Stephen Balsis

Stephen Balsis, Ph.D. is a Professor of Psychology at the University of Massachusetts Lowell within the College of Fine Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences. His clinical expertise spans mental health assessment, Alzheimer's disease, traumatic brain injury (TBI), and spine surgery rehabilitation. With over 20 years of experience, he maintains active research programs funded by NINDS, NSF, and Medtronic.

Education:

• Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology & Aging (2008), Washington University in St. Louis
• M.A. in Clinical Psychology & Aging (2003), Washington University in St. Louis
• B.A. in Psychology & Gerontology (1999), College of the Holy Cross

Dr. Balsis specializes in geriatric clinical psychology with research focusing on functional impairment assessment in neurodegenerative conditions. His work integrates item response theory to refine diagnostic tools for Alzheimer's disease and TBI. Current projects include NSF-funded wearable devices for motor function improvement and NINDS research on TBI outcome measurement. His publications demonstrate strong interdisciplinary connections between neuropsychology, gerontology, and psychometrics.

Scientific Awards:

• Rising Star, Association for Psychological Science
• Montague Scholar Teaching Award, Texas A&M University
• Multiple Student Recognition Awards for Teaching Excellence
• Bausch and Lomb/Rensselaer Medals for Science/Math Excellence

Dr. Balsis has secured over $4 million in grant funding including an R01 from NINDS ($3.7M), NSF collaborative research ($506K), and Medtronic contracts ($39K). He actively mentors students through summer research programs and serves on the board of Trails and Waterways, a non-profit connecting people with functional limitations to natural environments in New England.