Dr. Julie Downs

Professor

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Biography

Julie S. Downs is a professor in the Department of Social and Decision Sciences at Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) and serves as the associate dean for research. She is the director of the Center for Risk Perception and Communication. With her academic expertise in psychology and decision science, Downs has made significant contributions to the field through her work on various editorial boards, including serving as an associate editor for the journal Developmental Review. She has participated in numerous grant review panels for the National Institutes of Health and the National Science Foundation, in addition to serving on institutional review boards at CMU and Disney Research. Her research investigates the interplay between social behavior and decision-making, focusing on how people perceive and respond to risks.

Research Interests

Experience

Professor

2010-01-01 — Present

Carnegie Mellon University • Pittsburgh, PA

Teaching and conducting research in Social and Decision Sciences.

Director

2015-01-01 — Present

Center for Risk Perception Communication • Pittsburgh, PA

Leading research initiatives and projects related to risk perception.

Requirements for Carnegie Mellon University

Doctorate Program
Requirements
GPA Requirement
Required:3.5
GRE General
Verbal
Required:158
Quantitative
Required:149
Analytical Writing
Required:4
Overall
Required:4
Prerequisites
Bachelor's degree in Psychology or related field Research experience/publications
Application Checklist
  • Online application
  • Statement of Purpose
  • Three letters of recommendation
  • Transcripts
  • GRE scores (optional but reported in profile)
  • English Proficiency (TOEFL/IELTS/Duolingo)
Specialization Notes

Admission is extremely competitive with no strict GPA cut-offs; holistic review is used.