Adam Lueke, an Associate Teaching Professor in the Department of Psychological Science, first entered the field because of his love for identifying and explaining the behavior of humans. He’s been teaching at Ball State University since 2016. “We have a very large department,” he says, “and our students are among the highest achieving and most awarded on campus.”
“Our students are among the highest achieving and most awarded on campus.”
When asked about his department and the other faculty, he shares, “They sincerely care about their students and go far beyond their paycheck to help students achieve. Everyone works incredibly hard and they’re dedicated to the success of the department and its students.”
As a professor, Dr. Lueke feels that one of the best aspects of the job for him is the flexibility. He is an online teacher, but he also has a lot of opportunities to work on research projects with students as well as teaching the first Research Seminar class online. “There are also a lot of opportunities for altering your schedule or teaching and developing new courses. I have developed two courses over the years, and have had the opportunity to engage with students in myriad ways,” he says.
Dr. Lueke’s Philosophy of Teaching
When it comes to his teaching practices, Dr. Lueke believes in being professional, but not too formal. “I like [using] real work examples of research…to illustrate points in my classes,” Dr. Lueke says. “It makes the lessons more tangible when you see how they are put into practice.”
Dr. Lueke also enjoys using humor in his lectures and believes in being approachable and good natured. He values encouraging discussion in his classes and ensuring that students feel empowered to interact with the subject matter.
Involvement in the Master’s in Data Science Program
Because of his background as a psychological statistics professor and researcher, Dr. Lueke got involved with the Master’s in Data Science in the Spring 2024 semester, developing a course for the Coursera-based program. The course teaches students about different data analytics techniques used within the social sciences. “Overall, it was a great hit, with graduate students giving it high marks and saying it was a very enjoyable class.”
Dr. Lueke explains that the concepts taught in this class were familiar to him from previous experience, but this was the first time teaching them for this particular program. He explains, “It was a matter of distilling them down to the most important and easily digestible pieces of information that would best benefit our graduate students, and do so in an approachable and enjoyable manner that would hopefully stick far beyond the length of the class.”
Recent Projects and Publications
Working on research projects and papers for publication are part of the career path for someone in the Psychological Sciences. Dr. Lueke recently completed a project related to mindfulness and the theory of the mind in which they examined how doing a brief meditation can improve one’s ability to take on other people’s perspectives, both emotionally and cognitively. Dr. Lueke also has several other papers under review and recently published, exploring subjects like the effects of casual sex and the cognitive bias of political correctness.
Advice to Students in the Program
For students interested in pursuing a degree in psychological science, Dr. Lueke recommends engagement. “Getting good grades is something to strive for,” he explains, “but it isn’t enough.” What can someone do to be more engaged? Dr. Lueke suggests volunteering in a research lab or becoming a teaching assistant to get closer to the material. It can also help to join a psychology club like Psi Chi or do an Honor’s Thesis to practice doing your own unique research. After all, that will be an essential part of the career after college, and publication credit looks great on your resume.
Connecting with Students Through Psyche
Speaking of publication, Dr. Lueke reflects on his experience as a faculty advisor of Psyche, Ball State University’s undergraduate journal in psychology. In this role, Dr. Lueke worked alongside Dr. Ritchey and his wife, Dr. Mrs. Lueke, as her students call her to differentiate between the two Dr. Luekes. The three of them worked together to teach students how to evaluate original research, review submissions for publication, interact with authors regarding feedback, and assemble a journal for publication: all valuable experiences that will be useful in their future careers.
“We’ve successfully published two volumes of Psyche,” Dr. Lueke tells us proudly. “Students have really found the experience to be rewarding. It’s a really valuable skill to have to learn to critique research, and it provides undergraduates with a unique opportunity to get their work published and out to a wider audience. It’s been a really great experience for everyone involved.”
Dr. Lueke is particularly committed to teaching his students about the importance of publishing in the field, explaining that “empirical research can benefit the way that you move through and interact with the world. When you learn how to do empirical research, you learn how to evaluate claims. You learn how to think critically and to refrain from passively accepting information. It changes the way you deal with people, and the way that you make decisions in your personal life.”
Researching and publishing findings is an important part of learning and growing in the field of psychology, Dr. Lueke says. “Learning to do research, and to write it up for publication in a way that builds your case to the reader, is learning how to think properly – to think effectively.”
He concludes by sharing that he considers the truth-seeking enterprise to be a great responsibility and real joy. He says, “I am fortunate to have a career in the psychological sciences that has fostered my ability to do that, and helped me grow professionally and personally. I am very grateful to Ball State and to the Department of Psychological Science for providing me a home and the support necessary to pursue these endeavors.”
“I am fortunate to have a career in the psychological sciences that has fostered my ability to do that, and helped me grow professionally and personally. I am very grateful to Ball State and to the Department of Psychological Science for providing me a home and the support necessary to pursue these endeavors.”