoom affected the way your classes function?: It has definitely been a challenge, but I’m doing my best. Right now, one of my classes is fully asynchronous, one is fully synchronous, and one is a mix. Each one has gotten both positive and negative reviews from students, so it’s hard to know how to best accommodate everyone. I hope that we can get back into the classroom as soon as possible!
If you could bring in any guest lecturer, alive or deceased, who would it be, and what would they speak about?: Ruth Bader Ginsburg. We owe her a huge debt of gratitude for everything she has done for women in this country, and her recent death was a blow to us all. I’d love to have heard her talk both about her own path through the justice system, as well as her vision for the future of women in America.
Do you have any advice for students interested in a career in your field?: Build relationships with your professors! These are the people who can provide tons of guidance (and recommendation letters) as you navigate the job market and/or the graduate school application process, and the earlier you create relationships with them, the better they will be able to help you out in the long run.
What is one thing you want students to know about you?: My door (or at least right now, my metaphorical Zoom door) is always open, whether you have taken one of my classes or not. Some possible topics of conversation include psychology, graduate school, academic life, baking, travel, Harry Potter, and cute animals.
Is there a YU professor you admire who you would like to see highlighted in future editions? Email us at theyuobserver@gmail.com.