I am a PhD student in industrial and organizational (I/O) psychology at DePaul University. While I/O is one of the least-known branches of psychology, our work has a far-reaching effect on an important domain in people’s lives—their work.

The field consists of two major divisions: industrial and organizational. Industrial psychologists often focus on topics such as job analysis and design; employee recruitment, selection, and training; and performance appraisal (Spector, 2003). Specifically, industrial psychologists explore how individuals function within the work setting (Kuther, 2005). Organizational psychologists often focus on topics such as organizational dynamics, employee attitudes and behaviors, motivation, and work/life balance. Organizational psychologists are interested in exploring how workers function within organizational systems (Kuther, 2005).

My research interests include job analysis; employee recruitment, selection, and training; and statistics. In addition, I am interested in how I/O research can be applied to not-for-profit settings.

I graduated from Clarke College (now Clarke University) with a BA in English and religious studies in 2004. In June 2011, I obtained an MS in public service management from DePaul University. In my thesis, which I wrote under the direction of Dr. Christopher Einolf, I explored not-for-profit stakeholders’ perceptions of the effectiveness of board orientation and ongoing training opportunities.

Please feel free to connect with me via Twitter or by emailing me at daniel.abben@gmail<dot>com.