Pambookian Receives Award

PORTSMOUTH, Ohio—In October 2009, Dr. Hagop S. Pambookian, professor emeritus of psychology at Shawnee State University (SSU) in Portsmouth, received the Ohio Psychological Association’s (OPA) “Lifetime Achievement Award by a Psychologist,” presented to him at a luncheon ceremony in Columbus during OPA’s 60th Anniversary Convention.

Dr. Michael D. Dwyer, OPA president, right, presented Dr. Hagop Pambookian with the association’s ‘Lifetime Achievement Award by a Psychologist’ OPA’s 60th Anniversary Convention.

Dr. Michael D. Dwyer, OPA president, presented Pambookian with the award, which reads in part: “In recognition of your outstanding achievement to advance psychology as a science and/or profession by a lifetime of outstanding contributions to the field.”


“We are extremely pleased that the Ohio Psychological Association has awarded Dr. Pambookian their Lifetime Achievement Award by a Psychologist,” said Dr. Timothy E. Scheurer, dean of the SSU College of Arts and Sciences. “He is very deserving of this honor and we are proud of his accomplishments.”


When the Ohio Psychological Association was established in 1949, Pambookian was in a boarding school in Nicosia, Cyprus, studying at the Melkonian Educational Institute. “Who would have thought that an Armenian school kid would travel to the United States, settle in Ohio, and be recognized and honored by the OPA at its 60th Anniversary Convention in Columbus?” Pambookian said.


After receiving his undergraduate psychology degree from the American University of Beirut, Lebanon, Pambookian came to the United States in August 1961. He received his master’s degree in psychology from Columbia University Teachers College and his doctorate in psychology from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor.


He moved to Portsmouth in 1987 to serve as associate professor of psychology at SSU, where he developed the psychology degree program and also began contributing to the internationalization of the university.


Pambookian was very active in bringing visiting Fulbright scholars to Portsmouth from Hungary, Romania, South Korea, Russia, the People’s Republic of China, and Armenia to lecture at SSU. Following a year-long project on “Perestroika, Changes, and Developments in the USSR: What Next?” he initiated an annual International Awareness Week celebration on campus and helped establish the first international exchange program with the University of Nizhny Novgorod in Russia at SSU.


Pambookian was a senior Fulbright Fellow during 1978-79 in the Soviet Union and taught psychology at the Yerevan State University in Yerevan, Armenia. He was the first U.S. scholar to receive a nine-month long Fulbright Award for the Soviet Union and the first Fulbright Fellow to teach psychology in the Republic of Armenia.


He established the Pambookian Foundation at the Armenian Academy of Sciences in Yerevan and has donated more than 3,300 English-language psychology books and numerous volumes of psychology journals to its Fundamental Library.


For his involvement and accomplishments, Pambookian was elected Fellow of the American Psychological Association (APA), and Honorary Member of the International Academy of Psychological Sciences in Yaroslavl, Russia, and the Academy of Pedagogical-Psychological Sciences in Yerevan.


Pambookian was also honored by Ohio Governor Ted Strickland earlier this year, along with several first-generation immigrants who have made significant contributions to the State of Ohio.

At Shawnee State, Pambookian also contributes to student scholarships through the Development Foundation, having established the Dr. Hagop S. Pambookian Scholarship, given to a senior student majoring in psychology and/or an international student who has come to SSU to study.


“It is a humbling experience but a real honor to receive the OPA award,” Pambookian said. “In different ways and in many countries, I tried to share scientific information and help the area scholars, professionals, and students. Simply, I just wanted to be helpful. It is, indeed, gratifying that other psychologists became aware of and appreciated my lifelong accomplishments and contributions to psychology worldwide.”

4 Comments

  1. Yes indeed.. It is always a very exciting to hear of our fellow Armenians achieve such great successes..

    Congratulations and many more…

    Gayane

  2. Dr. Pambookian  30th June 2010

    Congratulation to you and our Armenian genes
    That such talentful people still exist in our cohorts 
    After most of clever genes vanished by most cruel enemy.
    Your Award is ours 
    It will ignite Eternally
    Pambook+ian 

    He is strong, soft, clear, white like cotton psychologist 
    As his name indicates.

    Pambookian…

    I hope You will give Your genes to Your offsprings 
    and they will continue your started dedication to deserved nations 
    As you did.

  3. Dr Pambookian:Congratulations on your achievements. I knew you would be great one day!! May God bless you; keep up the good work.

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