Distininguished Professor Award, 2025
College of Liberal Arts
Mayer is a bit of a rock star in the psychology department. If you have ever heard the term “emotional intelligence” then you have unknowingly encountered Mayer’s scholarship. Historically, perspectives on personality relied on IQ as the traditional measure of human intelligence. However, Jack and others realized that there are several other components of human intelligence, one of them being our ability to assess the emotional state of ourselves and others.
Mayer and his colleagues subsequently developed a widely used measure of emotional intelligence that has become a national standard among psychologists. He is also a blogger for Psychology Today, the popular magazine for general readers, and he is an op-ed writer for prominent publications such as The New York Times.
One might assume that Mayer would be a bit aloof or hard to reach, given his international reputation as a scholar. On the contrary, he is one of the most down-to-earth individuals and is a constant presence in the department. He regularly teaches two undergraduate classes each semester and those courses are highly sought after by students. He also mentors a group of undergraduates who work with him and his graduate students in his lab. Impressively, many of his students have gone on to secure notable positions at academic institutions.
Mayer’s students often describe having a strong relationship with him as a mentor, as he is generous with his time and deeply supportive of their growth. He also listens to and supports other faculty in the department.
About this Award
The purpose of this award is to identify and honor longstanding members of the UNH faculty. This singular university-wide award will be given each year to the faculty member whose overall record of excellent teaching, caring about students, devotion to the university community, and substantial record of scholarly achievement exemplifies what we would call a "distinguished longstanding career" at UNH. Each year there will be no more than one Distinguished Professor Award. Long-term UNH tenure-track faculty members at the rank of professor are eligible.
