Samantha Scudder

Dr. Samantha Scudder is an Assistant Teaching Professor in the Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences at the University of California, Santa Barbara, within the College of Letters and Science. Her academic journey includes a ScB in Neuroscience from Brown University (2010) and a PhD in Neurosciences from UC San Diego (2016).

Her research program spans neurobiological investigations into alcohol's effects using rodent models and pedagogical studies on peer tutoring efficacy. Core interests include:

• Biopsychology and behavioral neuroscience
• Psychopharmacology of addiction
• Neurodegenerative mechanisms
• Educational interventions in STEM

Her publication record demonstrates consistent focus on synaptic plasticity, glutamate receptor dynamics, and alcohol-related neurodegeneration, with recent work expanding into Alzheimer's pathology and cognitive aging.

Notable recognitions include:

• National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship
• NIDA NRSA Postdoctoral Fellowship
• SAGE Junior Fellowship (2019)
• NARSAD Young Investigator Award (2020)
• Margaret T. Getman Service Award (2025)

She leads investigations on alcohol-induced neural changes and directs pedagogical research on undergraduate STEM education enhancement.