Stephen A. Lisman Lecture

Stephen A. Lisman Lecture Series in Clinical Psychology

The Stephen A. Lisman Annual Lecture in Clinical Psychology was established in 2015 to sponsor an annual lecture given by a top clinical psychologist in the nation. The lecture series is in honor of Professor Lisman's 43 years of service and his contributions to Binghamton University and the clinical psychology field. The series is meant to enhance the quality of training and education and expose students, faculty and the Binghamton community to important topics in the profession. 

Please join us in enhancing the graduate education of clinical psychology students at Binghamton, and provide leadership to practicing clinicians in the community. To support the Stephen A. Lisman lecture series make a gift today.

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2023 Lecture Series:

"Rewards and the Mood Rollercoaster: A Reward Hypersensitivity Perspective on Bipolar Spectrum Disorders"

What explains the rollercoaster of mood, energy, interest and cognition in people with bipolar spectrum disorders (BSDs)?

Part of the answer may lie in an overly sensitive reward system vulnerable to extreme increases and decreases in goal-seeking and reward responsiveness, leading, in turn, to hypomania/mania and depression.

An internationally recognized researcher in the area of mood disorders, Lauren B. Alloy will discuss the Reward Hypersensitivity Model of BSDs and some of her research that tests predictions of the theory.

She will present evidence of reward hypersensitivity as a vulnerability for initial onset and a worsening course of BSDs, the role of reward-relevant life events in triggering bipolar episodes and neural reward system responses, neural correlates of vulnerability to BSDs, and social and circadian rhythm disruption as a mediator of the effects of reward-relevant life events on BSD symptoms. She will also address the implications of reward hypersensitivity for the assessment and treatment of BSDs.

Click here to watch the 2023 Lisman Lecture


Lauren B. Alloy, PhD

Lauren B. Alloy
Lauren B. Alloy

Lauren B. Alloy is the Laura H. Carnell Professor of Psychology and Neuroscience and the Joseph Wolpe Distinguished Faculty in Psychology and Neuroscience at Temple University. Alloy started her career at Northwestern University, where she was the youngest full professor in the university's history and the first woman to become professor in the Psychology Department. 

Alloy’s research focuses on cognitive, psychosocial, developmental and neurobiological processes in the onset and course of depression and bipolar disorder, and has been funded continuously by the National Institute of Mental Health for more than 30 years. She is the author of more than 430 scholarly articles and a fellow of APA, APS, ABCT and APPA.

Alloy has received multiple professional honors and awards for her research, as well as her mentorship. Colloquially known as “Alloy’s Angels,” many of her former students have enjoyed successful and rewarding careers in the field, including Binghamton University Psychology Professor Brandon Gibb.


  • 2021 Workshop

    All-Day Workshop:

    "Dialectical Behavior Therapy: Origins, Principles, Applications, & Outcomes"
    Alan E. Fruzzetti

  • 2020 Workshop

    All-Day Workshop:

    "Acceptance and Commitment Therapy in Mental Health Practice"
    John Forsyth

  • 2019 Lecture/Speaker

    "Contributions of Psychological Science to the Understanding and Treatment of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)"

    Terence M. Keane, MA ’76, PHD ’79, SD ’11, National Center for PTSD VA Boston Healthcare System Boston University School of Medicine.

    In the past four decades, we’ve experienced remarkable progress in our understanding of the prevalence of trauma exposure and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), as well as its assessment and treatment. Many of the advances have resulted from the application of psychological principles to the development of strong clinical assessment instruments and to the application of effective cognitive behavioral interventions to this condition. Reviewing this remarkable progress from the vantage point of a 42-year observer and contributor–from the initial case studies that brought attention to the disorder, to the construction of the most widely used assessment instruments, to participation in President Obama’s National Research Action Plan (2013) that created the Consortium to Alleviate PTSD, this presentation highlighted the current status of psychological treatments for PTSD while providing insights into innovative new directions for future work.

    View Terence M. Keane's Lecture

  • 2018 Lecture/Speaker

    "What Is Psychopathic Personality? Personal Reflections from a Bumpy 30-Year Scientific Journey"

    Scott Lilienfeld, Samuel Candler Dobbs Professor of Psychology at Emory University in Atlanta.

    This presentation discussed Scott Lilienfeld's research of the nature and boundaries of psychopathic personality (psychopathy) from the perspective of his own research program, and those of others. Lilienfeld argued that psychopathy is not a single, unified entity and that longstanding efforts (including his own) to identify its cause(s) have been largely misguided. Lilienfeld offered evidence that psychopathy is instead an "emergent interpersonal syndrome" marked by the co-occurrence of at least three separable dispositions that, when present in conjunction, yield socially malignant outcomes. Lilienfeld examined the implications of this controversial view for the assessment, causes, treatment, and prevention of psychopathy.

    View Dr. Lilienfeld's lecture. 

  • 2017 Lecture/Speaker

    "The Future of Psychological Treatments: Focus on Disorders of Emotion"

    David H. Barlow, PhD, Professor of Psychology and Psychiatry Founder and Director Emeritus, Center for Anxiety and Related Disorders Boston University.

    This presentation discussed Barlow's research, creating and disseminating evidence based treatments, developing the transdiagnostic model, and offering ideas about treatments to come. Barlow highlighted the importance of the role of temperament and the development of new assessment and interventions focusing on underlying common mechanisms of large classes of disorders across the "neurotic spectrum." Finally, Barlow offered new data on the efficacy of transdiagnostic approaches compared to more focused single diagnosis treatments along with applications of this approach to different types of problems such as eating disorders and trauma in global mental health contexts. Dr. Barlow generously made his slides available to students and alumni; you can request a copy from Mary Ellen Gates.

  • 2016 Lecture/Speaker

    "Alcohol and Drug Problems: How Lessons from Clinicians and Researchers are Shaping Treatment"

    Barbara S. McCrady, PhD, Distinguished Professor of Psychology Director of The Center on Alcoholism, Substance Abuse, and Addictions (CASAA) University of New Mexico.

    This presentation discussed the evolution of alcohol and drug treatment in the last 40 years, and how the dynamic interplay between research and clinical practice has shaped that evolution. McCrady talked about research on the structure of the treatment delivery system, mutual help groups such as Alcoholics Anonymous, specific behavioral treatments, and underserved populations. McCrady also discussed the implications of the changing demography of the U.S. and how changing models for delivery of health care services may impact alcohol and drug treatment and research. Dr. McCrady generously made her slides available to students and alumni; you can request a copy from Mary Ellen Gates.

  • 2015 Lecture/Speaker

    "Suicide: Where We Are, Where We're Going and What's Keeping Us From Getting there"

    Marsha Linehan, PhD, Professor, Department of Psychology Director, Behavioral Research and Therapy Clinics University of Washington.

    The presentation discussed where the field of suicide intervention research started, the successes and failures that have been encountered thus far, as well as the critical issues that still need to be addressed in order to move the field forward. It included a summary of the suicide intervention research trials to date and the directions the field is heading toward addressing the complex problem of suicidal behavior.


Thank you to all of the alumni and friends whose generosity makes this annual event possible. For questions, please email Stephen A Lisman.