Melissa Sturge-Apple honored as a fellow of the American Psychological Association
Melissa Sturge-Apple, interim dean of the Warner School of Education and Human Development, has been named a fellow of the ) — the leading scientific and professional organization representing psychology in the United States, with more than 170,000 members. The honor recognizes Sturge-Apple’s significant research contributions to the field of psychology.
According to APA, fellow status is awarded to members whose work has demonstrated unusual and outstanding contributions, with a national impact on the field of psychology that extends beyond local or regional levels.
In addition to her work at the Warner School, Sturge-Apple is a longtime faculty member in the at the ’s&Բ; and researcher at the . Her research centers on parenting and child development, with a particular focus on families experiencing adversity. Her research has long been supported by funding from the National Institutes of Health and other University-sponsored initiatives.
Guided by the University’s values and traditions, she has led interdisciplinary research teams dedicated to improving the lives of children and families affected by violence, abuse, neglect, or trauma — through both basic science research and clinical trials of evidence-based interventions.
Sturge-Apple has published more than 100 empirical papers, including in leading APA journals Developmental Psychology and the Journal of Family Psychology. She currently serves on the board of the Journal of Family Psychology and is an associate editor of Development and Psychopathology.
An active member of APA since 1998, she chaired APA Division 43’s Student Research Award Committee (Society for Family Psychology) from 2011 to 2013.
Sturge-Apple joined the Warner School in 2024 as interim dean, following her role as vice provost and dean of graduate education at the University. Earlier in her career, she worked as a middle and high school counselor for six years.
“I am grateful for the support of APA and many of its current fellows, including those at the Ƶ, for guiding me toward a successful career path in psychology,” says Sturge-Apple. “I’m especially thankful to my students and my colleagues in the Department of Psychology, Mt. Hope Family Center, and Warner School. I couldn’t do this work without their support. I’m truly honored to be recognized as a fellow by the most prestigious psychological organization in the country.”