NEW KENSINGTON, Pa. -- Penn State New Kensington opens its fall speaker series 7 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 7, in the Forum Theatre.
Sociologist Margee Kerr will share her insights on the science behind fear and why people love to be scared. Kerr, who holds a Ph.D. in sociology from the University of Pittsburgh, is a nationally-recognized expert on professional haunted houses.
When she is not researching, Kerr is the consultant for ScareHouse, a haunted attraction in Etna, Pennsylvania, a suburb of Pittsburgh. She works with ScareHouse creators on being scientifically scary, as well as developing, implementing and analyzing data on customers and employees. The ScareHouse was selected in 2010 to the list of "The 10 Wickedest Haunted Houses in America" by Forbes Magazine.
In addition, Kerr has extensive experience in research, co-authoring scholarly articles on the history of medicine and doctor/patient communication.
Tickets for the talk are $5. Students with college or high school identification are admitted for free. The series is open to the public. General admission seating is available on a first-come, first-served basis.
For tickets, call 724-334-6049 or contact uxw1@psu.edu. For more about Margee Kerr, visit http://www.margeekerr.com/.