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MEADVILLE, Pa. – Oct. 8, 2010 – Noted psychology professor Jerusha Detweiler-Bedell will present the 15th annual Pelletier Library Lecture – “Beauty and the Beast: Optimism, Control and the Artistry of Experience” – on Tuesday, Oct. 19 at 4:30 p.m. in the library on the Allegheny College campus. The lecture will be followed by a reception; both events are free and open to the public.

A faculty member at Lewis and Clark College, Detweiler-Bedell will discuss the role of individuals’ freedom to make choices and their emotionality in day-to-day living. The talk, she explains, will provide “a better understanding of the artistry of experience—that is how to conquer the beast, sustain control and find beauty.”

Detweiler-Bedell’s research brings together investigations of human decision-making, health psychology and clinical psychology. Her work addresses the challenges that individuals face in adopting and continuing to carry out behaviors that increase physical health and mental well-being.

In 2008, Detweiler-Bedell received the Outstanding Baccalaureate Colleges Professor of the Year Award from the Council for Advancement and Support of Education and the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching. This honor is the only national award for excellence in undergraduate teaching and mentoring.

Detweiler-Bedell holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in psychology from Stanford University as well as two master’s degrees and a doctorate in clinical psychology from Yale University.

For more information about the Pelletier Library Lecture, contact Don Vrabel at (814) 332-3769.