Our People

Welcome! Search for investigators at the KU Life Span Institute, along with central office staff. You can also get to know us and our centers of research at the links below.

Staff and researcher Q&A

Our centers of research

Life Span Institute People

Michael Amlung
Michael Amlung
  • Associate Director for Training & Senior Scientist, Cofrin Logan Center for Addiction Research and Treatment
  • Professor, Department of Applied Behavioral Science
Kathryn Bigelow
Kathy Bigelow
  • Associate Research Professor, Juniper Gardens Children's Project
  • Courtesy Assistant Professor Department of Applied Behavioral Science
Joseph Donnelly
Joseph Donnelly
  • Professor, Department of Internal Medicine
  • Division Director, Physical Activity and Weight Management
  • Director, Energy Balance Laboratory and Kansas Weight Management Programs
Stephen Fawcett
Stephen Fawcett
  • Senior Advisor, Center for Community Health and Development
  • Co-Director, World Health Organization Collaborating Centre
  • Kansas Health Foundation & University Emeritus Distinguished Professor, Department of Applied Behavioral Science
Tera Fazzino
Tera Fazzino
  • Associate Director, Cofrin Logan Center for Addiction Research and Treatment
  • Assistant Professor, Department of Psychology
Vincent Francisco
Vincent Francisco
  • Director, Center for Community Health and Development
  • Kansas Health Foundation Professor, Department of Applied Behavioral Science
  • Senior Scientist, Life Span Institute
Linda Heitzman-Powell
Linda Heitzman-Powell
  • Associate Research Professor, Juniper Gardens Children's Project
  • Director of Community Research, Kansas Center for Autism Research and Training
  • Clinical Research Professor, Department of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics, KUMC
Rene Jamison
Rene Jamison
  • Investigator, Kansas Center for Autism Research and Training
  • Clinical Associate Professor, University of Kansas Medical Center - Pediatrics
  • Director, Kansas Leadership Education in Neurodevelopment and related Disabilities Program
Christina Knott
Christina Knott
  • Christina Knott, Communications Coordinator
  • University of Kansas, Master of Science in Digital and Integrated Marketing Communications
  • Utah State University, Bachelor of Science in Communication Sciences & Disorders
  • Evangel University, Bachelor of Arts in Journalism
Lyndsie Koon
Lyndsie Koon
  • Associate Director, Institute for Health and Disability Policy Studies
  • Assistant Research Professor, Research and Training Center on Independent Living
Jennifer Kurth
Jennifer Kurth
  • Investigator, Kansas University Center on Disabilities
  • Associate Professor, Department of Special Education
  • Investigator, Beach Center on Disability
Laura Martin
Laura Martin
  • Associate Professor, Department of Population Health
  • Director, Structure and Function Unit at Hoglund Brain Imaging Center, KUMC
  • Investigator, Cofrin Logan Center for Addiction Research and Treatment
Matt Mosconi
Matthew Mosconi
  • Director, Kansas Center for Autism Research and Training
  • Interim Associate Director and Senior Scientist, Life Span Institute
  • Professor, Clinical Child Psychology Program
Kourtney Nigh
Kourtney Nigh
  • Lead Clinical Research Assessment Specialist and Diagnostician, Kansas Center for Autism Research and Training (KCART)
  • Director of Global Autism Interactive Network (GAIN), Life Span Institute
Mabel Rice
Mabel Rice
  • Director, Child Language Doctoral Program
  • Director, Merrill Advanced Studies Center
  • Fed and Virginia Merrill Distinguished Professor of Advanced Studies
Jerry Schultz
Jerry Schultz
  • Co-Director, Center for Community Health and Development
  • Adjunct Assistant Professor, Department of Preventive Medicine, Department of Applied Behavioral Science
Karrie Shogren
Karrie Shogren
  • Director, Kansas University Center on Disabilities
  • Associate Director, Beach Center on Disability
  • Senior Scientist, Life Span Institute
  • Professor, Department of Special Education
Trina D. Spencer
Trina D. Spencer
  • Director, Juniper Gardens Children's Project
  • Senior scientist, KU Life Span Institute
  • Professor, KU Department of Applied Behavioral Science
Debra Sullivan
Debra Sullivan
  • Investigator, Life Span Institute
  • Chair, Department of Dietetics and Nutrition
  • Midwest Dairy Council Professor in Clinical Nutrition, Department of Dietetics and Nutrition
Jomella Watson Thompson
Jomella Watson-Thompson
  • Associate Director for Community Participation and Research, Center for Community Health and Development
  • Associate Professor & Director of Undergraduate Studies, Department of Applied Behavioral Science
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