Melissa J Dolese, Ph.D.
Melissa J Dolese, Ph.D. (she/her)
Assistant Professor of Psychology
Arts and Sciences — Social Sciences
Education
Doctorate in the Psychology subprogram of Cognition, Brain, and Behavior from the City University of New York's Graduate Center
Advanced Training Certificate in Ecopsychology from Pacifica Graduate Institute’s Retreat Center
Forest Therapy Guide certification through the Forest Therapy School
200-Hour Yoga Teacher Training through the Flying Lotus Yoga Studio
Research Interests
The psychology of art and aesthetics - meaning-making and communication in the visual arts, along with the aesthetic experience and aesthetic emotions, specifically, connection and alienation. I am also interested in mindfulness and compassion cultivation.
Recently, I began exploring how aesthetic experiences affect prosocial behavior. Art viewing appears to foster compassionate actions toward strangers. In my work curating and designing Earth Day events, I aim to create aesthetic and connected experiences that promote pro-environmental behavior. This pro-sociality extends beyond just human interactions; it includes fostering a sense of relationship and connection with the more-than-human world.
Professional Affiliations
International Association for Empirical Aesthetics (IAEA)
Courses Taught
- Introduction to Psychology
- Ecopsychology
- Environmental Psychology
- Evolutionary Psychology
- Biological Psychology
- Sensory Psychology
- Psychology of Art and Aesthetics
- Transpersonal Psychology
- Research Methods in the Social Sciences
Melissa J Dolese, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor of Psychology
Arts and Sciences — Social Sciences
- Email address: mjdolese@alaska.edu
- Phone number: 907-796-6419
- Building location: Whitehead Bldg 215, Juneau Campus
- External resource TEDx talk: The Beauty of Interconnection