Associate Professor, Psychological Sciences
Psychological Sciences Honors Faculty Liaison
- PhD, University of California, Irvine; Neurobiology and Behavior
- BS, University of Texas at Austin, Psychology
- Center for the Neurobiology of Learning and Memory, University of California, Irvine
Dr. Galván earned her Ph.D. in Neurobiology and Behavior. Her graduate work focused on how neurons in the brain change their activity during learning and memory. At USD since 2003, Dr. Galván teaches a variety of courses that focus on the brain and cognition, including Human Memory, Biological Psychology, Cognitive Psychology, and Neuroscience of Sleep. She is honored to have been recognized for excellence in teaching with the Davies Award for Teaching Excellence, as well as recognition from Mortar Board and several student organizations. Dr. Galván was also recently inducted as an honorary member of Mortar Board in recognition of distinguished ability and achievement in scholarship, leadership, and service.
Areas of Expertise
Attention and Memory
Professional Experience
Dr. Galván is an active member of the American Academy of Science Pacific Division as head of the Psychology section. Her peers recently selected her to serve as a member of the Academy’s Executive Council. Dr. Galván is also a regular speaker at public events, including USD’s Grandparent’s weekend, and gladly shares sheep brain demonstrations with middle and high school students, as well as military-associated personnel.
Scholarly Work
Her current research interests center on technology and cognition. Dr. Galván actively works with undergraduates. Her undergraduate research students have presented their work at regional and national conferences, winning poster awards for their presentations. Dr. Galván has also received public interest in her work, and has been interviewed by the NYTimes, BBC, The Guardian, and German Public Radio.
Conferences and Presentations
Areas of Interest
Dr. Galván has taught a variety of classes at USD. Her upper division classes focus on the brain (Biopsychology, Biopsychology Lab, and Sensation and Perception) and cognition (Cognitive Psychology, Cognitive Psychology Lab, and Human Memory). Facilitated by her background in neuroscience, she has also developed an independent study class in which students visit neuroscientists in Irvine and San Diego to discuss their current research. Galván emphasizes real-world application and active learning in her classes. She recently took students to science conferences, an exhibition of plastinated bodies, lunch with drug addiction scientists, and a nursing home to conduct memory tests.