Education

Ph.D., University of Mississippi, 1990

Research Interests

My research focus is on increasing the understanding of Central Nervous System mechanisms related to cognition seen in aging, aging pathology, and traumatic brain injury. This is accomplished through the use of traditional neuropsychological paradigms, structural and functional magnetic resonance brain imaging (MRI/fMRI), and cognitive intervention. Special foci of this work include geriatric aging and functional independence, aging psychopathology, concussive injury, and evaluation of data validity.

Facilities

Neuropsychology and Memory Assessment Laboratory

The Neuropsychology and Memory Assessment Laboratory is no longer actively collecting data but maintains several large databases on the following: Normal and pathological aging; concussive injury; older adult caregiver/care recipient interactions; and neuroimaging reliability and validation. Databases typically include cognitive testing, structural and functional neuroimaging, personality variables, and daily function measures.

Please contact Dr. Miller directly (lsmiller@uga.edu) for information about obtaining access to any of these databases.

Recent Publications

Note, * represents student authors

Recent Book Chapters

Miller, L.S. & Gogniat, M.A. (2022). Neuroimaging Findings in Normal and Pathological Aging. In Shane Bush and Brian Yochim (Eds.), A Handbook of Geriatric Neuropsychology: Practice Essentials, 2nd edition, (pp. pages of chapter). Routledge/Taylor & Francis. 

Miller, L.S. and Lindbergh, C. (2017). Neuroimaging techniques in the courtroom. In Shane S. Bush (Ed), APA Handbook of Forensic Neuropsychology, American Psychological Association, Washington DC. pp. 111-144.

Recent Journal Articles

Gogniat, M., Rodriguez, V.J., Granros, M., Jean, K.R., Robinson, T.L., & Miller, L.S. (2022). Differential Item Functioning: An Examination of the NEO-FFI by sex in older adults. Sage Open. doi: 10.1177/21582440221086607

Gogniat, M.A., Robinson, T.L., Jean, K.R., & Miller, L.S. (2022). Physical activity and fitness moderate the association between executive function and anti-correlated networks in the aging brain. Sport Sciences for Health. doi :10.1007/s11332-021-00887-9.

Gogniat, M.A., Robinson, T.L., Jean, K.R., & Miller, L.S. (2022). Physical activity moderates the association between executive function and functional connectivity in older adults.  Aging Brain, 2, 100036. doi: 10.1016/j.nbas.2022.100036

Gogniat, M.A., Mewborn, C.M., Robinson, T.L., Jean, K.J., & Miller, L.S. (2021). The Relations Between Physical Activity Level, Executive Function, and White Matter Microstructure in Older Adults. Journal of physical activity & health, 1–13. doi: 10.1123/jpah.2021-0012

*Robinson, T., *Gogniat, M. and Miller, L.S. (2021). Frailty and cognitive function in older adults: A systematic review and meta-analysis of cross-sectional studies. Neuropsychology Review. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11065-021-09497-1.

*Gogniat, M., *Robinson, T.L., Miller, L.S. (2021). Exercise interventions do not impact brain volume change in older adults: A Systematic review and meta-analysis. Neurobiology of Aging, 101, 230-246. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2021.01.025.

*Robinson, T.L., *Gogniat, MA, *Jean, KR, Miller, L.S. (2020). Pre-morbid IQ moderates the relationship between cognitive performance and performance-based functional status in older adults. The Clinical Gerontologist. https://doi.org/10.1080/07317115.2020.1769784.

Schmidt, JD, Suggs, DW, Weber, ML, Bierema, L, Miller, LS, Courson, RW, Reifsteck, F. (2020). Coach, Sports Medicine, and Parent Influence on Student-Athlete Concussion Care Seeking. Journal of Clinical and Translational Research, 5. 215-226. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.18053/jctres.05.2020S4.009.

*Lempke LB, *Weber Rawlins, ML, *Anderson MN, Miller LS, Lynall RC, Schmidt JD. (2020). The Influence of Socioeconomic Status and Academic Standing on Concussion-Reporting Intentions and Behaviors in Collegiate Athletes. Health Promotion and Practice. https://doi.org/10.1177%2F1524839920920289.

