Dr. Larry D. Rosen

​Dr. Larry D. Rosen, Professor Emeritus of Psychology and cofounder of the George Marsh Applied Cognition (GMAC) Laboratory at California State University, Dominguez Hills (CSUDH), has been studying the psychological impact of technology and mentoring students for 45 years, the last 10 in conjunction with GMAC Lab co-founders Dr. L. Mark Carrier and Dr. Nancy A. Cheever. Dr. Rosen has authored or co-authored seven books, the latest of which, The Distracted Mind: Ancient Brains in a High Tech World (MIT Press 2016 with Dr. Adam Gazzaley) won the prestigious PROSE Award for neuroscience in 2016. His other books have been well received and positively reviewed in major media outlets.  The goal of his more than four decades of teaching and research has been to actively engage students and excite their desire to participate in societally meaningful applied and basic research experiences and prepare them to aspire to a higher graduate degree. Entry to the GMAC Lab is competitive and the co-founders—plus Dr. Thomas Norman, a GMAC mentor from the School of Business—each mentor undergraduate and graduate students who show interest in their research areas. At any time there are between 10 and 14 students working actively in the GMAC Lab on a bevy of projects using tools ranging from observational studies to laboratory experiments to neuroscience research.

Despite limited resources, the lab features neuroscience equipment including functional near infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) that continuously monitors prefrontal cortex activity, as well as galvanic skin response monitors and heart rate monitors that assess arousal and anxiety. The ability to become proficient with these tools enhances a student's chance at future academic endeavors, as neuroscience is one of the fastest growing areas in the field of psychology and few students enter graduate school with a working background with these tools. Entering lab students are required to assist with an existing project or two and, when ready, prepare their own independent research project under the direction of their mentor. The lab meets twice a week with Tuesday meetings usually featuring a presentation from a mentor or student on a research project, either a proposed project, an ongoing project or a completed project. Thursday meetings usually include an interactive lecture or discussion of higher order statistics, a course on GRE prep, information about  crafting CVs or personal statements and help with selecting future graduate programs and prospective graduate mentors. Students are encouraged to apply to a range of Ph.D. programs as well as master's level programs as a fallback option. Students are required to participate in the CSUDH Student Research Day and are also encouraged to present at additional off-campus conferences. One unique feature of the GMAC Lab is that for the most part, students spend more time than just attending meetings and mentors spend appreciable amount of time working in the lab allowing spontaneous student-mentor communications. In addition to mentoring students in the GMAC Lab, Dr. Rosen teaches a 350-400 student course on the global impact of technology. Over his time at Dominguez Hills Dr. Rosen has twice been honored as the Presidential Outstanding Professor and also honored with the annual campus Distinguished Teacher Award and the campus award for Excellence in Research, Scholarship and Creative Activities.