Sam Castelblanco

Biography

Dr. Castelblanco earned a bachelor's degree in Philosophy from Vanderbilt University, a master's degree in Psychology with a concentration in Academic Psychology (teaching Psychology) from East Carolina University, and a Ph.D. in Experimental Psychology (with a Social Psychology focus) from East Tennessee State University. She has 11 years of experience teaching psychology (Asheville-Buncombe Community College, University of North Carolina at Asheville, East Tennessee State University) and is excited about teaching students at Western Carolina University. Her research interests involve examining the impact of nature exposure on health and well-being and when she's not teaching, she likes to be outdoors hiking, mountain biking, and kayaking with her husband and three children.

Education

• Ph D, East Tennessee State University

Teaching Interests

<b>Teaching Interests:</b><br>General Psychology<br>Social Psychology<br>Ecopsychology<br>Behavioral Economics<br><br><b>Courses Taught at WCU:</b><br>Cognitive Psychology (PSY444)<br>Developmental Psychology I: Childhood (PSY320)<br>Careers and Issues in Psychology (PSY250)<br>General Psychology (PSY150)<br><br><b>Past Teaching Experience:</b><br>Social Psychology (PSY237)<br>Lifespan Development (PSY240)<br>General Psychology (PSY150, PSYC1310)

Research Interests

Dr. Castelblanco's research interests center on how social relationships impact health and well-being. Her current research program focuses on investigating the effects of nature exposure on social health. She is also interested in adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and their impact on social relationships. <br><br>Dr. Castelblanco will be accepting graduate students for the <b>Fall 2024</b> application cycle. Interested students should contact Dr. Castelblanco directly at <b>scastelblanco@wcu.edu</b>.