*Gogniat, MA, *Hyatt, CS, *Jean, KR, *Rodriguez, VJ, *Robinson, TL, Miller, LS (2020). A multi-method investigation of the personality correlates of functional ability in older adults. Clinical Gerontologist, 43, 420-429. https://doi.org/10.1080/07317115.2019.1709239.

 Weber Rawlins ML, Suggs DW, Bierema L, Miller LS, Reifsteck F, Schmidt JD (2020). Examination of Collegiate Student-Athlete Concussion Reporting Intentions and Behavior. Journal of Clinical and Translational Research, 5, p186-196.  http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/pmc7357619/.

Schmidt JD, *Weber ML, Suggs DW, *Bierema L, Miller LS, Courson, RW, Hoff R, Dill K, Dunham J. (2020).  Improving Concussion Reporting across NCAA Divisions Using a Theory-Based, Data-Driven, Multimedia Concussion Education Intervention: A Randomized Control Trial with One-Year Retention. Journal of Neurotrauma, 37, pp 593-599.  https://doi.org/10.1089/neu.2019.6637.

*Lindbergh, C.A., Zhao, B.E., *Lv, J., *Mewborn, C.M., Puente, A.N., Terry, D.P., Renzi-Hammond, L.M., Hammond, B.R., Liu, T., Miller, L.S. (2019). Intelligence moderates the relation between age and interconnectivity of resting state networks in older adults. Neurobiology of Aging, 78, pp 121-129. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2019.02.014

*Lindbergh, C.A., *Lv, J., *Zhao, Y., *Mewborn, C.M., Puente, A.N., Terry, D.P., Renzi-Hammond, L.M., Hammond, B.R., Liu, T., Miller, L.S. (2019). The effects of lutein and zeaxanthin on resting state functional connectivity in older Caucasian adults: A randomized controlled trial. Brain Imaging and Behavior. Epub ahead of print: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11682-018-00034-y.

Martin, P., Gondo, Y., Arai, Y.,Ishioka, Y., Johnson, M.A., Miller, L.S., Woodard, J., Poon, L.W., Hirose, N. (2019). Cardiovascular Health, and Cognitive Functioning Among Centenarians: A Comparison Between the Tokyo and Georgia Centenarian Studies. International Psychogeriatrics, 31, 455-465. https://doi.org/10.1017/S1041610218001813.

**Weber ML, Suggs DW, Bierema L, Miller LS, Reifsteck F, Schmidt JD. (2019). Collegiate Student-Athlete Sex, Years of Sport Eligibility Completed, and Sport Contact Level Influence on Concussion Reporting Intentions and Behaviors. Brain Injury, 592-597. https://doi.org/10.1080/02699052.2019.1568573

*Jean, K.R., *Lindbergh, C.A., *Mewborn, C.M., *Robinson, T.L., *Gogniat, M.S., Miller, L.S. (in press, Oct 2018 epub). Education differentially buffers cognitive performance in Black and White Older Adults. Journals of Gerontology: Psychological Sciences. https://doi.org/10.1093/geronb/gby116.

*Gogniat, M.A., *Robinson, T.L., *Mewborn, C.M., *Jean, K.R., Miller, L.S. (2018) Body Mass Index and its relation to neuropsychological functioning and brain volume in healthy older adults. Behavioural Brain Research, 348, 235-240. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bbr.2018.04.029.

*Mewborn, C., *Lindbergh, C., *Robinson, T., *Gogniat, M., *Terry, D., *Jean, K., Hammond, B.R., Renzi-Hammond, L. Miller, L.S. (2018). Lutein and Zeaxanthin are positively associated with visual-spatial functioning in older adults: An fMRI study. Nutrients, 10, 458; doi: 10.3390/nu10040458.

*Mewborn C., *Terry, D.P., Renzi-Hammond, L.M., Hammond, B.R., Miller, L.S. (2018). Relation of retinal and serum lutein and zeaxanthin to white matter integrity in older adults: A diffusion tensor imaging study. Archives of Clinical Neuropsychology, 33, 861-874. https://doi.org/10.1093/acn/acx109. Epub November 17, 2017.

*Lindbergh, C.A., Renzi-Hammond, L.M., Hammond, B.R., Terry, D.P., Mewborn, C.M., Puente, A.N., Miller, L.S. (2018). Lutein and zeaxanthin influence brain function in older adults: A randomized controlled trial. Journal of the International Neuropsychological Society, 24,77-90. DOI: doi 10.1017/S1355617717000534, published online on July 11, 2017.

