NATCHITOCHES – Dr. Patrice Moulton, a professor of psychology at Northwestern State University, is the 2020 recipient of the Dr. Mildred Hart Bailey Faculty Research Award, presented annually to a member of the NSU faculty in recognition of outstanding research or distinguished artistic performance or creative work substantially completed within the past three years. The work is evaluated by its scholarly or creative significance; national, regional or local impact; originality and ingenuity of project design, and critical recognition by authorities in the field.
Moulton received a Fulbright Award in 2017 for her work in Nepal, where she served as a consultant and cultural ambassador while launching the country’s inaugural degree program in counseling psychology. Earlier this year was named president of the Louisiana Fulbright Chapter,
The Fulbright Program is the flagship international educational exchange program sponsored by the U.S. government. It is designed to increase mutual understanding between the people of the United States and the people of other countries.
“This scholarship has opened many doors I could not have imagined for teaching, research, publishing, presenting and collaborating with world leaders and researchers,” she said.
In three years, Moulton has completed two book publications, a Fulbright placement to Nepal, invited forums in Washington and Thailand concerning mental health awareness, published four articles, presented 14 international professional research papers with five of those being keynote addresses. She did so while remaining active on the NSU campus with full teaching loads, developing courses, chairing thesis, participating in NSU Research Day and mentoring both faculty and student research projects across campus.
“It has been challenging but extremely rewarding to represent NSU and Fulbright in the field of mental health,” she said.
Most of Moulton’s personal research design and productivity in recent years have been specifically related to mental health as related to human rights and social justice.
“Social justice seeks to ensure that people, particularly those who are most vulnerable in society, can have their voices heard, their rights defended and their views and needs genuinely considered when decisions are made about their lives,” Moulton said. “I have designed research projects, books, chapters and articles, volunteer work, presentations and keynote speeches around raising voices for social issues that impact disenfranchised populations.”
Moulton’s research has been recognized by the Fulbright Association and by leaders in higher education, mental health and international government. She assisted in writing curriculum and training faculty for the first master’s degree program in psychology in Nepal and has been invited to sit with government leaders and provide information regarding current status and recommendations for mental health legislation in the U.S., Thailand and Nepal.
Moulton served as a Fulbright Specialist to Nepal in 2018 and has been a member of the Fulbright Association since her return as a Fulbright alumna. She recently traveled to Thailand to serve as a Fulbright representative and has worked as liaison to the Fulbright Association housed in Washington, D.C. She was visiting faculty and academic consultant at the Institute of Crisis Management Studies/Kathmandu College of Management and presented at Samarpan Academy as international visiting faculty.
She authored “Helping Others” and coauthored “Clinical Supervision in the Helping Professions.”
In addition to the Fulbright recognition, Moulton has also be recognized with a humanitarian award for disaster relief following the 2017 Nepal earthquakes and was involved in the development of the early childhood development playroom at the Little Moon School and the dedication of the Dr. Patrice Moulton Library at the Rhombus School.
The Dr. Mildred Hart Bailey Research Award is normally presented during Research Day, which was cancelled last spring due to COVID-19. This year, nominations and applications were considered after the university returned to campus for the fall semester and start of the 2020-21 academic year.
