Amanda Guyer, professor in the Department of Human Ecology and a faculty researcher at the Center for Mind and Brain, is helping uncover how brain development influences the way children and adolescents respond to social and emotional challenges. She is this month’s guest on Face to Face With Chancellor May.
Guyer’s passion for science began early. In eighth grade, she conducted an experiment studying the effects of Hawaiian Punch on teeth — an experience that sparked her curiosity about research and discovery.
“I devised my own experiment for our science fair where I created different concentrations of Hawaiian Punch, put my teeth in each one, and I monitored them every day and checked them for discoloration or disintegration,” Guyer said. “That was my very first independent research project.”
Today, her work focuses on understanding how emotional and social experiences during adolescence can shape mental health outcomes. Guyer also addressed the ongoing teen mental health crisis, pointing to the growing influence of social media and other environmental pressures that affect how adolescents experience stress, relationships and self-image.
"We've seen very high rates of anxiety, depression, even suicidality among children, certainly the pandemic fueled some of that,” Guyer said. “It's never one thing, these things are very multifaceted and it's important to recognize that and pull lots of pieces of information together.”
May agreed.
“I think it's certainly a lot more challenging than when I was a teenager,” May said.
Guyer also underscored the importance of federal funding in supporting long-term scientific research. She noted that sustained investment allows researchers to study complex developmental processes and create evidence-based approaches to improving mental health outcomes for children and adolescents.
“There's so many steps along the way that we really need that federal support. And in turn, I think that it's such a great investment because these are our youth,” Guyer said. “They're the ones that are gonna go out and lead new things in society.”
Tune in to the full episode to hear more about Guyer’s research, the science behind adolescent brain development and what it means for the future of youth mental health.
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Anila Lijo is a writer and editor for the Office of Strategic Communications, and can be reached by email.