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Dr. Steve M. Jex
Psychology Building 356
Since May of 2024, I have been an Emeritus Professor in the Department of Psychology at the University of Central Florida (UCF). I came to UCF in 2017, and, prior to that, held faculty positions at Bowling Green State University (2002–2017), UW-Oshkosh (1996–2002), and Central Michigan University (1989–1995). In addition to my primary academic appointments, I have held guest researcher positions at the Walter Reed Army Institute of Research (WRAIR) and the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH).
Throughout my career, I have always been interested in work-related stress, especially the role individual differences play in both perceiving and responding to stressors. I have also maintained a long-standing interest in workplace mistreatment, but my interests have evolved over the years and continue to even in retirement. Other research topics we have pursued in my lab include workplace boredom, retirement decision-making, and how employees manage chronic illnesses. My lab is very student-driven, and I am always open to new and interesting research ideas from both graduate and undergraduate students.
For me, retirement is certainly an opportunity to kick back a bit, but I also view it as an exciting new chapter in my career. It provides the opportunity to work on things that I truly care about, and, most importantly, collaborate with people that I enjoy being around. For those interested in my background, I completed my B.S. in psychology at Central Michigan University, M.A. in I/O psychology at the University of New Haven, and Ph.D. in I/O psychology at the University of South Florida under the direction of Paul Spector. Outside of work, my favorite activities are exercising, watching UCF sports, enjoying a cold dark beer, and listening to all kinds of music.
“Success is not measured by how high you climb, but by how many people you bring with you.” – Sammy Hagar