Personnel
C.J. Brush, Ph.D. (he/him/his)
Laboratory Director
Office: PEB 108
Labs: PEB 120 & 121
Phone: 208-885-2970
Dr. Brush is an Assistant Professor of Exercise and Health Psychology in the Exercise, Sport and Health Sciences program in the Department of Movement Sciences at the University of Idaho. Dr. Brush received his Ph.D. in Kinesiology & Applied Physiology from Rutgers University in 2019 under the mentorship of Dr. Brandon Alderman and came to the University of Idaho after completing a post-doctoral fellowship with Dr. Greg Hajcak in Clinical Psychology and Neuroscience at Florida State University from 2019-2022.
Dr. Brush's research program uses a multi-method approach that combines self-reports, interview-based, and psychophysiological measures (e.g., event-related brain potentials [ERPs] and heart rate variability [HRV]) to better understand and inform treatments for depression and related psychopathology.
Dr. Brush's primary research interest is to investigate relations between health-related behaviors (e.g., physical activity) and psychological and mental health outcomes (e.g., cognition, emotion, and depression) and how these health-related behaviors play a role in the treatment and management of depression. To accomplish this work, Dr. Brush's work has focused on identifying individual differences in cognitive-affective processes using psychophysiological measures, and how acute and chronic physical activity may impact such processes to influence mental health outcomes.
Outside the lab, Dr. Brush enjoys the outdoors and staying active. He is also an avid supporter of his favorite sports teams which includes his alma mater (the Rutgers Scarlet Knights) along with the New York Yankees and New York Jets.
cj_brush_cv.pdfResearch Staff
Karly Knudson (she/her)
Role: Undergraduate Researcher
Year: Senior
Major: Psychology; Minor: Dance
Karly grew up in the Bay Area of California before attending the University of Idaho. She began working in the PAL Laboratory in January 2023 to gain experience conducting research. She has always been interested in the psychology behind human emotion and movement sciences, separately. This laboratory has given her the opportunity to combine these two interests and dive into researching how conditions of physical activity can affect mental health. Karly recently received a research grant from the Office of Undergraduate Research (OUR). She plans to use this grant to conduct an upcoming study with her peers in the PAL Laboratory over the duration of her senior year. After graduation, Karly plans to continue onto a master's program to continue her education in psychology and further pursue psychophysiological research.
Maya Kobylanski (she/her)
Role: Undergraduate Researcher and Lab Coordinator
Year: Senior
Major: Exercise, Sport, and Health Sciences
Tim Johnson
Role: Graduate Student
Year: First-Year Master's
Major: Education emphasis
Tim Johnson is a first-year graduate student in the Movement Sciences Department and is completing a Master's degree with an Educational Certification. Tim completed his Bacheler's of Science from Brigham Young University (Idaho) in Exercise Physiology with an emphasis in Sports Nutrition. Tim is passionate about the science of movement and how living a healthy lifestyle can impact all phases of life.
Graduate Student Research Staff (Not Pictured):
Preston Kauder (Doctoral Student; 2nd Year; Major: Exercise Science)
Undergraduate Student Research Staff (Not Pictured):
Rhea Anderson (Senior Undergraduate Researcher; Major: Exercise, Sport, and Health Sciences)
Sammi Brunker (Senior Undergraduate Researcher; Major: Psychology)
Saffron Dowse (Senior Undergraduate Researcher; Major: Psychology)
Nate Durocher (Junior Undergraduate Researcher; Major: Exercise, Sport, and Health Sciences)
Dalton Martin (Junior Undergraduate Researcher; Major: Exercise, Sport, and Health Sciences)
Kaitlyn Uemoto (Senior Undergraduate Researcher; Major: Psychology)
Macie Vanmatre (Junior Undergraduate Researcher; Major: Exercise, Sport, and Health Sciences)
Lab Alumni (Not Pictured):
Lael Beedle (Undergraduate Researcher, Fall 2023)
Robi Robi (Undergraduate Researcher, Spring 2023)