PITT'S SCHOOL OF EDUCATION DEAN WINS AMERICAN PSYCHOLOGICAL ASSOCIATION AWARD

PITTSBURGH, Jan. 24 -- Alan Lesgold, University of Pittsburgh School of Education dean, has received the 2001 Distinguished Contributions of Applications of Psychology to Education and Training Award from the American Psychological Association (APA).

The award recognizes a psychologist for evidence-based applications of psychology to education and training. The Education and Training Awards Committee acknowledged Lesgold's role in developing artificially intelligent tutoring technology. He will receive an award citation and a $1000 honorarium at the APA Convention in San Francisco, CA in August. Lesgold also will deliver an address to the membership.

A Pitt professor for nearly 30 years in psychology and intelligent systems, Lesgold served as executive associate director of the Learning Research and Development Center (LRDC) prior to becoming School of Education dean in July. He founded and directed Pitt's interdisciplinary doctoral program in cognitive science and artificial intelligence.

In addition to his work at the University, Lesgold is a fellow of three divisions of the American Psychological Association – Experimental, Applied, and Educational Psychology – and also is a fellow of the American Psychological Society. In 1995, he was awarded the Educom Medal by Educom and the American Psychological Association for contributions to educational technology. He also holds an honorary doctorate from the Open University of the Netherlands in recognition of his scientific contributions to educational technology and applied educational research.

Lesgold is past president of the Society For Computers in Psychology and was secretary/treasurer (executive officer) of the Cognitive Science Society from 1988 to 1997. He served on the National Research Council Board on Testing and Assessment from 1993 through 1998, and chaired the board's roundtable on schooling, work, and assessment. Lesgold was a member of the personnel performance panel of the National Research Council (NRC) Committee on Strategic Technologies for the Army and the NRC review committee for the Army Research Laboratory. He served on two Congressional Office of Technology Assessment advisory panels and was the chair of the Visiting Panel on Research of Educational Testing Service.

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