Jennifer McDowell

Jennifer McDowell is a Professor and Associate Director of Owens Institute for Behavioral Research at the University of Georgia. She is affiliated with the Behavioral and Brain Sciences and Neuroscience Programs, and is associated with multiple research laboratories including the Clinical and Cognitive Neuroscience Laboratory, the Franklin Foundation Neuroimaging Program, and the UGA Bio-Imaging Research Center. Her work bridges psychology, neuroscience, and cognitive science with a focus on understanding brain-behavior relationships.

Dr. McDowell received her educational training at prestigious institutions:

• Ph.D. from the University of California, San Diego
• M.A. from the University of California, San Diego
• B.A. from Swarthmore College, Pennsylvania

Dr. McDowell's research spans multiple domains of cognitive and behavioral neuroscience. Her work primarily investigates the neural mechanisms underlying eye movement control, cognitive function, and brain development. She employs advanced neuroimaging techniques including fMRI and EEG to examine brain structure and function in both healthy individuals and those with neurological or psychiatric conditions. A significant portion of her recent work has focused on how exercise interventions affect brain development and cognitive function in children, particularly those who are overweight. Her research also explores individual differences in cognitive performance, brain connectivity, and the neural correlates of executive function.

Analysis of Dr. McDowell's publication record reveals a strong focus on cognitive neuroscience with particular emphasis on saccadic eye movements as a window into cognitive control processes. Her work spans basic research on neural mechanisms of eye movements to applied research on brain development in children. A notable trend in her recent work is the investigation of how physical exercise influences brain structure and function in developing children, using sophisticated neuroimaging techniques to document white matter changes and functional connectivity alterations. Her publications appear in high-impact journals across neuroscience, psychology, and medical fields, demonstrating the interdisciplinary nature of her research.

Dr. McDowell mentors graduate students in the Behavioral and Brain Sciences program, with Kelsey Elise Roberts listed as one of her current graduate students. While specific grant information isn't detailed in the provided text, her extensive publication record spanning multiple research areas suggests successful funding for her laboratory's work on cognitive neuroscience, neuroimaging, and developmental studies.

Dr. McDowell leads research efforts across several important facilities:

• Clinical and Cognitive Neuroscience Laboratory
• Franklin Foundation Neuroimaging Program
• UGA Bio-Imaging Research Center

These facilities provide state-of-the-art resources for conducting neuroimaging research, including fMRI, EEG, and other brain imaging techniques. Her laboratory work integrates cognitive testing with advanced neuroimaging to understand the relationship between brain structure/function and cognitive performance.