Pamela J. Turbeville graduated with distinction from the University of Arizona in 1972 as a double major in Family and Consumer Sciences and Education. Upon graduating, Ms. Turbeville pursued graduate degrees (MBA in Finance from the University of Denver, MS in Environmental Science from the University of Texas at Dallas) and executive education (Stanford Executive Program). She was selected to receive the 2000 College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (CALS) Alumni Achievement Award at the Homecoming event. Ms. Turbeville has strong family ties to the University of Arizona. Her father, John H. Turbeville, two aunts, and many other family members received UA degrees. In 2000, to support faculty research and teaching, Ms. Turbeville established The Pamela J. Turbeville Endowment in the Norton School of Human Ecology.
The Turbeville Speaker Series comprises presentations during the Fall and Spring semesters by researchers from UArizona and other universities. These hour-long sessions showcase cutting-edge research spanning multidisciplinary topics with an overarching focus on the wellbeing of children, youth and families. Audiences are invited to attend in-person or virtually. Each presentation is recorded and shared on the FMI YouTube Channel.
Upcoming Turbeville Speaker Series
Speaker: Steve Rains, Professor of Communication at the University of Arizona
Time: March 21, 2025, 1:00 PM- 2:15 PM
Talk Title: Social Support as Kindness: Properties of Helpful Emotional Support Messages
Location: McClelland Park, Room 402 or Zoom
Abstract: Providing social support to others in need is an act fundamentally rooted in kindness. Despite such good intentions, not all support provision attempts yield positive outcomes. This talk will spotlight the role of communication in delivering (in)effective emotional support. We will discuss the features of (un)helpful emotional support messages, mechanisms proposed to bring about these effects, and the implications of communication technologies. The talk will conclude with some best practices for providing kind emotional support.
About the Speaker: Steve Rains is a Professor of Communication at the University of Arizona. His research is situated in the areas of health communication, social influence, and communication and technology. He is interested in better understanding how and why messages influence people, particularly in health contexts and when using communication technologies. His work in recent years has primarily focused on social support, though he routinely studies digital coping, incivility, persuasion resistance, and related topics. He is especially interested in leveraging computational social science techniques to explore the dynamic communication processes involved in these phenomena.
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Speaker: Jessica Andrews-Hanna, Associate Professor in the Department of Psychology at the University of Arizona
Time: Friday, April 11th, 2025 1:00 PM - 2:15 PM
Talk Title: The Neuroscience of Compassion: Cultivating Kindness for Others and Ourselves
Location: McClelland Park, Room 402 or Zoom
Abstract: In Western societies such as the United States, where individualism is prioritized and the prevalence of mental health challenges and loneliness has reached alarming levels, fostering kindness – both towards ourselves and towards others – seems more crucial than ever. This talk will address how we can cultivate kindness by showcasing findings of psychology and neuroscience. I will begin by examining the neural foundations of empathy and compassion, exploring their connection to the broader body of research on the human imagination. I will then delve into studies on the role of empathy in nurturing healthy romantic relationships. Finally, I will highlight the malleability of kindness, showing how it can be cultivated and applied to enhance our relationships and well-being.
About the Speaker: Dr. Jessica Andrews-Hanna is an Associate Professor of Psychology and Cognitive Science at
the University of Arizona and Interim Director of the Cognitive Science Program. A Cognitive Neuroscientist by training, she completed her M.S. in Neuroscience at Washington University in St. Louis and her Ph.D. in Psychology at Harvard University. At the University of Arizona, Dr. Andrews-Hanna directs the Neuroscience of Emotion and Thought (NET) Laboratory, where her research is centered on understanding the mystery of human imagination – the thoughts, ideas, memories, and emotions that make us unique as individuals. Dr. Andrews-Hanna is passionate about characterizing how the imaginative brain changes across the lifespan and in relation to neurological disease and mental health, with an ultimate goal of developing interventions to help people harness the beneficial aspects of imagination and live happier, healthier lives. Dr. Andrews-Hanna has active research grants from the National Institute of Aging and the National Institute of Mental Health.
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Previous Turbeville Speakers
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YouTube Channel
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