����ֱ��

The ����ֱ�� recently recognized two members of the ����ֱ�� community for their commitment to free expression, open inquiry, and civil discourse around challenging topics, exemplifying the University’s commitment to fostering a robust marketplace of ideas among all faculty, students, and professional staff.

Julie Peterson, Ph.D., a professor of psychology, and Lauren Woodward, ����ֱ��’s manager of housekeeping, were presented with the President's Award for Constructive Discourse during the annual employee Fall Assembly on Wednesday, Aug. 26, on ����ֱ��’s Biddeford Campus. 

Established by ����ֱ�� President James Herbert, the award recognizes members of the faculty and professional staff who have shown exceptional dedication to promoting constructive, thoughtful discourse on difficult or controversial topics within the ����ֱ�� community. Each year, the University solicits nominations for those who have done exceptional work in promoting discourse across differences in the University community to be recognized by the award, which carries a $1,000 honorarium.

In his Fall Assembly address, Herbert said the examples that Peterson and Woodard set emulate “the fundamental role of the academy as the ultimate marketplace of ideas,” one the University works to fulfill.

More information about the award recipients and their roles in ����ֱ��’s Marketplace of Ideas initiative.

Faculty Recipient: Julie Longua Peterson, Ph.D.

Julie Peterson, a psychology professor in the School of Psychology and Brain Science in the College of Arts and Sciences, was presented with the faculty award for teaching students to think critically about how people form beliefs, make decisions, and interpret the world around them. 

Herbert highlighted in his remarks how important Peterson’s work is at this time in history during such politically polarizing times.

“Through her focus on the epistemology of ignorance — exploring how our personal blind spots limit our understanding — (Julie) helps students recognize that biases and selective perception are not just problems that affect other people, but are universal human tendencies,” Herbert said. “She’s teaching them to resist easy explanations, to reject groupthink, and to make their own judgements thoughtfully.”

Herbert also noted how, as a psychologist himself, he understands how prone people can be to various biases and oversimplifications. 

“I applaud Julie for teaching her students to resist these tendencies so they can understand and discuss complex problems via critical thinking, rather than reflexively seeking easy explanations,” Herbert said.

Professional Staff Award: Lauren Woodward

As ����ֱ��’s manager of housekeeping, Lauren Woodward’s position involves daily interaction with the University’s housekeeping leads and housekeepers on both the Biddeford and Portland campuses. As such, Woodward has worked more and more in recent years to hire, train, and manage employees who are new Mainers.

Herbert lauded Woodward for supporting, assisting, and continuing to be a “steady, calming presence for these valued members of ����ֱ��’s community.” At the same time, Herbert said, Woodward doesn’t shy away from conversations across differences — an open-dialogue practice he said is so needed today.

“When Lauren engages people in conversation, she welcomes disagreement, offers feedback, and creates space for perspectives that may be unpopular or in the minority. She pushes her colleagues to examine their assumptions without making them afraid to express their viewpoints,” Herbert said. “She lets people know she values them, even if their viewpoints differ from her own.

“This is precisely the type of climate we’re trying to foster here at ����ֱ��,” Herbert noted.