Amber Watts

Amber Watts, Ph.D., is an Associate Professor at the University of Kansas Department of Psychology, specializing in aging, Alzheimer's disease prevention, and the impact of physical activity on cognitive health. She leads the BRANCH Lab and collaborates with the KU Alzheimer's Disease Center in Kansas City.

• Education: Ph.D. in Gerontology (University of Southern California), M.A. in Experimental Psychology, B.A. in Psychology

Her research focuses on bio-behavioral risk factors for cognitive decline, including:

• Physical activity and lifestyle interventions for healthy aging
• Role of biomarkers and genetic risk factors (e.g., APOE4, TOMM40) in cognitive aging
• Sex-specific differences in Alzheimer's risk, particularly related to menopause and estrogen exposure
• Digital biomarkers (e.g., accelerometry, actigraphy) for assessing sleep and physical activity patterns

Her recent work employs machine learning for Alzheimer's risk prediction and examines neighborhood impacts on sedentary behavior. She contributes to teaching graduate-level Research Methods and undergraduate Honors in Psychology.

• Service: Director of Undergraduate Honors Program, Faculty Advisor for Nu Rho Psi, Board Member for Brain Health Training Program and Night of Hope