Corinne Zimmerman

Corinne Zimmerman is a professor of psychology at Illinois State University (ISU). She has a baccalaureate degree in psychology from the University of Regina (her hometown). Although she began university with the intention of being a councilor or a clinician, courses in statistics and research methods reminded her of her childhood desire to be a scientist and to “find things out.” She has been completely immersed in psychological science since her second year of university, working as a research assistant on several projects, and as a teaching assistant for statistics.

Ms. Zimmerman went on to get a Ph.D. in psychology from the University of Alberta, in Edmonton, Canada. She focused on cognition and cognitive development, with a specific interest in scientific reasoning, science literacy, and critical thinking. Dr. Zimmerman spent three years doing postdoctoral research in Pittsburgh at the Learning Research and Development Center. In 2002, she moved to Normal, Illinois to take a job as an assistant professor in the ISU psychology department. After 10 years there, she was promoted to full professor.

During the pre-tenure and associate professor years, Dr. Zimmerman was involved in both empirical research and synthesis work on how children and adults learn the concepts and processes of science and engage in evidence-based reasoning. As these topics overlap with science education, she has been involved in a project funded by the Illinois State Board of Education to improve math and science teaching.

Dr. Zimmerman decided that after attaining the majority of her professional goals, she would devote some of her time to volunteerism and activism. She decided to join and volunteer for Secular Woman because the mission and values are consistent with her belief system and worldview.  Secular Woman’s mission involves activism aimed at several social justice and human rights issues (feminism, racism, transphobia, homophobia, etc.) and so she was happy to step up from a volunteer position to serve on the Board of Directors.

Corinne Zimmerman was featured in one of Secular Woman's first Member Spotlights.