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.

I am a first-year doctoral student in I/O Psychology at UGA. My fascination with organizational behavior began during my first psychology lab experience, where I realized how seemingly small misunderstandings—such as a manager’s offhand comment—could escalate into toxic workplace dynamics. This sparked my commitment to using research to give voice to unspoken struggles, especially those faced by marginalized groups. My research focuses on understanding and improving workplace dynamics, with particular emphasis on fostering fairness and employee well-being. My past work has explored how stressors, gender norms, and organizational practices influence behavior—from job-related strain to newcomers’ adaptation to workplace challenges. I am dedicated to generating findings that help organizations create environments where individuals can thrive.