Joseph Bilotta

Dr. Joseph Bilotta was born in 1955, to Frank and Helen Pizzutti Bilotta in Niagara Falls, New York. Joseph earned a bachelor’s degree from Buffalo State College before pursuing a master’s degree from the State University of Brockport, New York, and a Ph.D. from the City University of New York. He then came to WKU in 1991, as a professor of psychology.

He was an outstanding teacher, mentor, and researcher who made significant contributions to the department. He was also very involved as a member of the Kentucky Academy of Science, the American Psychological Society, the Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology, and the Society for Neuroscience. He was married to Dr. Elizabeth Lemerise, also a WKU psychology professor, until his passing on January 2, 2006, at the age of 50.

To honor his memory, Elizabeth established the Joseph Bilotta Scholarship Fund in 2006. The fund assists WKU students who are pursuing degrees in psychological sciences. Through this fund, Joseph’s legacy on the Hill and beyond continues in perpetuity.