معرفی
Jessica D. Payne is a Professor of Psychology at the University of Notre Dame, where she directs the Sleep, Stress, and Memory (SAM) Lab. As a Sleep and Stress Neuroscience Expert, her research explores how sleep and stress interact to influence memory consolidation, emotional processing, and leadership performance. She has received prestigious accolades including the Laird Cermak Award, the Early Career Award from the Psychonomic Society, and election as a Kavli Fellow by the National Academy of Sciences.
- Education:
- Ph.D. in Psychology/Cognitive Neuroscience, University of Arizona
- Postdoctoral Fellowships at Harvard Medical School and Harvard University
- M.A. in Experimental Psychology, Mount Holyoke College
- B.A. in Psychology, University of San Diego
Research Focus: Payne’s work demonstrates that sleep is not passive but an active process where the brain consolidates emotional memories, enhances creativity, and regulates neurochemicals like cortisol. Her studies reveal sleep’s role in selective memory consolidation, particularly for negative emotional stimuli, with implications for understanding mental health disorders like PTSD and depression.
Scientific Contributions:
- 2025: Eveningness and sleep quality in aging
- 2024: Targeted memory reactivation during NREM sleep
- 2023: Cognitive reappraisal’s interplay with sleep
- 2022: Sleep’s preferential consolidation of negative memories
Organizational Impact: As an internationally recognized speaker and consultant for 20 years, Payne applies her findings to Fortune 500 companies, healthcare organizations, and athletics teams. She advocates for flexible work schedules aligned with circadian rhythms and promotes sleep-friendly leadership practices to enhance productivity and well-being.
Teaching Excellence: Payne’s popular course “The Sleeping Brain” earned teaching awards from both Harvard and Notre Dame. She serves as Associate Editor for Journal of Experimental Psychology: General and Learning & Memory.
Labs & Collaborations: The SAM Lab at Notre Dame conducts interdisciplinary research integrating psychophysiological measurements, fMRI studies, and behavioral experiments to uncover how sleep and stress shape cognition.
