Candice L. Odgers

Candice L. Odgers is a Professor of Psychological Science at the University of California, Irvine (UCI), and Director of Research and Faculty Development at the School of Social Ecology. She holds a courtesy appointment in the Donald Bren School of Information and Computer Sciences. Odgers earned her Ph.D. in Psychology from the University of Virginia. Her research focuses on adolescent mental health, social inequalities, and the impact of digital technologies on youth development. She employs mobile devices and ecological momentary assessment to study real-time behaviors and environments.

Research Interests: Odgers investigates how daily experiences—online and offline—affect child and adolescent well-being. Her work emphasizes quantitative methods to analyze longitudinal data, including the effects of social media, screen time, and parent-adolescent interactions mediated by technology. Key themes include developmental disparities, mental health outcomes, and the role of technology in shaping social inequities.

Advising & Labs: She mentors graduate students (e.g., Burnell, Jensen, George) and leads the Adaptation, Development & Positive Transitions Lab (AdaptLab). Collaborative projects include the Connecting the EdTech Research Ecosystem (CERES) and the Child & Brain Development Program at CIFAR. Her research aims to develop open-access tools for assessing youth experiences and informing public health strategies.