Reuven Sussman, B.Sc.
(reuvens@uvic.ca)

Research Interests:

My research interests are in Environmental Psychology, focusing primarily on pro-environmental behaviour. Throughout my M.Sc. and now in my Ph.D., I have conducted several studies on social networks (promoting pro-environmental attitudes through social groups), commons dilemmas (working together to share resources), modeling (seeing others composting encourages the behaviour), and visual prompts (using signs to promote sustainable behaviour). I have a strong preference for employing observational measures of actual behaviour in my research, and my future research will continue to focus on encouraging pro-environmental behaviour using social psychological principles. If each of us starts behaving more sustainably, we can make an important impact on the future of our planet.

Note: Prior to starting my graduate studies at UVic, I also conducted research on fetal toxicology.

Education:

2010 - Present		Doctor of Philosophy, University of Victoria Social and Environmental Psychology Visiting year at University of Alberta, studying Scientific Inference and Social Psychology (2010-11)
2007 - 2009		Masters of Science, University of Victoria Environmental Psychology
2009		FirstStep: Environmental Psychology Summer School, Gronigen, Netherlands
1998 - 2003		Honours Bachelor of Science, University of Toronto Specialist in psychology, Minor in Computer Science Graduated with distinction

Publications:

Submitted: Sussman, R., Gifford, R., Lum, B., Gay, M., & Chan, E. (2011). Cooperation in a Commons Dilemma: Hometown and Cultural Background.

Sussman, R., & Gifford, R. (in press). Be the Change You Want to See: Modeling Food Composting in Public.

Gifford, R. & Sussman, R. (in press). Urban Psychology: The Psychological Needs of City Dwellers. In F. Zeman (Ed.). Handbook of metropolitan sustainability. New York: Woodhead Publishing Ltd.

Sussman, R., & Gifford, R. (2012). Please Turn Off the Lights: The Effectiveness of Visual Prompts. Applied Ergonomics, 43, 596-603

Gifford, R. & Sussman, R. (In Press). Environmental Attitudes. In S. Clayton (Ed.). Handbook of Environmental and Conservation Psychology. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Sussman, R., Greeno, M., Gifford, R., & Scannell, L. (In Press). The Effectiveness of Models and Prompts on Waste Diversion: A Field Experiment on Composting by Cafeteria Patrons. Journal of Applied Social Psychology.

Sussman, R. (2009). Analysis of the Current State of the Housing and Construction Sector in BC. Report prepared for: Building and Safety Policy Branch, Government of British Columbia. Victoria, BC.

Staroselsky, A., Fantus, E., Sussman R., Sandor, P., Koren, G., & Nulman, I. (2009). Predictors of Behavioural Phenotype in Children with Psychiatric Disorders Exposed in Utero to Alcohol. Pediatric Drugs, 11, 22-25.

Nulman, I., Tcharnaia, L., Lubetsky, A., Sussman, R., & Nava-Ocampo, A.A. (2007) Neurodevelopment of Children Exposed to Antidepressant Medications During Gestation: A Critical Overview and Preliminary Meta-Analysis. The International Society of Psychosomatic Obstetrics and Gynecology Proceedings. Kyoto, Japan. [NOTE: This is a full-text article]

Nulman, I., Sussman, R., Farber, N., Chitayat, D., & Koren, G. (2007). Fetal Malformations Associated with Drugs & Chemicals: Visualization by Sonography/fetal MRI. In G. Koren (Ed.), Medication Safety in Pregnancy and Breastfeeding. (pp. 39-74). New York: McGraw-Hill

Sussman, R., & Koren, G. (2006, August 21). Attenuating the Effects of Prenatal Alcohol Exposure with Postnatal Interventions: Critical Review of Animal Studies and Applications to Clinical Research. JFAS Int, 4, Article e13. Retrieved September, 2007, from http://www.motherisk.org/JFAS_documents/

Koren, G., Nava-Ocampo, A.A., Moretti, M.E., Sussman, R., & Nulman I. (2006) Major malformations with valproic acid. Canadian Family Physician, 52, 441-447.

Conference Presentations:

Sussman, R., & Gifford, R. (2011). Please Turn Off the Lights: The Effectiveness of Visual Prompts. Canadian Psychological Association Annual Convention.June 2-4, Toronto, ON. Canadian Psychology, 52:2a.

