Nancy Dennis

Nancy Dennis is a Professor of Psychology and Associate Department Head for Instruction at Pennsylvania State University's Department of Psychology. She also serves as Director of Undergraduate Studies. Her research focuses on cognitive aging, particularly the effects of aging on episodic memory using behavioral and neuroimaging methods (fMRI). Key interests include false memories, associative memory processes, neural compensation mechanisms, and the application of multivariate analysis techniques such as representational similarity analyses and functional connectivity studies.

Dr. Dennis earned her Ph.D. from The Catholic University of America in 2004. She leads the Cognitive Aging & Neuroimaging Lab (CANLab), which explores how cognitive and neural processes change with age. Her work integrates advanced neuroimaging approaches to understand memory specificity, neural markers of cognitive decline, and interventions to mitigate memory deficits in older adults.

Her research has been published in high-impact journals such as Neuropsychologia, Neurobiology of Aging, and Journal of Neuroscience. Current projects include investigating neurovascular coupling in metabolic syndrome, enhancing creative thinking in older adults, and developing interventions to improve everyday functioning through memory training. She maintains an active role in advancing methodological approaches in cognitive neuroscience, particularly in multivariate pattern analysis and connectome studies.