Contact
Email
Location
Tobin 631

Education

PhD, 2003; MS, 1999, University of Massachusetts Amherst

BA, 1996, Salem State College

Teaching

AWARDS
2022  Nominee, University of Massachusetts Distinguished Teaching Award   
2021  Winner, University of Massachusetts College of Natural Science Teaching Award  
2020  Nominee, University of Massachusetts College of Natural Science Teaching Award  
2018  Nominee, University of Massachusetts Distinguished Teaching Award  
2017  Nominee, University of Massachusetts Distinguished Teaching Award  
2014  University of Massachusetts Residential First-Year Experience Student-Choice Award 
2011  University of Massachusetts Residential First-Year Experience Student-Choice Award 
2010  University of Massachusetts Residential First-Year Experience Student-Choice Award 
2009  University of Massachusetts Residential First-Year Experience Student-Choice Award 
2007  Nominee, University of Massachusetts Distinguished Teaching Award  
2002  Nominee, McKeachie Early Career Teaching Award, The Society for the Teaching of Psychology 
2001  Nominee, McKeachie Early Career Teaching Award, The Society for the Teaching of Psychology
2000  Nominee, University of Massachusetts Distinguished Teaching Award  
2000  Award for Demonstrated Effectiveness in Teaching, Division of Continuing Education, University of Massachusetts 

Courses taught
PSYCH 100: Introductory Psychology
PSYCH 360: Social Psychology
PSYCH 370: Personality Theory
PSYCH 391LB (formerly PSYCH 391ZZ): Psychology of the Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual Experience

Service

Coordinator of Online Instruction, Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences

(I mentor graduate students who are teaching their first online course, but I am not involved in hiring instructors and I am not the contact person for individuals seeking online teaching positions)

Biography

Dr. Bickford regularly teaches Introductory Psychology, Social Psychology, Personality Theory, and Psychology of the Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual Experience. He also mentors and supervises instructors in online teaching of psychology and often teaches online versions of his regular courses through the Division of Continuing and Professional Education. His specialty area is personality and social psychology, and his primary interest is gay and lesbian psychology. His past research involved the development of a multidimensional model and a corresponding self-report measure of sexual orientation as distinct from sexual identity (but Dr. Bickford is now focused on undergraduate teaching and is no longer active in research). His other interests include social cognition, social influence, self-concept and identity, and social stigma. Dr. Bickford's teaching style is heavily influenced by his passions for social justice, self-acceptance, and empowerment of the marginalized. Along with the traditional course content, he helps his students to learn to understand, accept, and stand up for themselves and others.

Dr. Bickford is also well regarded as an enthusiastic but terrible 5-string banjo player.