Assistant Professor, Behavioral and Brain Sciences Program Dr. Jessica Flannery is an Assistant Professor of Psychology at the University of Georgia and the Director of the Brain and Behavior Dynamics Laboratory. Her research merges functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) with ecological behavior tracking to investigate the neurocognitive mechanisms underlying the development and progression of substance use and other health-related behaviors. After earning her Bachelors degree in Psychology at Grinnell College and her PhD in Cognitive Neuroscience at Florida International University, she completed a Postdoctoral Fellowship at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. In 2025, Jessica became faculty at UGA. Jessica is recruiting graduate students this year to join her lab in Fall 2026. Education Education: Postdoctoral Fellowship, University of North Carolina Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC PhD in Cognitive Neuroscience, Florida International University, Miami FL Bachelors Degree in Psychology, Grinnell College, Grinnell IA Research Research Interests: My research examines the neurocognitive mechanisms underlying the development, escalation, and perpetuation of substance use and other motivated health behaviors. My work uses functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and ecological behavior tracking to study both acute fluctuations and long-term developmental changes in brain systems involved in reward sensitivity, executive function, and interoceptive processing. Other Information Of note: Jessica is recruiting graduate students to join her lab this year.
