Jeanette Altarriba joined the Department of Psychology in 1992 as an assistant professor of psychology. She was promoted to associate professor in 1998. Professor Altarriba�s ability to teach in three different disciplines — psychology, Latin American studies, and linguistics and cognitive science — is considered unusually broad.

She is a demanding instructor who sets extremely high goals for herself and her students, and she spends the time and effort necessary to help students achieve those goals. She accomplishes this through the structure of her class, the assignments and supplementary materials she provides, and, most importantly, the time she freely gives to students.

Altarriba structures the learning environment in such a way that her students are required to respond; they learn quickly that she responds to every assignment and question they ask.

Outside the classroom she is an adviser for student groups, which have grown in membership under her guidance. Finally, she effectively links from the classroom to research by training students to work in her expanding research agenda.

As a scholar, during the period of review, Altarriba published two co-authored books, six co-authored articles and one paper in refereed professional journals, as well as one co-authored book chapter. She has nine submitted manuscripts under review or revision, and has made 13 presentations at professional meetings.

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