University News

Kimberley A. McClure to Deliver 2025 Distinguished Faculty Lecture at WIU

March 3, 2025

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MACOMB, IL - - Western Illinois University is proud to announce that Kimberley A. McClure, professor of psychology in the College of Arts and Sciences, has been selected to deliver the 2025 Distinguished Faculty Lecture. The event will take place at 7 p.m. Thursday, March 20, in the College of Fine Arts and Communication Recital Hall, following a dinner at 5 p.m.

McClure, a faculty member at WIU since 1998, has been a driving force behind the university's forensic psychology program. She has an extensive record of scholarly research in forensic psychology, including eyewitness memory, memory for use-of-force encounters and own-ethnicity bias in person perception. She also serves as the project director for the Community Oriented Policing Services De-Escalation Training through Active Learning (COPS DeTal) Assessment and Research Center, where she focuses on translating behavioral science into practice for law enforcement agencies.

Her 2025 Distinguished Faculty Lecture, titled "When We Know Better, We Can Do Better: A Cultural Context Approach to Forensically Relevant Research, Education, and Training," will highlight the role of interdisciplinary partnerships in applying behavioral science and educational strategies to professional contexts. McClure will explore the significance of cultural awareness in shaping norms, traditions and expectations in human interactions, with a particular focus on police de-escalation training. The lecture will address key questions such as:


  • How can behavioral science be translated into practice?

  • What knowledge is applicable for improving human interactions in forensic contexts?

  • Can education and training foster health, wellness, resilience and understanding in police-community interactions?


McClure has been widely recognized for contributions to forensic psychology and behavioral science. She has published in peer-reviewed journals and presented at national and international conferences. She has received grant funding from the U.S. Marshals Service, the American Psychology and Law Society and the U.S. Department of Justice, among others.

The lecture will be livestreamed on WIU's YouTube channel at youtube.com/user/WesternIllinoisU. For more information, contact CAS, at cas@wiu.edu.

Posted By: University Communications (U-Communications@wiu.edu)
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