John Gunstad

John Gunstad is a Professor in the Department of Psychological Sciences at Kent State University, where he leads the Science of Health Interventions and Peak Performance (SHIPP) Lab. His research focuses on interventions improving mental/physical health outcomes and strategies for peak performance, particularly through the Kent State University Student Life Study tracking 10,000 undergraduates. He teaches graduate courses in Psychological Assessment and undergraduate Psychology for Everyday Life.

Education: PhD from Ohio University (2002). Key initiatives include the HERO (Human Performance Education, Research, and Outreach) Initiative and collaborations with the Student Life Study. His work spans clinical neuropsychology, obesity-related cognitive outcomes, probiotic effects on cognition, and sports-related concussions. He actively advises doctoral students in clinical neuropsychology, health, and sport psychology.

Advising and grants: A mentor for the 2025-2026 PhD cohort, considering GRE scores in applications. Research has addressed bariatric surgery cognitive effects, HIV prevention interventions for opioid users, and gut microbiome impacts on cognition. Lab activities include automated speech analysis for cognitive decline prediction and probiotic clinical trials.

Labs/Teams: SHIPP Lab and HERO Initiative. Notable collaborations include the Teen-LABS Consortium studying long-term outcomes of adolescent bariatric surgery.