CAHB LAB DIRECTOR

Vincent Berardi, PhD

Assistant Professor of Computational Health Psychology
Crean College of Health and Behavioral Sciences, Chapman University

My research program draws upon my unique background as an expert in both computational and behavioral science and stands at the intersection of statistics, computer science, and public health. This integrative framework is explicitly built into my position as an Assistant Professor of Computational Health Psychology in the Crean College of Health and Behavioral Sciences as well as in my secondary appointments in the Schmid College of Science and Technology and the Fowler School of Engineering. My roles are reflective of a larger trend in academia, where institutional silos are being dissolved and multidisciplinary research is increasingly encouraged.

I primarily focus on how real-time, mobile sensing technology can be incorporated into health behavior interventions to make them more dynamic, adaptable, and theory-based. These goals are achieved through the development of analytic methodologies that leverage the big data produced by mobile sensors to increase the precision with which behavioral outcomes can be described. Because such analyses can often be applied to any study that produces intensively longitudinal data, my work is trans-disciplinary and focuses on a wide range of fields, including physical activity promotion, tobacco control, and disability management. Regardless of the field, my overall goal is to employ technology to i.) observe behavior in a more objective, detailed, and complete manner than has typically been done, ii.) use this ability as an opportunity to test and refine behavioral theories in real-world environments, as opposed to the laboratory settings where these assessments have historically occurred, and iii.) incorporate theoretical insights into behavioral interventions so that they can better promote healthy outcomes. To advance this work, I have established the Computational Analysis of Human Behavior (CAHB Lab) at Chapman. 

CAHB LAB Research STUDENTS & Alumni

Are you a Chapman University Undergraduate or Graduate student interested in joining the CAHB Lab team?
Apply below and we will get get back to you as soon as possible to review your interests and qualifications.