Through the University of Georgia’s Precision One Health cluster of the Presidential Interdisciplinary Hiring Initiative, the Colleges of Pharmacy and Veterinary Medicine have jointly appointed Dr. Richard Lamb as a new faculty member. Dr. Lamb is a member of the Clinical and Administrative Pharmacy Department at the College of Pharmacy, and he works in the Physiology and Pharmacology Department at Veterinary Medicine.
Dr. Lamb’s research focuses on identifying cognitive markers of learning and enhancing information processing using novel technologies in educational settings. A key area of his work uses psychophysiological measurement tools and virtual reality environments to provide learning opportunities and to assess student cognitive, emotional, and behavioral states. Dr. Lamb has worked with students of all ages, from pre-K through postgraduate levels. Along with his faculty duties, Dr. Lamb will serve as Director of the Neurocognition Science Laboratory, an interdisciplinary collaborative at UGA.
Precision One Health is one of the key clusters in UGA’s Presidential Interdisciplinary Hiring Initiative launched in 2023 to recruit faculty members with expertise in applying data science and artificial intelligence to some of society’s most urgent challenges. A majority of these faculty members have joint appointments between interdisciplinary colleges on campus. Precision One Health seeks to understand how genetics, the environment, and lifestyles provide the most efficacious approaches in preventing and treating diseases of humans and animals.
“Dr. Lamb’s interdisciplinary expertise bridges neuroscience, psychology, computer science, and education in innovative ways. His research in applying technologies to optimize learning and wellbeing has incredible potential to impact how we educate future pharmacists.”
– Kelly Smith, Dean of the College of Pharmacy
Dr. Lamb earned his PhD in Science Education and Measurement from George Mason University in 2013. He has been on faculty at multiple universities that include the University at Buffalo, Washington State University, and East Carolina. Courses he has taught include learning technologies, neuroimaging, psychometrics, counseling research, and advanced quantitative methods, such as machine learning. His research aims to translate basic neuroscience into educational practices that improve learning outcomes.
“The College of Pharmacy will use Dr. Lamb’s measurement and learning sciences expertise to enhance its curriculum and instruction for student pharmacists,” said Dr. Mike Fulford, Assistant Dean for Institutional Effectiveness and Strategic Initiatives and Director of Faculty Affairs. “His hiring reflects the College’s vision to implement cutting-edge, technology-driven approaches to pharmacy education.”
