Meet Dean Peg Barratt
Meet Dean Peg Barratt
October 2011
In the Dean’s Suite on the second floor of Phillips Hall, you will find a scholar of many dimensions: runner, sea kayaker, and backpacker—to name just a few. Most of you know Peg Barratt as dean of the Columbian College of Arts and Sciences; read on to discover what you didn’t know about her research in parent-child interaction, her years as a student at GW, her wanderlust, and why she loves being Dean.
You are an alumna of GW’s graduate program in psychology. How has the university changed since you were a student here in the late seventies?
Today, GW has a lively, urban feel with open green spaces, flowers, and trees. When I was a student it was less vibrant, but the faculty were excellent and, like today, they took a keen interest in partnering with their students. I worked in the laboratory of Professor and Director of Developmental Psychology Eugene Abravenel, who just retired in May. And the current Psychology Chair, Paul Poppen, and his colleague, Lawrence Rothblath, were just beginning at GW as assistant professors.[Photo at right is from Dean Barratt’s student ID card.]
In the field of psychology, you are a specialist in the area of parent-child interaction. Tell us more about your research interests.
My research focused on the factors that influence interactions between parents and their very young children. For example, I studied the parenting of teen and adult mothers, and married and single mothers. I also considered other factors that might influence the parent-child interaction,such as the potential impact of having a child who is born prematurely, or a child with Down syndrome.
I had two long-term stays as a visiting researcher at Osaka University in Japan, where I studied Japanese mother-infant relations. I also became friends with Japanese mothers I met through the public school my children attended, which provided additional insight to my work.
You also spent time in government service. Tell us about your experience.
I came to the D.C. area nine years ago with a one-year temporary appointment at the National Science Foundation administering grants in developmental and learning science. After four years there, I spent a year working with science policy issues at the National Institutes of Health before coming to GW
What aspect of your role as dean of Columbian College do you most enjoy?
I love every aspect of the role! I’m constantly learning and discovering new things about the liberal arts, which I truly enjoy. It is my responsibility and great pleasure to understand what is going on within all the nooks and crannies of the arts, humanities, sciences, social sciences, math, and professional programs in Columbia College.
It’s also incredibly satisfying to be part of advancing Columbian College and GW with the help of the department chairs, faculty, students, and alumni. Faculty and students have the good ideas, and the Dean’s office provides the infrastructure to help realize those ideas. And I love graduation time, when our students, faculty, parents, and friends come together to celebrate accomplishments. It’s a grand tradition and one that never gets old for me.
You are training for the upcoming Marine Corps Marathon. What inspired you to tackle distance running?
When my son began running cross country in high school two years ago, I was intrigued and inspired to try it myself. I was used to walking a mile with my dog every morning, so I decided to add a little jog to that walk. Gradually, I built up so that I could run the full mile, then two miles, four miles, seven miles, and so on. Last May, I ran a half marathon in Frederick, Maryland. I was not fast but did come in sixth out of the 17 women running in my age category!After participating in the half marathon without collapsing, trying the full marathon seemed like the logical next step. We'll soon find out how it all goes!
Other than your marathon training, what else about you or your work would most surprise people?
I am interested in travel and the outdoors. In 2010, I went on a five-day backpacking trip in Iceland. I spent the winter holiday hiking with my family in the Shenandoah National Park,where we stayed in a remote cabin without running water or electricity. This summer, we explored Venezuela, which included a motorized dugout canoe trip to Angel Falls, the tallest waterfall in the world.
I’m always looking for day-to-day opportunities to work with my hands and balance the demands of my job. I enjoy cooking, gardening, and woodworking, and even took a course in welding. And to complete the balance, I spend time with my three grandchildren, all born since I began as dean.
