Isaac Melanson receives inaugural endowed professorship in applied behavioral science

LAWRENCE — A University of Kansas assistant professor whose research specializes in helping people with intellectual and developmental disabilities has been chosen as the inaugural recipient of an endowed professorship in the Department of Applied Behavioral Science.

Supporting early and midcareer faculty in the areas of behavior analysis, the Donald M. Baer and Elsie M. Pinkston Endowed Professorship provides salary support, travel and other costs associated with research and teaching.

Isaac Melanson’s research focuses on the prevention of emerging challenging behavior in people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, evaluating safe and valid functional assessment approaches, and analyzing patterns of preference and choice. A board-certified behavior analyst at the doctoral level, Melanson also has clinical supervision experience in assessing and treating severe challenging behavior as well as implementing skill acquisition programing with young learners.

Claudia Dozier, professor and chair of applied behavioral science, said Melanson was the perfect choice to be the first Baer-Pinkston endowed professor, which honors two individuals who helped shaped the department’s history and the greater field of behavior analysis.

“This professorship will provide additional resources for Dr. Melanson to expand his work, develop new collaborations, support student involvement in research and extend the impact of his scholarship,” Dozier said.

Melanson said that the endowed professorship will provide much needed support that will help advance his lab’s work.

“I have felt incredibly supported by both my department and the College of Liberal Arts & Sciences since my first day at KU,” Melanson said. “I am honored and grateful for the additional motivation and resources this provides.”