Member Spotlight: Dr. Stephen M. Gibson
Doctoral Candidate, Developmental Psychology Program, Virginia Commonwealth University.
Do you have a mentor who has been instrumental in your career?
I have been truly blessed with a village of amazing mentors (Drs. Wilbourn, DeCuir-Gunby, Cryer-Coupet, Gaither, Hope, and Lozada) throughout my research career. They have taught me the fundamentals of research and how to conceptualize my work in a way that bridges theory and practice.
What advice would you give to a Graduate student beginning their Ph.D. studies in Developmental Science or related?
A few things come to mind, but the first two were: 1) Scheduled dedicated reading, emails, and writing times - Graduate school can be a time of endless and countless meetings, and it may be hard to read, write, or answer emails in between all of the meetings. I found it helpful to take the first 30 mins of the day for emails and schedule some dedicated reading and writing times with some friends to help me push projects forward! 2) Sign up for various email listservs - I know that emails can be an annoying task and like 90% of the emails from listservs may not be of interest to you, but that 10% of emails can be various opportunities from interest webinars, fellowships, and sometimes part-time research jobs!
Who inspires you and why?
My fiancée (Dr. Jerica Knox) inspires me. Her compassion and care for her clients inspire me every day!
What is something you learned in the last month outside of your field?
In the last month, I learned how to cook gumbo with my family's secret recipe!
What are some of your hobbies?
I enjoy cooking and weightlifting.