18: Malissa A. Clark, Ph.D. – Well-known Researcher and Professor in the Growing Field of I/O Psychology Offers Practical Advice to Students

Masters in Psychology Podcast

When Dr. Malissa Clark graduated from The University of Michigan with her B.A. in Organizational Studies, she wasn’t planning on attending graduate school, let alone knowing that she would eventually end up in the growing field of Industrial/Organizational (I/O) Psychology. In this podcast interview, Dr. Clark shares her unique academic and career journey while offering tips and suggestions to students who want to increase their chances of getting accepted into a graduate school or program in the field of psychology. She also discusses the Work and Family Experience Research (WAFER) Lab and how she ended up at the University of Georgia as an Associate Professor of I/O Psychology. Dr. Clark recalls working “a lot of different jobs growing up and some of them were kind of crazy sales jobs.” She sold knives in high school and sold books door to door in college. Upon graduating, she worked in sales for a couple of years before realizing that she wasn’t happy with her career choice. To help figure out what she should do, she thought back to the classes that she really liked and what kept coming to mind for her was an Organizational Psychology class taught by Dr. Fiona Lee. After looking her up and looking into the field further, she realized that there were graduate programs in I/O Psychology and decided to go back to school. She applied to many graduate schools and when she received some offers, she was surprised to find out that they were going to pay her to be a graduate student. Even during her graduate career, Dr. Clark never thought that she would be a professor. She kept thinking that she would do something in business or some sort of consulting work. During our discussion, she reminisces about her graduate experiences and how she realized that she “really loved this research stuff” and began thinking that she would like a career in academics. Dr. Clark admits that she loves the flexibility of being a researcher and professor within the field of psychology. She states, “I love the fact that I get to engage in research, and I get paid for it.” She feels like she is always a student and always learning and absorbing new information from her research and her students. Later in the podcast, Dr. Clark discusses her experiences serving as Chair of the APA Division 14 Program (Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology [SIOP]) 2020-2021 and what areas of research she enjoys most. When asked if she had the time and money to complete one project or go on one trip, what would she do? She is into travel hacking and she would love to travel the world. Connect with Dr. Malissa A. Clark: Facebook | Linkedin | TwitterConnect with the Show: Facebook | LinkedIn | Twitter https://vimeo.com/665141314 Interests and Specializations Dr. Malissa Clark’s research focuses on employee well-being and the intersection of work and family domains. Her research streams loosely follow three main areas including (a) work-family conflict, (b) workaholism, and (c) emotions at work and home. Education Bachelor of Arts (B.A.), Organizational Studies (2002); The University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI.Master of Arts (M.A.), Industrial/Organizational Psychology (2007); Wayne State University, Detroit, MI.Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.), Industrial/Organizational Psychology (2010); Wayne State University, Detroit, MI. Other Sources and Links of Interest University of Georgia Department of PsychologyUniversity of Michigan Department of PsychologyWayne State University Department of PsychologyDr. Malissa Clark on Google ScholarOwens Institute for Behavioral Research Dr. Malissa Clark Video Podcast Transcription 00:00:13 Bradley SchumacherWelcome to the Master’s in Psychology podcast where psychology students can learn from psychologists, educators, and practitioners to better understand what they do, how they got there, and hear the advice they have for those interested in getting a graduate degree in psychology.