Dr. Brandon Auer is a health psychologist whose scholarship, training, and professional experiences have centered on understanding how individual differences (e.g., biological, cognitive, emotional, social) and environmental factors contribute to important processes and outcomes that are relevant to public health. This biopsychosocial model continues to guide his basic and applied research with a current emphasis on developing, testing and disseminating effective interventions for individuals experiencing psychological distress and/or physical inactivity.

As a principal and co-investigator, Dr. Auer has participated in multiple funded clinical trials related to physical and mental health. Dr. Auer has also published the results of basic science studies investigating the interplay between social dynamics, stress and health. Sample topics range from co-rumination between friends, daughter-father relationship quality, social status among peers and peer rejection and acceptance.

Dr. Auer is also an established investigator in the psychobiology of stress, publishing the results of novel studies investigating the relationship between stress and changes in markers of the physiological stress response system, including the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) and sympathetic-adrenal-medullary (SAM) systems, as well as inflammatory components of the stress response.

Dr. Brandon Auer has a passion for education. To date, Dr. Auer has teaching experience at both the undergraduate and graduate level, having led, co-taught, or lectured for multiple courses including, Introductory Psychology, Lifespan Developmental Psychology, Language Development and Methods in Clinical and Public Health Intervention Design.

Dr. Auer also enjoys mentoring student research informally, and has worked with undergraduate students, medical students, and medical residents in this capacity. Beyond his general training in experimental research, Dr. Auer has specialized experience in the use of non-invasive measurements of stress, most notably salivary measurement, and advises research trainees and faculty on these methods.

American Psychological Association - Member