Kevin Ball, Ph.D.

“I changed my major from Business Administration to Psychology after my sophomore year, because I imagined that I would be miserable if I pursued a career in business.”

“I enjoy training young researchers who might someday pursue important lines of research in a health-related field.”

Courses

PSYCH 101 Introduction to Psychology
PSYCH 160 Applied Statistics for the Behavioral Sciences
PSYCH 281 Research Methods
PSYCH 282 Research Applications
PSYCH 380 Behavioral Neuroscience
PSYCH 406 Psychology Seminar
PSYCH 466 Independent Study

Jessica S. and Stephen R. Kozloff Faculty Fellow

Dr. Ball received his bachelor’s degree from Bloomsburg University and his doctorate from Indiana University, Bloomington.  Ball uses animal models to study the neuropharmacology of drug and palatable food seeking. He maintains a very active laboratory and involves undergraduates in all aspects of the research.  Currently, he is focusing on the roles of chronic stress and dopamine D1-like receptors in relapse vulnerability.  Work in this area is important because chronic stress induces lasting structural and neurochemical adaptations in brain regions implicated in relapse to both drug use and unhealthy eating habits in individuals undergoing treatment for addiction and obesity, respectively.  Ball has been awarded over $330,000 in funding from the National Institutes of Health for his research over the past nine years.