Kelsey Canada

Kelsey Canada is an incoming Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, starting Fall 2025. She is based in Tobin Hall and will lead a research program focused on developmental cognitive neuroscience.

Her research centers on understanding how memory and brain development, particularly in the hippocampus, evolve during childhood and adolescence. She examines how socioeconomic factors influence neurodevelopment, using interdisciplinary methods including MRI, EEG, behavioral testing, and structural equation modeling. Her work emphasizes representative sampling and data integration to uncover modifiable risk and protective factors.

Dr. Canada's recent publications highlight her leadership in hippocampal subfield research, quality control in neuroimaging, and collaborative data practices. Her work spans developmental trajectories, methodological innovation, and social determinants of brain health.

She earned her PhD from the University of Maryland, College Park, and is establishing her lab at UMass Amherst. Prospective students are encouraged to contact her directly.

• Research Areas: Developmental Science, Neuroimaging, Cognitive Development
• Affiliation: Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, UMass Amherst

Dr. Canada has been involved in major collaborative initiatives, including the Hippocampal Subfields Group, and her research is supported by recent publications in top journals such as Human Brain Mapping, Hippocampus, and Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience. While no formal grants or advising roles are listed yet, her active publication record and lab formation indicate a growing research program.