Schmidt, J.D., *Terry, D., Ko, J., Newell, K. and Miller, L. (2018). Balance regularity among former high school football players with and without a history of concussion. Journal of Athletic Training, 2018 Jan 13. doi: 10.4085/1062-6050-326-16. [Epub ahead of print].

*Terry, D.P., Miller, L.S. (2018). Repeated Mild Traumatic Brain injuries is not associated with volumetric differences in former high school football players. Brain Imaging and Behavior, 12, 631-639. doi: 10.1007/s11682-017-9719-6.

Renzi-Hammond, L.M., *Bovier, E.R., *Fletcher, L.M., Miller, L.S., *Mewborn, C.M., *Lindbergh, C.A., Baxter, J.H., Hammond, B.R. (2017). Effects of a lutein/zeaxanthin intervention on cognitive function: a randomized, double-masked, placebo- controlled trial of younger healthy adults. Nutrients 2017, 9 (11), 1246; doi: 103390/nu9111246.

Hammond, B.R., Miller, L.S., *O’Bello, M., *Lindbergh, C.A., *Mewborn, C.M., and Renzi-Hammond, L.M. (2017). Effects of a lutein/zeaxanthin supplementation on the cognitive function of community dwelling older adults: a randomized, double-masked, placebo-controlled trial. Frontiers of Aging Neuroscience,  https://doi.org/10.3389/fnagi.2017.00254.

*Mewborn, C. *Lindbergh, C.A., Miller, L.S. (2017). Cognitive interventions for cognitively healthy, mildly impaired, and mixed samples of older adults: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized-controlled trials. Neuropsychology Review, 27: 403-439. doi: 10.1007/s11065-017-9350-8.

*Collins, B., Breithaupt, L., McDowell, J.E., Miller, L.S., Thompson, J. Fischer, S.  (2017). The impact of acute stress on the neural processing of food cues in Bulimia Nervosa: Replication in Two Samples. Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 126, 540-551. doi: 10.1037/abn0000242.

Schmidt, J.D., *Hoffman, N.L., Ranchet, M., Miller, L.S., Tomporowski, P.D., Akinwuntan, A.E., Devos, H. (2017). Driving after Concussion: Is it Safe to Drive after Symptoms Resolve? Journal of Neurotrauma, 34, 1-8. (December, 2016, online ahead of print. DOI: 10.1089/neu.2016.4668).

*Lindbergh, C.A., *Mewborn, C., Hammond, B.R., Renzi-Hammond, L., Curran-Celentano, J., Miller, L.S. (2017). The relationship of lutein and zeaxanthin to neurocognitive functioning: An fMRI study of older adults. Journal of the International Neuropsychological Society, 23, 11-22. doi:10.1017/S1355617716000850

Lindbergh, C.A., Dishman, R.K., and Miller, L.S. (2016). Functional disability in Mild Cognitive Impairment: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Neuropsychology Review, 26, 129-159. DOI 10.1007/s11065-016-9321-5. 

Hou, Y., *Xiao, T., *Zhang, S., *Jiang, X., Li, X., Hu, X., *Han, J., *Guo, L., Miller, L.S., Neupert, R., Liu, T, (2016). Predicting Movie Trailer Viewer’s “Like/Dislike” via Learned Shot Editing Patterns. IEEE Transactions on Affective Computing, 7, 29-44. Doi; 10.1109/TAFFC.2015.2444371. 

Renzi-Hammond, L.M., Miller, L.S., Hammond Jr., B.R. (2016). Oral Nutrient Supplementation and cognitive function. The Journal of the American Medical Association, 315, 515-516. Doi: 10.1001/jama.2015.16443. 

Terry, D.P., Sabatinelli, D., *Puente, A.N., Lazar, N.A., Miller, L.S. (2015). A meta-analysis of fMRI activation differences during episodic memory in Alzheimer’s disease and mild cognitive impairment Journal of Neuroimaging, 25, 849-860. doi: 10.1111/jon.12266. 2015. 

Mewborn, C., Renzi, L.M., Hammond, B.R., Miller, L.S. (2015). Critical Flicker Fusion moderates the relationship between age and Executive Function in younger and older adults. Archives of Clinical Neuropsychology, 30, 605-610.doi: 10.1093/arclin/acv054.

