Faculty and Staff

Derek Jones

Dr. Derek Jones, PhD

(he/him/his)

Director, Cognitive Science Program and Faculty Director, Center for Innovation & Change

Room 270, Ridgway University Center
812-488-1045
dj4@evansville.edu

Dr. Jones joined the University of Evansville in 2012. He earned his MA in Philosophy from the University of Houston and his PhD from Indiana University. Jones has published one book and several articles on the nature of agency, free will, embodied cognition and minimally cognitive adaptive systems. He is currently working on projects involving skill acquisition, “automatic” or “mindless” actions, and embodied/enactive conceptions of free will. Jones teaches courses in the philosophy of mind, cognitive science, philosophy of science, action, and epistemology, and logic, and received the College of Arts and Sciences Dean’s Teaching award in 2019. He has served as Director of the Cognitive Science program since 2013.
Lora Becker

Dr. Lora Becker

(she/her/hers)

Professor of Psychology and Director of General Education

Room 217 E, Hyde Hall
812-488-2532
lb47@evansville.edu

Dr. Lora Becker, associate professor, Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, teaches the Honors course, Introduction to Behavioral Neuroscience. In this course, students study the nervous system and how it controls the actions of the human body. In addition to the textbook, students read essays from Robert Sapolsky and Oliver Sacks which present case studies of individuals with neurological impairments or critiques on how neuroscience findings can enlighten understanding of ourselves.|

"After taking this course, I hope that students have a greater understanding of themselves with regards to the functioning of their nervous system," explains Dr. Becker. "There are several tricks and tips a student can learn about how to better manage their concentration, need for sleep and ability to learn college material. Not only do students develop an appreciation for the field of neuroscience, they come away with a better understanding of their own behavior."

Of Honors students, Dr. Becker remarks, "I enjoy teaching UE Honors students because they come to class with a desire to understand. Conversation about the essays is always lively and full of great insight!"

Dr. Becker received her undergraduate dual BS in biology and psychology from Wright State University, as well as a MA in psychobiology and PhD.. in behavioral neuroscience from Binghamton University. Her research expertise is in the field of behavioral neuroscience. She has been published in numerous scholarly journals, including Comparative Clinical Pathology and the Journal of Applied Biological Sciences. Dr. Becker is a member of the Nu Rho Psi Neuroscience Honors Society, Phi Kappa Phi, and The National Society of Collegiate Scholars. She received the Dean of Arts and Sciences Teaching Award in 2007 and the Dean of Students Advisor of the Year Award in 2004.
Vincent Campese

Dr. Vincent Campese

Assistant Professor/Psychology and Director of Neuroscience Program

Hyde Hall, Room 217 D
812-488-2531
vc44@evansville.edu
Personal Website

Dr. Campese earned his PhD in 2011 from the City University of New York Graduate Center through the Cognition Brain and Behavior Psychology sub-program. His thesis project examined the neural substrates involved in context-specific memory. As a postdoctoral research scientist Dr Campese joined the LeDoux lab at New York University, where he pursued questions about how associative learning contributes to aversive motivation and memory. His work has focused on how maladaptive anxiety or fear-related defensive responding is eliminated by experience with avoidance learning. In 2018 Dr Campese became an Assistant Professor of Psychology and Neuroscience at the University of Evansville, in Evansville, Indiana. As a principal investigator, he continues to train students to conduct research with the long-term goal of identifying brain circuits that control defensive responding and promote active coping.
Elizabeth Hennon Peters

Dr. Elizabeth Hennon Peters

Associate Professor of Psychology

Room 217 H, Hyde Hall
812-488-2511
eh82@evansville.edu