Retired university professor interested in career choice, baby milestones, American expat issues, family, conversation, walking, newspapers, spectator sports, cappuccinos, yoga, New Zealand, and the beauty and tragedy of the human condition.

Biography

Beginnings

Born in a small Western American town in the late 1940's, I enjoyed a happy 1950's childhood and relatively calm '60's adolescence.

At 17 I happened to read a series of magazine articles about prominent American universities, a chance event that broadened my horizons.I went to Stanford University, where I encountered culture shock, impostor syndrome, and a love of university life. I had found my niche.It was on to the University of Illinois for graduate school and eventually to my only job, decades of teaching and researching child development at the University of Manitoba in Canada.

Family

I married and was blessed with two children. Years passed. After a divorce and a second marriage I became an older father to two more children.Many years of parenting have accumulated, and now I see my family and children as my greatest accomplishments. As a bonus I now have a grandson who makes me laugh a lot.Parenting has been incredibly rewarding, has taught me many life lessons, and was indispensable to my academic career in developmental psychology.

Current

Retirement gave me less money but more time. I struggled to find a new identity for a while, and then chose to create online books and tools about topics of interest.Meanwhile I enjoy helping my kids, chatting with others, and being part of a community. I savor simple things like the warmth of the winter sun, pets, good coffee, and watching a toddler climb stairs.The writer Thoreau said that the young person gathers supplies to build a bridge to the moon. When older, they use what they collected to build a shed. That rings true to me.The younger me wanted to create new knowledge. Now, the older me wants to help others by sharing what I know. My current enthusiams are described in Projects.

Career

Education

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Ph.D., 1977, Developmental Psychology
M.A., 1973, Personality PsychologyStanford University
B.A., 1971, Psychology (with distinction)Wyoming public schools, 1955-1967Mrs. Beede's Kindergarten, 1954

Positions

University of Manitoba (Canada), PsychologySenior Scholar, 2015-2025.
Professor, 1988-2014.
Associate Head (Undergraduate), 2002.
Associate Head (Graduate), 1988-1989, 1996.
Associate Professor, Department of Psychology, 1981-1988.
Assistant Professor, Department of Psychology, 1976-1981.University of Otago (New Zealand), Psychology
Visiting Professor, 2004-2005.Arizona State University (USA), Psychology
Visiting Associate Professor, 1982-1983.University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (USA), Psychology
National Institute of Child Health and Development Trainee, 1974-1976.

Skills

Current
Career choice and job hunting; infant milestones; American expat hassles; and online writing for the general publicFading
Individual difference measurement; SAS statistical software, survey construction; academic writing; graphical presentation; Wordpress

CV

Academic resumes are called curriculum vitae or cv's. Here's a link to my cv. It has details about my university teaching and research publications.

Projects

Hidden Jobs

Most job hunters now search for employment at online job sites (Indeed, Glass Door, etc.). The competition there is fierce, so very few (<5%) job board applicants are ever interviewed or hired.The vast majority of job openings are not on the job boards or advertised elsewhere. Unfortunately, there’s little practical advice for how to find and apply for these hidden jobs.I comment on this topic on LinkedIn where you can follow meTo address this need I’ve created a Hidden Jobs website, and an ebook to provide a detailed plan for finding such jobs.

American Expat Problems

American citizens who reside outside the US, like me, have complicated tax lives. Even simple investments, like owning non-US mutual funds, require complex IRS tax forms.I write about these issues in my occasional free newsletter.In addition to filing annual US tax returns, American expats must also file a little-known, but mandatory IRS form called the Foreign Bank Account Report (FBAR). I share my painfully learned lessons about FBAR issues in a guide for others.

Baby Milestones

Babies in the first 2 years of life display dozens of little-known and overlooked milestones. Based on my university research I've developed observation tools that parents can use to recognize these subtle achievements. Their recognition generally encourages and reassures anxious parents.

Project updates

Interested in updates on the above projects? Click on the button below to receive occasional email updates.

Contact

Email me using the following form: