APS Observer

Psychological Scientists in the Public Sector

M E M O R A N D U M
RE: Careers in Business and Other Non-Academic Settings
For this issue of the Observer (and for the next several issues) we invited APS Members working outside of academia to write about their worklife. They were encouraged to tell about such things as how they got to the private sector, how they use their training in their job, how working in business differs from being in a university, and whether they had any advice for academic colleagues contemplating a move to the world of business.
The result is a fascinating array of first-person accounts and a wealth of insight into the similarities and differences in careers inside and outside of academia. Over the course of this series, you'll learn about the role of psychological science in corporate management, computer technology, farming, national and international public policy, multinational environmental issues, biotechnology, and defense, among other topics. You'll also get a sense of the diversity of career paths and applications of psychological science.
It's worth noting two points made by many of the writers: One is that interdisciplinary collaboration is an essential part of their work; the other is that it is very satisfying to see their research results being used. Look for more of these commentaries in the next issue of the APS Observer.

Applications Drive Theory

Stuart Card, Xerox PARC
Nothing drives theory better than a good applied problem. At Xerox PARC, I'm currently working with Peter Pirolli on a theory of how people access information... Continue...

Bringing Science to National Policies

Joan Tucker and Rebecca Collins, RAND
As graduate students in social psychology, neither of us imagined that our research careers would lead us to work in a policy "think tank." Continue...

Dilbert Notwithstanding...

Allan H. Church, PricewaterhouseCoopers, LLP
First and foremost, I should state for the record that I am an organizational psychologist. Contrary to what some might believe, this does not mean I help individuals organize their lives (or their calendars, or whatever). Continue...

Putting Psychology Out to Pasture

Lucille Woolis Andersen, Wildcat Creek Farms
Here's some advice for a psychological scientist contemplating a move to the world of business: Training in scientific methods will gain you the respect of scientific-minded colleagues and support personnel, and training in human relations and behavior will enable you to better communicate and work with them. Continue...

Sleeping With the Enemy?

David B. Peterson, Personnel Decisions International
Long before I knew such a thing existed, I wanted to be a scientist-practitioner. In college, majoring in linguistics, my goal was to do something that made a difference for people... Continue...

Flexibility Be Thy Name

Renée J. Stout, AlignMark
For anyone in academics contemplating a move to the business world, I have the following advice: flexibility be thy name. Continue...

OBSERVER
American Psychological Society October 2000
Vol. 13, No. 8