Rate My Professor Salif Mahamane

Salif P. Mahamane is an Associate Professor of Psychology in the Behavioral and Social Sciences Department at Western Colorado University, where he also serves as Graduate Faculty for the Master in Environmental Management program and the Outdoor Industry MBA. He earned his B.A. from Baylor University, M.S. from New Mexico Highlands University, and Ph.D. from Utah State University. Prior to his current role, Mahamane was an Assistant Professor of Psychology at the same institution starting around 2017. His academic career focuses on advancing understanding in behavioral and social sciences, with graduate faculty appointments supporting programs in environmental management, climate action planning, water studies, food systems, community resilience, ecosystem restoration, mine reclamation management, and forests, fires, and fuels.

Mahamane's research specializations encompass environmental psychology, environmental neuroscience, comparative cognition, quantitative decision-making, numerical cognition, behavioral science, cognitive psychology, neuroscience, learning, and ecological factors influencing cognition. Key publications include "Ecological factors shape quantitative decision-making in coyotes" (2022), "The Evolution of Quantitative Sensitivity" (2021), "Natural Categorization: Electrophysiological Responses to Viewing Natural Versus Built Environments" (2020, Frontiers in Psychology), "Social marketing and outdoor recreational advocacy groups: Lessons from a rock climbing campaign" (2020), "The Value of Clean Air: Comparing Discounting of Delayed Air Quality and Money Across Magnitudes" (2017), "An examination of children's learning progression shifts while using touch screen virtual manipulative mathematics apps" (2016), and "Memory-Based Quantity Discrimination in Coyotes (Canis latrans)" (2014). His scholarship has garnered over 340 citations. In recognition of his contributions to inclusive excellence, Mahamane received the Dean’s Award from Western’s School of Graduate Studies in 2020 for promoting student success through involvement with the Black Student Alliance, the Psychology Department, the Master of Environmental Management program, and campus Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Internationalization efforts. His interdisciplinary work bridges psychology with environmental sustainability, influencing graduate education and research in these domains.