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Jennifer Stiegler-Balfour, Ph.D., professor of psychology and assistant academic director in the School of Social and Behavioral Sciences at the �������ϲ�, has been named the 2025-26 Ludcke Chair of Liberal Arts and Sciences, the highest academic honor in UNE’s College of Arts and Sciences.  

The Ludcke Chair, funded by a generous bequest from the estate of Eleanor Ludcke (Westbrook College Class of 1926), is presented annually to a senior faculty member in the UNE College of Arts and Sciences in recognition of their outstanding academic accomplishments. The chair holder must embody the ideal of the “teacher/scholar,” an individual who has achieved national or international recognition for original scholarship and exemplified excellence in teaching.  

Stiegler-Balfour has taught psychology courses on memory and cognition, psychological statistics, research methods, and advanced psychology research while making student mentorship a hallmark of her work at UNE over the past 15 years.  

A cognitive psychologist, Stiegler-Balfour’s research focuses on reading comprehension, digital literacy, and learning in higher education. She has authored or co-authored 10 peer-reviewed publications and 12 book chapters in leading outlets within her field such as Memory & Cognition, International Journal of Human Computer Studies, and Oxford University Press. She is a regular presenter at prominent national and international conferences with more than 50 presentations at conferences organized by the Psychonomic Society, Society for Text and Discourse, and Eastern Psychological Association.   

Her faculty nomination letter noted, “Dr. Stiegler-Balfour’s expertise has been recognized through local, national, and international media appearances as well as through the publication of her research in high impact journals. Perhaps most impressively, she has done all this with a fully undergraduate research lab." 

Over the course of her career at the University, she has mentored over 40 undergraduates in her Reading Comprehension and Cognition Lab, engaging students in all aspects of the research process, such as designing studies, collecting and analyzing data, presenting at professional conferences, and co-authoring publications. 

In addition, Stiegler-Balfour has been the recipient of the prestigious Jason Albrecht Outstanding Young Scientist Award, given by the Society for Text and Discourse, which recognizes individuals who have demonstrated exceptional promise and achievement in their field. Stiegler-Balfour earned her bachelor’s degree in psychology from Hood College in Frederick, Maryland, in 2005 and her Ph.D. in psychology from the University of New Hampshire in 2010.  

“It feels truly meaningful not only to be recognized within my field, but also by the colleagues I work alongside every day,” Stiegler-Balfour said in her acceptance remarks at the college’s Dean’s Day this spring. “I am forever thankful to my colleagues here at UNE, whose support, encouragement, and collaboration have been invaluable. Mentoring undergraduate students in research is one of the most rewarding parts of my job — a challenging but deeply fulfilling privilege that I hope to continue throughout my career.”