Rachel Wu, an associate professor of psychology at UC Riverside, has been elected a fellow of the American Psychological Association, or APA, the leading scientific and professional organization representing psychology in the United States. 

Fellow status is awarded to APA members who have made exceptional contributions to psychology with a national impact that goes beyond local, state, or regional levels.

In her research, Wu investigates how infant and childhood learning principles can be applied to enhance cognitive growth in older adulthood. Her research shows that learning multiple new skills simultaneously — such as Spanish, photography, iPad use, painting, or music composition — can yield lasting improvements in cognition in older adults.

Wu received a bachelor’s degree in psychology as well as a bachelor’s degree in history and anthropology from Carnegie Mellon University in 2006, a master’s degree in psychoanalytic developmental psychology from University College London in 2007, and a doctoral degree in psychology from the University of London in 2011. She joined the UCR faculty in 2015 after completing a postdoctoral fellowship at the University of Rochester.

Wu played violin in a rock band for seven years and is also an artist specializing in painting and sculpture. Every few years, she takes on mastering a new skill to better understand the challenges of adult learning.

Wu’s honors include a Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Research and Creative Achievement, which she received in 2023 in recognition of her outstanding mentorship and impact on undergraduate researchers across diverse disciplines. This year, she received a Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers, one of the highest honors the White House awards to early-career scientists.