Charles Emery, professor of psychology and internal medicine, has been named chair of the Department of Psychology, effective Oct. 1, 2018, through June 30, 2022.

Emery received his BS in psychology from Columbia University and PhD in clinical psychology from the University of Southern California. He completed his internship training at the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center and was a postdoctoral fellow at Duke University’s Center for the Study of Aging and Human Development for two years before becoming a faculty member in the Department of Psychiatry at Duke University Medical Center.

In January 1995, Emery moved to Columbus and joined the faculty at Ohio State, where he has directed the Cardiopulmonary Behavioral Medicine Laboratory, continuing his research program in behavioral medicine and the psychology of aging, specifically addressing psychological adaptations to chronic illness (e.g., chronic lung disease, cardiac disease) and the impacts of behavioral interventions (e.g., physical exercise, stress management) on physiological and psychological outcomes. Recent research addresses interactions of psychological, physiological and behavioral factors in obesity among adults and older adults.  

Along with his dual appointment in the Department of Psychology and the College of Medicine, Emery is a member of Ohio State’s Institute for Behavioral Medicine Research and Food Innovation Center. He currently serves on the editorial boards of Annals of Behavioral Medicine; Heart & Lung: The Journal of Acute and Critical Care; Journal of Behavioral Medicine; and Journal of Cardiopulmonary Rehabilitation and Prevention. 

"After 23 years as a faculty member, I’m honored to serve as chair of this outstanding department — recently ranked among the top 3 percent of psychology departments around the world. The research and teaching that we engage in on a daily basis at Ohio State demonstrates the importance of psychological science in virtually every aspect of daily life," Emery said. "I look forward to facilitating further interdisciplinary research among our faculty that, in turn, will help extend the training opportunities we are able to offer both undergraduate and graduate students."