Top 23 Psychology Professors in Texas

Interested in how the human mind works? Do you like to help others? If so, a career in the field of psychology may be in your future. For those who wish to study in Texas, the state lays claim to one of the top 15 psychology schools in the country, according to U.S. News and World Report, as well as a number of other award-winning institutions.

No matter the college or university, a school or program is only as good as its professors. Top professors in the field research extensively, inspire, teach, and even help the community. And while there’s no exact science for pinpointing the “top” or “best” professors in any field, the following 23 professionals stand out for their recent acknowledgements and awards, academic achievements, and impressive or up-and-coming bodies of work.

Professor	School	Bio	Photo
Carolyn Black Becker	Trinity University	Professor Becker is the 2012 recipient of the Dr. and Mrs. Z.T. Scott Faculty Fellowship. She holds a PhD from Rutgers University.
Cindy Meston	University of Texas at Austin	Dr. Cindy Meston earned the Distinguished Visiting Professor Award. Her research has been featured in numerous national media outlets.
David Yeager	University of Texas at Austin	Professor Yeager has received the SPSSI Social Issues Dissertation Award’s second prize. He specializes in adolescent development and earned his PhD at Stanford University in 2011.
Douglas Snyder	Texas A&M University	Dr. Snyder is the winner of the Texas Psychological Association’s Outstanding Contributions to Science Award in 2008, and has published extensively in recent months on couples therapy.
Francisco Gonzalez-Lima	University of Texas at Austin	Professor Gonzalez-Lima has been appointed the Founding Chair of the neuroscience section, approved by the Board of Directors of the Texas Academy of Science.
Gary Elkins	Baylor University	Professor Gary Elkins won the 2012 Complementary and Integrative Medicine Investigator Research Award from the Society of Behavioral Medicine.
H. Julia Hannay	University of Houston	Dr. Julia Hannay is the recipient of the University of Houston’s Esther Farfel Award for her tremendous impact on the field through research and instruction.
Helen Benedict	Baylor University	Professor Benedict received the Distinguished Lifetime Achievement Award by the Texas Psychological Association in 2012. She holds a PhD in developmental and child clinical psychology from Yale University.
James Pennebaker	University of Texas at Austin	Professor James Pennebaker is the recipient of a Distinguished Scholar Award and a $10,000 grand prize for his book, “The Secret Life of Pronouns: What Our Words Say About Us”.
Jennifer Beer	University of Texas at Austin	Dr. Jennifer Beer has been awarded a three-year grant from the National Science Foundation. Her academic interests include social neuroscience, social cognition, and self.
Jennifer Tackett	University of Houston	Professor Tackett won the 2013 Samual J. and Anne G. Beck Award from the Society of Personality Assessment.
Juan Dominguez	University of Texas at Austin	Professor Dominguez has been appointed a permanent member of the Biobehavioral Regulation, Learning and Ethology (BRLE) Study Section at the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
Kim Fromme	University of Texas at Austin	Dr. Fromme earned a $2.3 million grant from the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) to study the connection between genetics and drinking.
Laurie Klose	Texas State University	Professor Klose is the winner of the National Association of School Psychologists Presidential Award for Exceptional Service to Children.
Linda G. Castillo	Texas A&M University	Dr. Linda Castillo recently won an Outstanding Mentor Award, and is a past recipient of the Many Faces of Counseling Psychology award (2008).
Mandy Rispoli	Texas A&M University	Professor Rispoli recently earned Texas A&M University’s Outstanding New Faculty Award. She holds a PhD in Autism and Developmental Disabilities from the University of Texas at Austin.
Patricia DeLucia	Texas Tech University	Dr. DeLucia received the Barnie E. Rushing, Jr. Faculty Distinguished Research Award in 2012. She’s also a Fellow of the American Psychological Association.
Patricia Foster	Stephen F. Austin State University	Dr. Foster received the 2011 Distinguished Teaching Award from the College Reading and Learning Association. Her academic interests focus on at-risk students succeeding in college.
Robert Gatchel	University of Texas at Arlington	Dr. Gatchel received the Texas Psychological Association’s lifetime achievement award in 2011 for outstanding work in the field. His research concentrates on the co-occurrence of physical and psychological disorders.
Roger E. Kirk	Baylor University	Professor Roger Kirk is the winner of the 2012 Cornelia Marschall Smith Professor of the Year award. Dr. Kirk has been a member of the Baylor faculty for over 50 years.
Sam Gosling	University of Texas at Austin	Professor Gosling is a recipient of the Dads’ Association Centennial Teaching Fellowship for teaching excellence and undergraduate contributions. He’s also the author of “Snoop: What Your Stuff Says About You“.
Stephanie Payne	Texas A&M University	Professor Stephanie Payne was awarded the 2011 Women’s Progress Award for her positive impact on the campus for women.
Vicki Sheafer	LeTourneau University	Dr. Sheafer won the Frank Costin Memorial Award for Excellence in 2012. She also received the Robert H. Selby Teaching Scholar Award in 2010.