Faculty for the PhD Program in Behavior, Cognition and Neuroscience

Laurie Bayet Assistant Professor CAS | Neuroscience

Dr. Bayet is a developmental cognitive neuroscientist interested in infant cognitive development and high-level vision. Her lab combines electro-encephalography (EEG), behavioral methods, and computat

  bayet@american.edu

  (202) 885-1719

Thomas Costello Assistant Professor CAS | Psychology

Thomas Costello is an Assistant Professor of Psychology at American University. He studies where political and social beliefs come from, how they differ from person to person–and, ultimately, why they

  tcostello@american.edu

Terry Davidson Distinguished Professor Emeritus

Dr. Davidson earned his undergraduate degree in Psychology at Michigan State University and earned his PhD with a specialization in Learning and Memory at Purdue University before completing his post-

  terryd@american.edu

  (202) 885-6541

Katie Holton Provost Associate Professor CAS | Health Studies

Dr. Kathleen Holton is a nutritional neuroscientist, co-appointed in the Departments of Health Studies and Neuroscience, whose research examines the negative effects of dietary excitotoxins on neurolo

  holton@american.edu

  (202) 885-3797

Laura Juliano Professor CAS | Psychology

Laura M. Juliano earned her PhD in Clinical Psychology from the State University of New York at Binghamton and completed a post-doctoral fellowship at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. Her

  juliano@american.edu

  (202) 885-1715

David Kearns Professor and Department Chair, Psychology CAS | Psychology

Research interests:Learning, behavior, addiction.Recent publications:Beasley, M. M., Gunawan, T., Tunstall, B. J., & Kearns, D. N. (2022). Intermittent access training produces greater motivation for

  kearns@american.edu

  (202) 885-1711

Mark Laubach Professor CAS | Neuroscience

I am a neurobiologist interested in goal-directed behavior. My laboratory is focused on the roles of the prefrontal cortex and basal ganglia in executive control and decision making. Core methods incl

  mark.laubach@american.edu

  (202) 885-2116

Emily Peterson Associate Professor SOE | General Academics & Research

Dr. Emily Grossnickle Peterson is an Assistant Professor in the School of Education and an affiliate faculty member in the Psychology Department and the Behavior, Cognition, and Neuroscience PhD progr

  epeterso@american.edu

  (202) 885-3098

Anthony Riley Professor and Department Chair, Neuroscience CAS | Neuroscience

Dr. Riley received his undergraduate training at the University of North Carolina and obtained his PhD from the University of Washington. He did a post-doctoral fellowship in pharmacology at Dalhousie

  alriley@american.edu

  (202) 885-6541

Colin Saldanha Professor CAS | Neuroscience

Hormones are profound modulators of brain structure and function; with influences that span the lifetime of an organism. The muti-faceted and pluripotent neural effects of steroids require that a spec

  saldanha@american.edu

  (202) 885-2156

Bei Xiao Provost Associate Professor CAS | Computer Science

Dr. Bei Xiao's research focuses on how the human visual system estimate physical and functional properties of objects in our surroundings. Another focus of her research is to apply results from human

  bxiao@american.edu

  (202) 885-6885

Alexander Zestos Associate Professor CAS | Chemistry

Dr. Zestos completed his B.S./M.S. in chemistry from the College of William and Mary, a PhD in Chemistry from the University of Virginia, and was a postdoctoral research fellow at the University of Mi

  zestos@american.edu

  (202) 885-1730

Associate BCaN Faculty

Anthony Ahrens Professor CAS | Psychology

My continuing interests include gratitude and mindfulness, especially the relation of gratitude to the desire to be independent of others. I also have two relatively new interests. (1) Non-Buddhist co

  ahrens@american.edu

  (202) 885-1714

John Bracht Associate Professor CAS | Biology

Short Summary of Bracht lab research interests: Given the central importance of the genome, it is surprising that some organisms simply eliminate significant portions of it from some or all cells. Gen

  jbracht@american.edu

  (202) 885-2189

Maria Gomez Hurst Senior Professorial Lecturer CAS | Psychology

Dr. Gomez-Serrano was born and raised in Madrid where she obtained her Veterinarian degree specializing in animal husbandry and genetics. Right after obtaining her degree, Dr. Gomez-Serrano moved to W

  mgomez@american.edu

  (202) 885-2681

Sarah Irvine Belson Professor SOE | General Academics & Research

Dr. Sarah Irvine Belson holds a PhD from Arizona State University in Curriculum and Instruction with a cognate in Special Education. Her research explores educational opportunity for children with dis

  sirvine@american.edu

  (202) 885-3714

Monika Konaklieva Associate Professor CAS | Chemistry

Dr. Konaklieva’s research is in the area of exploring different approaches for delaying of microbial resistance. Current projects include computer-aided design and synthesis of novel beta-lactams as w

  mkonak@american.edu

  (202) 885-1777