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Department: Psychological Sciences

Cynthia Erickson

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Cynthia Erickson, Ph.D., is a Professor of Psychology and Neuroscience in the Department of Psychology at Metropolitan State University of Denver. She teaches a range of topics ranging from social issues such as multicultural psychology to cellular and molecular neurobiology.

Over the years, Erickson has conducted research from coast-to-coast mainly focusing on the neurobiology of visual memory and perception. Most of her research involves studying how the brain changes with learning and subsequently how the aging process alters this ability. Along with MSU Denver undergraduates, Erickson is investigating the relationship between consumption of probiotics and age-associated cognitive impairments in humans. The research has significant implications for development of cost-effective memory aids for an aging population.

With an early passion for psychology, Erickson received her doctorate in Psychology and Neuroscience from University of Arizona, a masters in Psychology and Learning from Emporia State University, and a bachelor’s in Psychology, English and Biology from Nebraska Wesleyan University. She received an Excellence in Teaching Award from the Psi Chi Honorary in Psychology in 2013. Additionally, Erickson has published several articles on her research and expertise in psychology and neuroscience, and held numerous presentations at conventions and conferences.

Lisa Badanes

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Lisa Badanes, Ph.D., is a professor and the chair of the Department of Psychological Sciences at Metropolitan State University of Denver.

Badanes has been teaching since 2010. She previously worked as an instructor at Colorado State University and University of Denver. In addition, Badanes worked as a research associate at DU and a postdoctoral fellow at Developmental Psychobiology Research Group before joining MSU Denver. She is chair of the Institutional Review Board at MSU Denver.

Badanes has published many co-authored articles on her research including most recently for Early Childhood Research Quarterly titled “Evidence for a physiologic home-school gap in children of Latina immigrants.” Her research addresses the ways in which the experience of early life stress influences current life stress, depression/anxiety and academic success in college students. She has given many presentations on her research and areas of expertise both nationally and internationally.

Badanes received her doctorate and masters in developmental psychology from University of Denver in 2009 and 2006 respectively and a bachelor’s in psychology from University of Vermont, Burlington in 2001.

Pamela Ansburg

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Pamela Ansburg, Ph.D., is a professor in the Department of Psychological Sciences at Metropolitan State University of Denver. Her specialty is in experimental psychology.

Ansburg has been in the academia field for over two decades. She taught at as an assistant professor at Arkansas State University, Jonesboro and Slippery Rock University for almost four years before joining the Department of Psychology at MSU Denver in 1999. She was one of the founding faculty associates for the Undergraduate Research Program at MSU Denver, a highly successful campus-wide research conference. It was Ansburg’s vision and leadership that defined the program and she remains active on its advisory council. Her other professional affiliations include Society for Teaching of Psychology (APA Division 2) and Association for Psychological Science. Ansburg is also on the editorial board for the Student Journal of Psychological Sciences at MSU Denver.

Her research focuses on understanding the cognitive processes involved in remembering and using knowledge. In particular, Ansburg investigates how both task demands (task familiarity, working memory load, etc.) and individual differences (age, attentional focus, etc.) can impact the ability to learn, access, and apply information. Her most recent work was published in Educational Gerontology titled “Myth-Busting is a Bust for Patient Education: Making Salient Older Adults’ Misconceptions about Osteoarthritis Fails to Lead to Lasting Corrections.”

Ansburg received her doctorate in cognitive psychology from University of Illinois, Chicago, a master’s in psychology from University of Nevada, Reno and a bachelor’s in psychology from University of California, Riverside.

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