Amanda Guyer

Amanda Guyer is a Professor at the University of California, Davis, co-directing the Center for Mind & Brain and contributing to the Department of Human Ecology. She is affiliated with the Center for Neuroscience and the Center for Poverty and Inequality Research, focusing on neurobiological mechanisms underlying adolescent psychopathology.

• Education:
  • Ph.D., M.Phil., M.S. in Developmental Psychology, Yale University
  • B.A. in Psychology (Honors), Skidmore College

Her research examines how adolescents process facial emotions, peer evaluation, and social threats, linking neural circuitry to depression, anxiety, and substance use. She investigates age-related differences, pubertal influences, and environmental stressors like poverty and family dynamics.

Recent publications highlight her work on neurobiological predictors of mental health, including machine learning models for depression, cross-cultural nutrition studies, and peer influence mechanisms. Her lab, the Teen Experiences, Emotions, and Neurodevelopment Lab, integrates fMRI, longitudinal data, and social context to address mental health disparities in marginalized communities.

• Scientific Awards:
  • Elected Fellow, Association for Psychological Science (2019)
  • Chancellor’s Fellow (2014-2019)
  • William T. Grant Scholar (2011-2016)
  • NARSAD Young Investigator Award (2005-2007)

She mentors graduate students, teaches courses on adolescent development, and advocates for neurobiological research to mitigate mental health inequities through policy and intervention.