Curriculum Vita
Personal Data
Name: Vera Bernard-Opitz, Ph.D.
Marital status: Married (husband: Hans-Ulrich Bernard,Ph.D., molecular biologist), two children
Education
University Studies:
- 1968-1970 English & French Literature, University of Göttingen
- 1970-1976 Psychology, University of Göttingen
Master’s Degree:
Ph.D.
- 1981 University of Göttingen & the University of California, Santa Barbara
Degrees & Professional Qualifications
- 1976 M.Sc. Licensed Psychologist, University of Göttingen
- 1981 Ph.D. University of Göttingen, UC Santa Barbara
- 1984 License as Behavior Therapist (German Health System)
- 1999 License as Psychological Psychotherapist (Germ.)
- 2007 Certifies as Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA)
- 2009 Behavior Analyst-Doctorate level (BCBA-D™)
Positions Held
- 1976 - 1977 Research Assistant, Department of Clinical Psychology, University of Göttingen: Autism project
- 1977 - 1981 Parent Trainer & Assistant Director, Los Ninos Center, San Diego (now known as Sam & Rose Stein Education Center)
- 1981 - 1988 Head of the Psychological Department and School Psychologist of the Johannes-Rehabilitation Center, Mosbach, Germany
- 1988- 1989 Coordinator of the Early Intervention Project for Children, Rainbow Center, Singapore
- 1989 - 1998 Coordinator of the Structured Teaching Program for Autistic Children, Rainbow Center, Singapore
- 1988 - 2001 Teaching Fellow, Lecturer and Senior Lecturer, since 1998 Associate Prof., Department of Social Work & Psychology, National University of Singapore; Head of the Autism Research Center and the Behavioral Intervention Center for Children, NUS
- 1992 - 2002 Editor of the Autism News Singapore
- 2001 - 2003 Consultant of Wee Care Singapore, Division for Early Intervention and Rehabilitation
- 2003 - Present Advisor of Wee Care Singapore
- 2003 - Present Editor of Autism News Orange County and the Rest of the World
Teaching Record
- Behavior Analysis and Intervention
- Advanced Abnormal Psychology
- Abnormal Psychology
- Developmental Psychology
- Introduction to Psychology
Memberships in professional organizations
- 1983 to present American Psychological Association
- 1986 to present German National Society for Autistic Children
- 1990 to present Advancement of the Association for Behavior Therapy
- 1998 to present German Psychological Society
- 2007 to present California Association for Behavior Analysis
- 2007 to present Association for Behavior Analysis
- 2008 International Society for Autism Research
Grants received
- Computer assisted instruction in children with autism and intellectual disabilities, German Research Foundation (Deutsche Forschungsgesellschaft)
- Effect of parent training on the pragmatic behavior of autistic children, National University of Singapore Research Fund
- Computer assisted and personal instruction in autistic children: Enhancement of Vocabulary, and spontaneity through computer-assisted instruction: The SpeechViewer, National University of Singapore Research Fund
- Social problem solving in computer assisted instructions, National University of Singapore Effectiveness of behavioral home-based intervention in young children with autism, National University of Singapore Research Fund
Editor
Autism News of Orange County & the Rest of the World