September 2003
Volume 16, Number 9
A Scientist in Uniform
Part Psychology, Part Submarine
Navy research psychology is a specialty within the Medical Service Corps of the Navy. The Navy research psychology community consists of about 20 members with diverse graduate training, including cognitive psychology, physiological psychology, and education psychology. We are uniformed naval officers working in various roles in the Navy and other federal installations around the country. Although it is uncommon for more than one or two Navy research psychologists to be assigned to the same duty station, we are able to collaborate remotely and in periodic meetings. More typically, we collaborate through on-site research with the operational military and psychologists, and other scientists from the civil service, universities, private companies, and other military departments.
As a graduate student, it didn't cross my mind that my research on spatial cognition would prepare me for military service. Now, after five years as a Navy research psychologist, I can see how the two paths merged.
In my graduate research, I compared models in spatial cognition literature by examining their ability to account for data gathered in laboratory tasks; I was not, at the time, searching for real world application of these models. After graduating with a degree in experimental psychology, I interviewed at several small colleges, intending to teach and grow my research program over time. These plans changed after coming across a Navy ad (in the Observer) seeking a research psychologist. I was invited to interview and to give a research presentation.
When I visited the Naval Submarine Medical Research Laboratory I found an extremely diverse interdisciplinary research environment with a dual focus on research excellence and Naval operations support. At NSMRL, a Navy research psychologist works alongside clinical psychologists, physiologists, toxicologists, hospital corpsmen, and other Navy professionals such as submariners and divers. I was excited about the opportunity and pleased that after hearing and reviewing my graduate research - a body of work illustrating how people mentally organize spatial information - Navy officials decided I would fit nicely in the submarine laboratory.
Submariners have the difficult task of continually discerning their blended, undersea surroundings. On-board equipment helps, but submarining is predominantly a mental activity. Initially, I spent most of my time at NSMRL evaluating submariners' spatial thinking ability and their potential to enhance that ability through training.
Since then, the work I've done in the Navy has greatly diversified. Currently, in my second duty station, the Naval Health Research Center, I conduct basic research as well as applied research, and I manage the transition of basic research to operations. Some of my projects at NHRC are neuroimaging individual differences in response to effects of sleep debt, and testing and evaluating portable ultrasound and handheld vital signs monitors for use by medical personnel in the field. Although I've rotated from my assignment at NSMRL, I remain in active collaboration with the Navy psychologists who have assumed these projects.
The shift from graduate student to Navy Research Psychologist was initially challenging. The Navy promotes a different mindset than an academic setting. Now I provide a service to a particular community in addition to contributing to general scientific knowledge. Another aspect of Naval study is the regular duty rotation, which generally changes every three years. This regular rotation challenges research continuity, but is balanced by the benefit of experience in new research areas.
The Navy Medical Research environment is not centrally funded by the Navy. Instead, funding for such research is assigned to bodies, like the Office of Naval Research, which solicit research proposals for competitive evaluation. In this environment, the best research is often realized by partnership between Navy Laboratories and a university. Among other things, this partnership facilitates the dissemination of laboratory research to real world application. As a uniformed scientist, I try not to lose sight of the importance of discussing research efforts with sailors and marines in the operational environment.
Excellent! In fact, I'm serving as a psychologist for selecting the potentials for armed forces. I'm recruited as a psychologist for Bangladesh navy, have had the experience of eight years in this profession. I would like to be a constant listener from you if you kindly allow me. Thanks & Regards Habib (robin) Lt BN Psychologist Inter Services Selection boardB
Comment by robin on November 17, 2009 at 8:10 AM