Terry, D., *Adams, T.E., Ferrara, M.S., Miller, L.S. (2015). FMRI Hypoactivation during Verbal Learning and Memory in Ex-Athletes with Multiple Concussions. Archives of Clinical Neuropsychology, 30,341-355. doi: 10.1093/arclin/acv020.

Puente, A.N., *Lindbergh, C., Miller, L.S. (2015). The relationship between cognitive reserve and functional ability is mediated by executive functioning in older adults. The Clinical Neuropsychologist, 29, 67-81. Doi: 10.1080/13854046.2015.1005676. 

Puente, A.N., *Lindbergh, C., Miller, L.S. (2015) Personality’s association with IADLs in community dwelling older adults. International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, 30, 950-956.. doi: 10.1002/gps.4243. 

Rahman-Filipiak, A.A.M., Woodard, J. L., Miller, L.S., Martin, P., Davey, A., and Poon, L.W. (2015). Octogenarian and Centenarian performance on the Fuld Object Memory Evaluation. Aging, Neuropsychology and Cognition, 22, 438-451. Doi 10.1080/13825585.2014.968085.

Ahmed, F. Miller, L.S. (2015). Adequate Proverb interpretation is associated with performance on the Independent Living Scale. Aging, Neuropsychology and Cognition, 22, 376-387. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/13825585.2014.952613

Ou, J., *Xie; L., *Li, X., *Zhu, D., *Terry, D., *Puente, A.P., *Jiang, R., Chen, Y., Wang, L., Shen, D., Zhang, J., Miller, L.S., Liu, T. (2015). Atomic Connectomics Signatures for Characterization and Differentiation of Mild Cognitive Impairment. Brain Imaging and Behavior, 9, 663-677. First published online 10/30/2014, doi: 10.1007/s11682-014-9320-1.

Grants (current)

Neuroimaging Research Program, John and Mary Franklin Foundation, J. McDowell, B. Clements, L.S. Miller, and H. Dailey, Co-PIs. 11/01/2013 – 10/31/2022. $450,000, funded. Description:  Multiyear funding support for a graduate student training program in neuroimaging.

Selected Professional Activities

American Psychological Association (APA), Fellow. Division 20, Division 28, Division 40

National Academy of Neuropsychology (NAN), Fellow

International Neuropsychological Society (INS)

UGA Institute of Gerontology Affiliate Faculty

Editorial Boards, Archives of Clinical Neuropsychology; Current Psychology, Neuropsychology Review

Other Links

• Psychology Department
• Psychology Clinic
• Clinical Psychology
• BioImaging Research Center (BIRC) 
• Biomedical Health Sciences Institute (BHSI)
• BIRC Small Animal MRS/MRI Instrument (SAMMI)
• Clinical and Cognitive Neuroscience Laboratory
• UGA Institute of Gerontology
• Family Relationships in Late Life Project 
• Franklin Foundation Neuroimaging Training Program

Medical College of Georgia:

• Psychiatry
• Alzheimer’s Research Center
• Shepherd Spinal Injury Center
• National Academy of Neuropsychology (NAN)
• International Neuropsychological Society (INS)
• Society for Neuroscience (SFN)
• Organization for Human Brain Mapping (OHBM)
• Alzheimer’s Association
• National Alliance for the Mentally Ill (NAMI)
• Whole Brain Atlas
• Statistical Parametric Mapping (SPM)
• Undergraduate Research Opportunities

