Rate My Professor Michael Ransom

Michael Ransom is Chair of the Department of Behavioral Sciences and Professor of Psychology in the College of Liberal Arts at Fairmont State University. He earned a B.A. from Elon University and both an M.S. and a Ph.D. from Ohio University. His office is located at 309 Hardway Hall on the Fairmont State University campus at 1201 Locust Avenue, Fairmont, West Virginia 26554. Faculty and students can reach him by phone at 304-367-4675 or via email at Michael.Ransom@fairmontstate.edu. As Department Chair, Michael Ransom oversees the Psychology program, which offers a B.S. in Psychology, Psychology with Behavioral Analytics, and related behavioral science degrees within the Department of Behavioral Sciences. He has served in this leadership capacity as noted in university catalogs and directories since at least 2015.

Michael Ransom actively contributes to faculty development and university governance at Fairmont State University. He is a Center for Teaching, Learning, and Innovation (CTLI) Ambassador, sharing expertise in areas such as lead faculty mentoring, promotion and tenure processes, portfolio development, student success strategies, and the science of learning at CTLI events. Previously, he chaired the Institutional Review Board during the 2017-18 academic year and served as a member on the IRB in multiple years including 2015-16, 2016-17, and 2019-20. Michael Ransom was a member of the Faculty Senate during the 2017-18 academic year representing Behavioral Sciences. He has participated in curriculum committee work, including proposals reviewed in 2023. Michael Ransom has been recognized in university faculty awards ceremonies, listed among outstanding faculty members honored for achievement in 2017 and included in celebrations of faculty achievements in 2022. In 2018, as Associate Professor of Psychology, he provided expert commentary on a study finding that teenagers are happier with less smartphone use, emphasizing the role of face-to-face interactions and social comparison processes.