Charles Geier
College of Family and Consumer Sciences
Associate Dean for Research and William P. Flatt Professor
Dr. Charles Geier is a developmental cognitive neuroscientist interested in understanding the neurodevelopment of brain systems underlying goal-directed and habitual behaviors, and how these systems interact across contexts to impact health and disease
015 Dawson Hall
305 Sanford Dr.
Athens, GA 30602
https://gadevelopmentalscience.com
Education
| Degree | Field of Study | Institution | Graduation |
|---|---|---|---|
| PHD | Cognitive Psychology/Neuroscience | University of Pittsburgh | 2009 |
| MS | Neuroscience | Ohio University | 2002 |
| BS | Biological Sciences | Ohio University | 2000 |
Research
We use behavioral measures (e.g., cognitive tasks, eye tracking) and multi-modal functional neuroimaging (e.g., task-based functional MRI, resting state fMRI) to examine (1) the normative neurodevelopment of reward and control-related brain systems during adolescence and young adulthood, (2) how the interaction of these systems contributes to health-related behaviors and illness, including consummatory behavior and obesity, smoking cigarettes, and depression, and (3) how initially reward- or goal-directed behaviors 'evolve' into habits in adolescents and young adults. We are particularly interested in applying advanced statistical methods (e.g., GIMME, time-varying vector autoregressive models, etc.) to acquired fMRI time series data to characterize intra-individual change and inter-individual differences in intra-individual change in brain connectivity between task-relevant regions of interest that underlie decisions and habits.
Prior Professional Positions
| Organization | Title | Years of Service |
|---|---|---|
| Penn State Department of Human Development and Family Studies | Assistant Professor | 2011-2017 |
| Penn State Department of Human Development and Family Studies | Associate Professor | 2017-2023 |
Editorial Appointments
| Position | Name of Journal | Year(s) |
|---|---|---|
| Editorial Board Member | Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience | current |
| Section Board Member | Brain Sciences | current |
Current Research
See Georgia Center for Developmental Science
Job Description
The Associate Dean for Research in the University of Georgia’s College of Family and Consumer Sciences (FACS) provides strategic leadership to advance the college’s research enterprise. The Associate Dean’s role focuses on expanding external funding, supporting high-quality scholarly output, and enhancing the national and international visibility of FACS research. The Associate Dean promotes interdisciplinary collaboration within and beyond the college and works closely with the Office of Research, Innovation Gateway, and Sponsored Projects Administration to support grant development, intellectual property, and translational research. In addition to strategic leadership, the role oversees programmatic and fiscal operations related to research infrastructure, supervises pre-award staff, and supports faculty professional development.