The Association for Psychological Science has named Virginia Tech College of Science professors Roseanne Foti and Angela Scarpa as Fellows of the organization.

Fellow status is awarded to organization members who have made outstanding contributions to the field of psychology through research, teaching, service, or practice, according to the Association for Psychological Science’s website. Fellow status also may be awarded for exceptional contributions to the field through the development of research opportunities and settings.

Foti is an associate professor and chair of the Department of Psychology. She joined Virginia Tech in 1985 and focuses her research on leadership perceptions, including how leaders emerge in groups and teams and leader–follower relationships. Her interests also lie in improving the effectiveness of interdisciplinary research teams within a university setting at both the faculty and graduate student levels.

Among her numerous awards, Foti was named as the Virginia Tech Graduate School’s Faculty Outstanding Mentor for the College of Science in 2018. She earned a bachelor’s degree from Millersville State University in Pennsylvania in 1976 and master's and doctoral degrees from the University of Akron in 1982 and 1984, respectively, all in psychology.

Scarpa is a professor and director of clinical training in the Department of Psychology and director of the Virginia Tech Autism Clinic and Center for Autism Research. Her research has focused on children, adolescents, and young adults with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD), including their emotional and social development, and biological and socializing influences intersecting with this population.

Scarpa earned her Ph.D. in clinical psychology from the University of Southern California in 1993. She is a licensed clinical psychologist with specialized training in individual and group behavioral and cognitive-behavioral therapy for children, families, and adults. Among her most recent efforts is the development of a Mobile Autism Clinic, designed to bring the services of the clinic to rural communities throughout Southwest Virginia. The mobile unit has received wide media coverage and accolades, including the 2019 Innovative Rural Award from the Virginia State Office of Rural Health.

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