Meet Bethany Fleck Dillen | Professor of Psychological Sciences

We had the good fortune of connecting with Bethany Fleck Dillen and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Bethany, what are you inspired by?
I am inspired by children. My own children are pretty awesome, but I don’t mean them. I am thinking about children in general and the way they learn. Have you ever watched a child experience something new? I took my niece to the beach one time and she literally ran around in a circle yelling, “beach! beach! beach!” She had a typical 4-year-old pronunciation problem, so you can imagine what it sounded like to everyone else. The point is that her excitement was uncontainable. She was excited to experience something that others take for granted every single day. I might respond the same way now, having lived landlocked in Colorado during a Pandemic; however, at the time, I was taken back by her emotion. Children don’t just want to know. They need to know. Children approach life with the curiosity that I aspire to have. Sure they are messy and loud, but hey, I’ll take that any day if it means being a lover of learning. I wish we all held onto that joy.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
While it may not be appropriate to boast, I need to tell you that I have the best job in the world. I get to talk to college students all day long about psychology, child development, and education. My students are interesting people with extraordinary lives who are curious to learn. That kind of energy is palpable and contagious. It was not easy completing graduate school or landing a job in 2009 during the great recession. However, hard work got me through.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
What does it mean to go out? Do people leave their houses anymore? I remember the days you are asking about fondly. Hopefully, soon we will return to some kind of new normal. Where would I take my bestie? We would start with a yoga or spin class, hit a boozy brunch, visit with friends in town then head to red rocks for a concert. Nothing beats red rocks on a warm summer night.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
My city deserves credit. Everyone says it takes a village to raise a child. I will tell you what, it takes a damn city, and I have the best one. My mama girlfriends are power house women who are working hard to raise amazing young scientists, anti-racist activists, blooming artists, and little scholars. They support my working motherhood, help me when times are hard, and celebrate all the little achievements. To them, I say thank you.

Website: https://www.bethanydillen.com

Instagram: dr.thany

Twitter: @docbetha

Facebook: Bethany Fleck Dillen

Image Credits
Leah Blanche MSU DENVER Public Photo Portal