Professor Dan Krauss Receives
Early Career Research Award

In recognition of early career achievements in psychological research, Daniel Krauss, associate professor of psychology at CMC, has been awarded the prestigious Early Career Research Award for 2010 by the Western Psychology Association.
Given to just one recipient each year, the award recognizes individuals who are relatively new on their career pathtypically just 10 or fewer years past achieving their Ph.D.
In Krauss's case, the award takes into consideration, by his own estimation, everything he has accomplished thus far in his career, including 30 chapters of books and/or scholarly articles, three edited books, and his $200,000 research grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF).
"The thing I'm most proud of is that six separate Claremont McKenna undergraduates who are co-authors of some of the book chapters and articles. Many more CMC students also played a major role in the NSF grant," Krauss says. "My research broadly examines the intersection of psychology and law with a special emphasis on disconnects, where psychological knowledge is not being used appropriately by the legal system."
Diane Halpern, professor of psychology at CMC and chair of the psychology department, wrote one of two letters nominating Krauss for the award.
"Dan is an exceptional colleague, teacher and scholar," Halpern says. "He is both a licensed clinical psychologist and an attorney. His research, widely regarded as among the best in his field, is at the intersection of these fields, and he is an expert on the use of psychological principles in the courtroom.
"Dan asks good research questions," she continues. "And he answers them via careful experimental designs. He writes beautifully and his research is perhaps best described as elegant."
Krauss says that psychology and the law have a lot to learn from each other. Psychological research pertinent to legal rules, standards, and decision-making, he says, can clearly be used more appropriately by the legal system.
"Further, I hope my research will influence those in the legal field to make necessary and important changes in areas where the current system is not working well," he says. "I also endeavor to educate psychologists about the law so that they may provide useful expertise to the legal system."
The Early Career Research Award is just the latest honor for Krauss. Last year The American Board of Professional Psychology certified Krauss in forensic psychologythe highest level of clinical practice certification available. The designation makes Krauss one of about 250 clinical psychologists in the nation board-certified in this areathis clinical practice attainment is highly unusual among professors at small liberal arts colleges.
Krauss believes that CMC has, by far, the best liberal arts psychology department in the country. "Choose any metric you wish," he says.
"Moreover, the applied focus of our departmentresearch on real world problemsis unique and fully consistent with the overarching mission of the College."