College of Science names Jamie Edgin Swanson as chair of Department of Psychology

The Virginia Tech College of Science has named Jamie Edgin Swanson as chair of its Department of Psychology, where she will assume the role previously held by Roseanne Foti.

Edgin most recently was at the University of Arizona where she was director of the Cognition and Neural Systems Program and the Memory Development and Disorders Lab.

“Dr. Edgin has an outstanding record in research, education, and public service,” said Kevin Pitts, dean of the College of Science. “We are thrilled to have her join us and look forward to working with her to continue the department’s upward trajectory. I’d like to thank Dr. Foti for leading the Department of Psychology through a period of significant growth and high student demand.”

Psychology is a department with more than 900 undergraduate majors, 64 Ph.D. students, 34 faculty, and eight staff. The department annually provides lecture and laboratory courses to more than 6,500 students from across campus. Each year, close to 100 undergraduates receive hands-on experience in the department's world-class research programs. In addition, psychology clinics create and convey scientific knowledge to assess and treat behavioral health problems and promote the transfer of this knowledge to the community.  

Faculty currently work on projects that total more than $9 million yearly in funded research supported by such agencies as the National Science Foundation, the National Institutes of Health, and the U.S. Department of Defense. This funding level has increased by 90 percent since 2018, demonstrating significant growth under Foti’s leadership.

Edgin is a developmental cognitive neuroscientist specializing in memory development and formation. She studies how memory is applied in daily life, ranging from how typical and atypically developing children’s sleep relates to memory and how children can generate reports of abuse or maltreatment. She has a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Carnegie Mellon University, a Master of Arts in psychology from the University of Denver, and a doctorate from University of Denver in developmental psychology and developmental cognitive neuroscience.

“I’m delighted to have the opportunity to lead the Virginia Tech Department of Psychology,” Edgin said. “Virginia Tech is firmly placed on a path to lead the field of psychology in innovative solutions and technology to optimize development, learning, and worker wellbeing, and I am honored to be able to guide that growth for years to come.”