Current Graduate Students

Marissa Gogniat: marissa.gogniat25@uga.edu

Talia Robinson: Talia.robinson25@uga.edu

Kharine Jean: kjean@uga.edu

Past Graduate Students

Kharine Jean, Ph.D., August, 2022: kjean@uga.edu

Marissa Gogniat, Ph.D. May, 2021: marissa.gogniat25@uga.edu

Talia Robinson, Ph.D. May, 2021: talia.robinson25@uga.edu

Kharine Jean, Ph.D. expected May, 2022: kjean@uga.edu

Catherine M. Mewborn, Ph.D. 2019: cmewborn@uga.edu

Cutter A. Lindbergh, Ph.D., 2018: cutter.lindbergh@gmail.com

Douglas P. Terry, Ph.D., 2016: douglasterry1@gmail.com

Antonio N. (Nick) Puente, Ph.D., 2014: apuente22@gmail.com

Courtney Brown, Ph.D., 2013: cbrown07@uga.edu

Carlos Faraco, Ph.D., 2012: carlos.faraco@ih.gov

Fayeza Ahmed, Ph.D., 2011: ahmedfs@gmail.com

Meghan Mitchell, Ph.D., 2009: megan.mitchell2@va.gov

Amie Austin (Peloquin), Ph.D., 2008: amie.austin@gmail.edu

Yfat Kessel, Ph.D., 2008: kessel@yahoo.com

Tanja Mani, Ph.D., 2006: tanja_mani@hotmail.com

Monica Lewis, Ph.D. 2004: mlewis555@hotmail.com

Jeffrey Bedwell, Ph.D. 2004: jbedwell@mail.ucf.edu

Elizabeth Outman (Schaen), Ph.D. 2003: elizabeth.outman@va.gov

Clea Evans, Ph.D. 1999: cevans@mmrcrehab.org

Tracy Waldeck, Ph.D. 1999: waldeckt@mail.nih.gov

Scott Miller, Ph.D. 1998:  scmiller@uga.edu

Sherry Burns, Ph.D. 1997.

Past Undergraduate Students

Olivia Horn

Aleiah Mann

Sehar Mallick

Jordan Palms

Education

Ph.D., University of Florida, Gainesville

Research Interests

Using naturalistic perception as a model, we are interested in defining the brain mechanisms involved in the discrimination of emotional stimuli, and specifically how the recruited cortical and subcortical structures are orchestrated in real time. In addition to basic science, a secondary goal of the lab is to understand how these dynamic mechanisms contribute to disorders of emotion through collaboration with other labs.

Recent Publications

For a full list, Google Scholar Profile

Sabatinelli, D., +Farkas, A. H., & +Gehr, M. C. (2024). Moving toward reality: Electrocortical reactivity to naturalistic multimodal emotional videos. Psychophysiology, doi.org/10.1111/psyp.14526.
 

Trotti, R.L., Parker, D.A., Sabatinelli, D., Keshavan, M.S., Keedy, S.K., Gershon, E.S., Pearlson., G.D., Hill, S.K., Tamminga, C.A., McDowell, J.E., & Clementz, B.A. (2023). Emotional Scene Processing in Biotypes of Psychosis: An ERP Study. Psychiatry Research, doi.org/10.1016/j.psychres.2023.115227.

+Farkas, A.H., & Sabatinelli, D. (2023). Emotional perception: Divergence of early and late ERP modulation. Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience, doi.org/10.1162/jocn_a_01984.

Sabatinelli, D., Winker, C., +Farkas, A. H., Rehbein, M.A., & Junghöfer, M.J. (2023). A 5-minute paradigm to evoke robust emotional reactivity in neuroimaging studies. Frontiers in Neuroscience, doi: 10.3389/fnins.2023.1102213. 

+Farkas, A.H., +Wanger, T.J., & Sabatinelli, D. (2021). Do rare emotional scenes enhance LPP modulation? Biological Psychology, doi: 10.1016/j.biopsycho.2021.108204. 

+Farkas, A.H., Trotti, R.L., Edge, E.A., Huang, L.Y., Kasowski, A., Thomas, O.F., Chlan, E., Granros, M.P., Patel, K.K., & Sabatinelli, D. (2021) Humor and emotion: Quantitative meta analyses of functional neuroimaging studies. Cortex, doi.org/10.1016/j.cortex.2021.02.023.
 

Trotti, R.L., Abdelmageed, S., Parker, D.A., Sabatinelli, D., Tamminga, C.A., Gershon, E.S., Keedy, S.K., Keshavan, M.S., Pearlson, G.D., Sweeney, J.A., McDowell, J.E., & Clementz, B.A (2021). Neural processing of repeated emotional scenes in schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder, and bipolar disorder. Schizophrenia Bulletin, doi:10.1093/schbul/sbab018.
 

Winker, C., Rehbein, M.A., Sabatinelli, D., & Junghöfer, M. (2020). Repeated noninvasive stimulation of the ventromedial prefrontal cortex reveals cumulative amplification of pleasant compared to unpleasant scene processing: a single subject pilot study. PLoS One. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0222057.

