David F. Dinges, Ph.D., is Professor of Psychiatry at the University of Pennsylvania's Perelman School of Medicine. He serves as Director of the Unit for Experimental Psychiatry, Chief of the Division of Sleep and Chronobiology, and Associate Director of the Center for Sleep and Circadian Neurobiology. His affiliations include the Neuroscience Graduate Group, Psychology Graduate Group, and multiple interdisciplinary research centers. Education: A.B. in Psychology, St. Benedict's College (1971) M.S. and Ph.D. in Physiological Psychology, Saint Louis University (1974, 1976) M.A. (Honorary), University of Pennsylvania (1993) Dr. Dinges leads translational research on neurobehavioral regulation by sleep and circadian biology, using methodologies including cognitive testing, neuroimaging, electrophysiology, and biomarker analysis. His work examines vulnerability to sleep loss, recovery dynamics, and fatigue countermeasures in safety-critical occupations including spaceflight, aviation, and healthcare. He developed the widely used Psychomotor Vigilance Test (PVT). His publications focus on sleep physiology, neurobehavioral performance, and fatigue risk management in operational environments. Core themes include biomarker discovery, individual differences in sleep vulnerability, and technological solutions for fatigue mitigation. Awards: NASA Distinguished Public Service Medal (2007) Distinguished Scientist Award, Sleep Research Society (2018) Nathaniel Kleitman Distinguished Service Award (2017) Pioneer Award, National Space Biomedical Research Institute (2016) He directs the Unit for Experimental Psychiatry laboratory, which conducts controlled studies in the Hospital of Pennsylvania's Sleep and Chronobiology Laboratory and field research in extreme environments. His team develops neurobehavioral technologies for clinical and occupational applications, supported by NASA, NIH, and FAA grants. He mentors trainees at all career stages.