Sussman, R., & Gifford, R. (2010). The Effectiveness of Prompts and Models on Food Composting by Restaurant Patrons. International Congress of Applied Psychology, July 11-17, Melbourne, Australia.

Lavallee, L., Sussman, R., Iglesias, F., & Gifford, R. (2010). The logic of conservation and the role of social influence in undermining conservation. The Canadian Psychological Association's 71st Annual Convention, June 3-5. Winnipeg, MB.

Lavallee, L., Sussman, R., Iglesias, F., & Gifford, R. (2009). Environmental Attitudes and Cooperative Norms as Predictors of Conservation. 8th Biennial Conference on Environmental Psychology, September 7 – 9. Zurich, Switzerland.

Sussman, R., Greeno, M., Scannell, L., Gifford, R. (2009). The Effectiveness of Signs and Models in Increasing Food-Waste Composting. Canadian Psychological Association Annual Convention. June 12, Montreal, QC. Canadian Psychology, 50:2a.

Sussman, R., Lum, B., Gay, M., Chan, E., & Gifford, R. (2008). Childhood Residential Zone, Individualism-Collectivism, and Sustainability Choices in a Commons Dilemma Microworld. XVI International Conference of the Society for Human Ecology. September 10 - 13. Bellingham, Washington State, USA.

Sussman, R., Lum, B., Gay, M., Chan, E., & Gifford, R. (2008). Cultural Background, Community Size and Cooperation in a Commons Dilemma. Canadian Psychological Association. June 12, Halifax, NS. Canadian Psychology, 49:2a.

Sussman, R., & Koren, G. (2006). Attenuating the Effects of Prenatal Alcohol Exposure with Postnatal Interventions. Fetal Alcohol Canadian Expertise Round Table. Sept 9, Moncton, NB.

Sussman, R., & Koren, G. (2006). Attenuating the Effects of Prenatal Alcohol Exposure with Postnatal Interventions. Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder Study Group (FACE satellite), RSA Conference. June 13, Boston, MA.

Sussman, R., & Koren, G. (2006). Attenuating the Effects of Prenatal Alcohol Exposure with Postnatal Interventions. Drugs and Alcohol in Pregnancy - Inaugural Ivey Symposium; June 6, London, ON.

Abstracts:

Sussman, R., & Gifford, R. (2010). Modeling Pro-Environmental Behavior: Food Composting. American Psychological Association. August 12-15, San Diego, California.

Lum, B., Sussman, R., & Gifford, R. (2008). Cultural Background, Community Size and Cooperation in a Commons Dilemma Microworld. Psychology Students of Vancouver Island Poster Session. April 11, Victoria, BC.

Nulman, I., Knittel-Keren, D., Valo, S., Sussman, R., Barrera, M., & Koren, G. (2007). Child Neurodevelopment Following Exposure to Venlafaxine in Utero, Unexposed Siblings as Comparison Groups: Preliminary Results. European Journal of Psychiatry, 22 (Suppl 1), Abtract #071, S242.

Grupp, S., Sussman, R., Barrera, M., Koren, G., & Nulman, I. (2006). Long Term Development of Children Exposed to Maternal Cancer in Utero: A Pilot Study. Hospital for Sick Children Research Institute Scientific Retreat. December 8, Toronto, ON.

Nulman, I., Knittel-Keren, D., Valo, S., Sussman, R., Barrera, M., & Koren, G. (2006). Child Neurodevelopment Following Exposure to Venlafaxine in Utero, Unexposed Siblings as Comparison Groups: Preliminary Results. Birth Defects Research Part A. 76(5), Abtract #15, 321.

Nulman, I., Knittel-Keren, D., Valo, S., Sussman, R., Barrera, M., & Koren, G. (2006). Child Neurodevelopment Following Exposure to Venlafaxine in Utero, Unexposed Siblings as Comparison Groups: Preliminary Results. Reproductive Toxicology, 22(2), 280.

Nava-Ocampo, A.A., Koren, G., Moretti, M.E., Sussman, R., & Nulman, I. (2006). Valproic Acid is a major human teratogen: Systematic review and meta-analysis. Canadian Society for Clinical Pharmacology. May 10, Baltimore, MD.