Trotti, R.L., Parker, D.A., Sabatinelli, D., Tamminga, C.A., Gershon, E.S., Keedy, S.K., Keshavan, M.S., Pearlson, G.D., Sweeney, J.A., McDowell, J.E., Clementz, B.A. (2020). Electrophysiological correlates of emotional scene processing in bipolar disorder. Journal of Psychiatric Research. doi: 10.1016/j.jpsychires.2019.10.005

+Farkas, A.H., Oliver, K.I., & Sabatinelli, D. (2020). Emotional and feature-based modulation of the early posterior negativity. Psychophysiology. doi: 10.1111/psyp.13484

+Frank. D.W., Costa, V. D., Averbeck, B.B., & Sabatinelli, D. (2019). Directional interconnectivity of the human amygdala, fusiform gyrus, and orbitofrontal cortex in emotional scene perception. Journal of Neurophysiology.  doi: 10.1152/jn.00780.2018

Winker, C., Rehbein, M.A., Sabatinelli, D., Dohn, M., Maitzen, J., Roesmann, Wolters, C.H.,  Arolt, V., & Junghöfer, M. (2019). Noninvasive stimulation of the ventromedial prefrontal cortex indicates valence ambiguity in sad compared to happy and fearful face processing. Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience. doi: 10.3389/fnbeh.2019.00083. 

Sabatinelli, D. & +Frank, D.W. (2019). Assessing the primacy of human amygdala-inferotemporal emotional scene discrimination with rapid whole-brain fMRI. Neuroscience. doi: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2019.03.001.

+Frank, D.W. & Sabatinelli, D. (2019). Hemodynamic and electrocortical reactivity to specific scene contents in emotional perception. Psychophysiology. doi: 10.1111/psyp.13340

+ Graduate students under Dr. Sabatinelli's direct supervision. 

Dr. Shaffer will not be accepting a new graduate student for Fall 2024 admission.

Education

Ph.D., University of Minnesota, 2008
Developmental Psychopathology and Clinical Science

Research Interests

I am trained as a developmental and clinical psychologist, and I mentor and train students in both disciplines, and in the intersections of these fields. I am interested in identifying factors that predict both positive and negative parenting behaviors, including characteristics such as self-regulation, and relevant experiences such as childhood maltreatment. My research has also focused on the evaluation of parenting assessment, including a focus on developing novel measures of parents' emotion regulation and considering the use of parenting measures in diverse groups. I have also focused specifically on processes of emotion communication in close relationships (i.e., parent-child or romantic relationships). Intervention development work in this area has involved innovative treatments promoting parental emotion coaching, for applications in many domains including the treatment of adolescent eating disorders and the prevention of emotional maltreatment. 

Development and Psychopathology Lab

*Dr. Suveg will not be reviewing applications for the admission of a graduate student for Fall 2024. 

Education

Ph.D., Clinical Psychology (Neuropsychology), Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science

Postdoctoral Fellowship, Clinical Neuropsychology, Brown University

Other Affiliations

Fellow, Owens Institute for Behavioral Research

Research Interests

I examine brain-behavior relationships in clinical populations using cognitive and affective neuroscience techniques, particularly multimodal neuroimaging and neuropsychological assessments. My FMRI work includes paradigm development with a focus on clinically relevant constructs (e.g., objective assessments of subjective states, prediction of treatment outcome). Recent studies include the use of functional neuroimaging markers to predict smoking, alcohol, and opiate cessation outcome; functional, structural and prefusion MRI correlates of cognitive function in cardiovascular disease; the effects of early life stress on adult cognitive function; cue reactivity in obesity and nicotine dependence; and working memory and information processing speed in subcortical disease processes.

