In Memoriam

In Memory of Dr. Ollie Seay

dr. ollie seay

The Department of Psychology is saddened to share the news that Dr. Ollie Seay has passed away from a sudden medical complication. Dr. Seay joined Texas State as a Lecturer in 2003 after 30 years in private practice. She became a Clinical Assistant Professor in 2007 and was promoted to Clinical Associate Professor in 2022. Not only was Dr. Seay a valued member of the faculty at Texas State, but she also concurrently maintained a clinical practice, specializing in forensic evaluations and consultations in criminal cases involving persons with intellectual and developmental disabilities. She taught classes in Abnormal Psychology, Forensic Psychology, and Developmental Disabilities. Her favorite role was serving as the Faculty Advisor for the Learning Community for Cognitive Disabilities, which allowed her to share her passion for and experience in the field with students as they completed an internship experience. Dr. Seay was also a leader in the field of forensic psychology in the state of Texas, serving as the president of the Texas Psychological Association in 2009, establishing the Lone Star Psychology Internship Consortium for underserved areas of Texas. Her commitment to service to her field was recognized by Texas State in 2013 when she received the Presidential Distinction Award for Service. More recently, Dr. Seay served as the president for the Texas chapter of the American Association on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities in 2017 and received the 2022 Knowledge Award for Excellence in Education or Research from this group. Dr. Seay was also currently serving as the president of the Capacity for Justice, an organization that strives to promote fairness in the criminal justice system for persons with mental disorders, and she was a consultant and evaluator for capital murder trials, Death Row appeals, and numerous other criminal cases. In addition to all her professional accomplishments, Dr. Seay was a kind, supportive, and good-humored colleague, and we will miss her dearly. 

Selected Achievements 

Publications

  • Edwards, C. N. (2022). Texas Law and the Practice of Psychology: A Sourcebook, 13th Edition. (O. J. Seay & J. R. Hays, Eds.). Austin, Texas, United States: Texas Psychological Association. 
  • Hays, J. R., Jennings, F., Seay, O. J., & Lawson, K. A. (2012). Conflict in AG Opinions on Reporting Child Abuse. Texas Psychologist, 64(3), 15–16.
  • Hays, J. R., Edwards, C., & Seay, O. J. (Eds.). (2010). Cases on Mental Health Law in Texas. Cedar Park, TX: Texas Psychological Association.
  • Campbell, J. C., Conroy, M. A., & Seay, O. J. (2008). The Tragedy of the Virginia Tech Massacre: Legal and Ethical Considerations. Texas Psychologist, 59(1), 21–21.
  • Seay, O. J., McDonald, C. T., Wilson, A. J., & Servin-Guerrero Lopez, S. (2006). Poverty and Mental Health: Two Faces of Poverty: Theirs and Ours. Texas Psychologist, 57(1), 11–15.

 Awards

  • 2022 Knowledge Award for Excellence in Education or Research, American Association on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities-Texas Chapter. 
  • 2018 College of Liberal Arts Achievement Award for Excellence in Service, Texas State University.
  • 2013 Nominee for the Presidential Award for Excellence in Service, Texas State University. 
  • 2011 Liberal Arts Dean's Excellence Award for Service, Texas State University
  • 2010 Psychologist of the Year, Texas Psychological Association. 

In Memory of Dr. Ronald A. Finke (1950-2015)

Dr. Ronald A. Finke

With great sadness, the Department of Psychology at Texas State University announces the death of Dr. Ron Finke on November 4, 2015. Ron was an esteemed member of the Bobcat family and was a friendly and well-known face in the San Marcos community. He will be missed by his students, colleagues, and friends.

Ron earned a BS in Physics in 1972 and a BA in Psychology in 1974, both from the University of Texas at Austin. He earned a PhD in Experimental Psychology from Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1979, where his dissertation was entitled “Experimental Investigations of Imagery Reafference.” He completed post-doctoral positions at Cornell University and Stanford University, followed by faculty positions as Assistant Professor at the University of California at Davis, Associate Professor at the State University of New York at Stonybrook, and Associate Professor at Texas A&M University. Following a 10-year hiatus from academia, Ron served as a Senior Lecturer at Texas State University from 2008 until the time of his death.

Ron is best known for his work on mental imagery and creative cognition, which is cited in numerous textbooks. He was interested in the benefits and techniques of chaotic thinking as well as the nature of irrational thinking in modern society. In his later years, Ron assembled a large collection of stories regarding life in San Marcos, Texas.

Ron had a variety of interests throughout his life. He was president of his high school model rocket club and later competed in table tennis at the highest levels, ascending to a ranking of second in the nation. In San Marcos, he became a certified bicycle mechanic, spending many happy hours at Al’s Bike Shop. He was a fan of stand-up comedy, Texas BBQ, and all books written by Tim Dorsey. Ron is survived by his younger sister, Janet and her family.

 

Selected Publications:

Books

Finke, R. A. (1989). Principles of Mental Imagery. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press.

Finke, R. A. (1990). Creative Imagery: Discoveries and Inventions in Visualization. Hillsdale, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.

Finke, R. A., & Bettle, J. (1996). Chaotic Cognition: Principles and Applications. Hillsdale, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.

Finke, R. A., Ward, T. B., & Smith, S. M. (1992). Creative Cognition: Theory, Research, and Applications. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press.

Smith, S. M., Ward, T. B., & Finke, R. A. (Eds.). (1995). The creative cognition approach. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press.

Ward, T. B., Finke, R. A., & Smith, S. M. (1995). Creativity and the Mind: Discovering the Genius Within. New York: Plenum Press.

 

Articles

Finke, R. A., & Freyd, J. J. (1989). Mental extrapolation and cognitive penetration. Journal of Experimental Psychology: General, 118, 403-410.

Finke, R. A., Pinker, S., & Farah, M. (1989). Reinterpreting visual patterns in mental imagery. Cognitive Science, 13, 51-78.

Finke, R. A. (1986, March). Mental imagery and the visual system. Scientific American, 254, 88-95.

Finke, R. A. (1985). Theories relating mental imagery to perception. Psychological Bulletin, 98, 236-259.

Finke, R. A., & Kurtzman, H. S. (1981). Mapping the visual field in mental imagery. Journal of Experimental Psychology: General, 110, 501-517.

Finke, R. A. (1980). Levels of equivalence in imagery and perception. Psychological Review, 87, 113-131.