Current research

Research Approaches

• Neuropsychological Assessment
• Functional Neuroimaging
• Structural Morphometry

Research Content areas

• Substance use and treatment outcomes (tobacco, vaping, alcohol, opiates)
• Outcomes of chronic stress and adversity
• Cardiovascular disease
• Aging

Publications

• PubMed
• Google Scholar
• Curriculum Vitae link is above (just below contact info)

Of Note

• Tackling Youth Vaping with Neuroscience
• Recent Faculty Grant Successes
• Sweet Named Inaugural Holder of UGA's Sperduto Professorship
• 2021 William A Owens Creative Research Award

Education

1993      Ph.D. Psychology [Industrial/Organizational Psychology Emphasis], Minor area: Organization and Management [Smeal College of Business Administration], The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA

1990      M.S. Psychology [Industrial/Organizational Psychology Emphasis], The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA

1988     B.A. Psychology and Spanish, minor in Educational Administration, Bucknell University, Lewisburg, PA

Research Interests

My research program focuses on understanding the psychology of workplace diversity, specifically how individuals and organizations resist or demonstrate readiness for diversity. My work is also concerned with the organizational experiences of marginalized groups, namely people of color, women, and sexual minorities and the impact their work and professional experiences has on their career mobility and overall well-being. My instructional program includes courses in the Psychology of Prejudice, Race and Identity, and  Diversity in Organizations. RED provides my students and me the unique opportunity to integrate these programs of research and instruction in order to further the diversity and effectiveness missions of UGA units, non-profit institutions, school districts, and traditional workplaces through workshop delivery, meeting facilitation, and diversity climate assessments.

Selected Publications

Books Authored

Thomas, K. M. (2005).  Diversity Dynamics in the Workplace. San Francisco: Wadsworth-Thomson. 

Volumes Edited

Thomas, K.M. (in progress). Diversity Resistance in Organizations, Volume 2 [Applied Psychology Series]. NYC: Routledge.

Thomas, K.M. & Ashburn-Nardo, L. (2017). Broadening the conversation: Why Black lives matter. A special issue of Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion: An International Journal, 36(8). UK: Emerald Publishing.

Plaut, V., Thomas, K.M., & Hebl, M. (2014).  Race and ethnicity in the workplace:  Spotlighting the perspectives of historically marginalized groups. A special issue of, Cultural Diversity and Ethnic Minority Psychology.  Washington, DC:  APA.

Thomas, K.M., Plaut, V.C., & Tran, N.M. (2014).Diversity Ideologies in Organizations. [Applied Psychology Series]. NYC: Routledge-Taylor Francis.

Thomas, K.M. (2008). Diversity  Resistance in Organizations. [Applied Psychology Series]. NYC: LEA-Taylor Francis.  

Thomas, K.M. & Proudford, K.L. (eds.) (1999).Organizational Outsiders Within [special issue of Journal of Career Development] NYC: NY: Kluwer Academic/Human Sciences Press. 

For a complete listing of Dr. Thomas' chapters in edited volumes and research articles, grants/contracts, awards, and doctoral students,  please see her curriculum vitae.

In the News

Quoted in the article, “Does Faculty Diversity Need Targets?”  InsideHigherEd.com. April 6, 2015. https://www.insidehighered.com/news/2015/04/06/brown-u-declares-it-will-double-faculty-diversity-2025

Quoted in the article, “Black and Not Feeling Welcomed.”  InsideHigherEd.Com. November, 2014.  https://www.insidehighered.com/news/2014/12/03/vassar-professors-essays-about-racial-profiling-and-racism-attract-attention

Quoted in the article, “Affirmative Action Ending?” Diverse Issues in Higher Education, October 9, 2014.

Networking Expert for Minnesota Public Radio.  Podcast available at:  http://minnesota.publicradio.org/display/web/2013/03/13/daily-circuit-networking-young-minorities

Diversity Resistance Expert for online radio show “Diversity Matters.”  Podcast available at http://www.podcast-directory.co.uk/episodes/diversity-matters-diversity-resistance-7761232.html

Thomas wins award from the Academy of Management and named Fellow of SIOP and APA.

Colorblindness research covered by the media.

Dr. Thomas  becomes Sr. Advisor to the Dean of Franklin College

Diversity initiatives developed by Dr. Thomas identified by the American Psychological Association as "exemplary strategies"

Recipient, 2004 University of Georgia Diversity Award from the Office of Institutional Diversity

August 2004: article on Dr. Thomas's work in the APA Monitor

Education

Ph.D., Duke University, 2008

Research Interests

My research is aimed at understanding how people can be successful at self-regulation and self-control. I am particularly interested in how social relationships affect self-control and how self-control affects social relationships. I study the social underpinnings of motivation and self-control across multiple goal domains including academics, health (especially smoking and physical activity), career, and finance.