Curriculum Vitae
Shyam Seetharaman, Ph.D.
ph: 727-302-6429EDUCATION
2012 Ph.D. in Psychology (Cognition & Neuroscience), University of South Florida, Tampa, FL.
Mentors: Ross Andel, Ph.D., Cathy McEvoy, Ph.D.
Dissertation title: Sugar Consumption & Cognitive Aging in the Swedish Adoption/Twin Study of Aging.
2010 M.A. in Psychology (Behavioral Neuroscience), University of South Florida, Tampa, FL.
Mentor: David Diamond, Ph.D.
Thesis title: The Influence of Daily Social Stimulation in Ameliorating PTSD-like Behavioral and Physiological Changes in Rats Exposed to Chronic Psychosocial Stress.
2006 B.S. in Psychology, University of Southern Indiana, Evansville, IN. 2003 B.S. in Industrial Engineering, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN. ACADEMIC POSITIONS
Assistant Professor of Psychology, College of Arts & Sciences,
St. Ambrose University, Davenport, IA. (August 2015-present)
Assistant Professor of Psychology, Department of Social & Behavioral Sciences,
St. Petersburg College (SPC), St. Petersburg, FL. (August, 2012-July 2015) ACADEMIC SERVICE
Undergraduate Teaching
Research Methods & Statistics Laboratory General Psychology
Psychology of Learning Psychology of Aging
Abnormal Psychology
Lifespan Developmental Psychology The College Experience
Research Interests
The influence of psychological stress on cognition & physiology The effects of diet on cognitive performance
Superstitious conditioning Emotional learning
Student Mentoring
Major Professor: Honor’s Thesis (Matthew Musto, graduated Spring, 2012, University of South Florida department of Biology).
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT College/University Service
Faculty Advisor: Psychology Club, SPC (Fall, 2012- Summer, 2015) Chair: Faculty Government Organization, SPC Downtown Campus (Fall, 2013)
Member: Grievance Committee, SPC (Spring, 2014)
Member: Associate Provost Search Committee, SPC (Summer, 2014) Faculty Advisor: The Giving Heart Club, University of South Florida (2011-2012)
Community Service
Mentor: Campbell Park Elementary School, St. Petersburg, FL. (Fall, 2013- present)
Mentor: Melrose Elementary School, St. Petersburg, FL. (Fall, 2014- present) Judge: Pinellas County Middle School District Model United Nations,
Clearwater, FL. (Spring, 2014).
Judge: University of South Florida Undergraduate Research Symposium, (Spring, 2012)
Metropolitan Ministries: Worked with students to serve food to homeless (Fall, 2012)
Judge: Hillsborough County Middle School Science Fair, Tampa, FL. (Fall, 2010- Fall, 2011)
Workshops/trainings
Success Strategies for Developmental Education
Visible Partnership - Visible Thinking (Center for Excellence in Teaching and
Learning, SPC)
Ad hoc Manuscript Reviewer
Journal of the American Geriatrics Society American Journal of Clinical Nutrition European Journal of Epidemiology
Awards
Graduate Teaching Assistant Award (Fall, 2006)
Graduate Teaching Award, University of South Florida (Spring, 2012) Dissertation Award, University of South Florida (Spring, 2011)
Conference Attendance (*indicates attendance by SPC Psychology Club students)
International Conference of Comparative Cognition, Melbourne, FL.
(Spring, 2014; Spring, 2015)*
Society for the Teaching of Psychology-Best Practices, Atlanta, GA.
(Fall, 2013)
Association for Psychological Science Teaching Institute, Washington, D.C.
(Fall, 2013)
Professional Memberships
Association for Psychological Science Comparative Cognition Society
Society for Neuroscience PUBLICATIONS
Seetharaman, S. (in press). The Influences of Dietary Sugar and Related Metabolic Disorders on Cognitive Aging & Dementia. In: Molecular Basis of
Nutrition and Aging, M. Malavolta & E. Mocchegiani (Eds.)
Seetharaman, S., Andel, R., McEvoy, C., Dahl Aslan, A.K., Finkel, D. & Pedersen, N. L. (2015). Blood glucose, diet-based glycemic load & cognitive aging among dementia-free older adults. Journal of Gerontology: Medical
Sciences, 70, 471-479.
Bloom, C.M., Venard, J., Harden, M. & Seetharaman, S. (2007). Non-contingent positive and negative reinforcement of superstitious behaviors.
MANUSCRIPTS (*indicates current student)
Seetharaman, S., Fleshner, M. & Diamond, D.M. (2015). Daily social
stimulation ameliorates PTSD-like behavioral and physiological disturbances in adult rats exposed to chronic psychosocial stress. Brain & Behavior (under review).
Seetharaman, S., Andel, R., McEvoy, C., Dahl Aslan, A.K., Finkel, D., Pham, B.* & Pedersen, N. L. Sugar consumption and cognitive aging in the Swedish adoption/twin study of aging (in preparation).
Pappas, C., Andel, R., Infurna, F. & Seetharaman, S. (2015). Hemoglobin A1c and cognitive aging in a nationally representative sample of older adults.
Journal of Gerontology: Medical Sciences (under review).
Seetharaman, S., Fleshner, M. & Diamond, D.M. Increased weight gain, heightened anxiety and enhanced contextual fear in rats fed an American diet compared to rats fed an Atkins diet (in preparation).
Seetharaman, S., Uruena, A., Musto, M. & Kirstein, C. Environmental enrichment prevents chronic ethanol-induced hippocampus-dependent memory impairment in adolescent and adult rats (in preparation).
Andel, R., Crowe, M., Seetharaman, S., Finkel, D., Gatz, M., & Pedersen, N. L. Indicators of job strain and cognitive decline (in preparation).
CONFERENCE PRESENTATIONS
S. Seetharaman, A. Valentine (2015). Psychological and Communication
Basis of Stereotyping. Oral presentation at the annual Narrowing the Gulf
conference, St. Petersburg, FL.
S. Seetharaman, A.Valentine (2013). Psychological and Communication
Interdisciplinary Approach to Teaching Diversity. Oral presentation at the
annual All College Day Symposium, St. Petersburg College, St. Petersburg, FL.
S. Seetharaman, R. Andel, D., C. McEvoy, A.K. Dahl, D. Finkel, N.L. Pedersen (2013). Sugar Consumption and Cognitive Aging in the Swedish
Adoption/Twin Study of Aging. Poster presented at the annual Association for
Psychological Science conference, Washington, D.C.
R. Uruena, S. Seetharaman, K.A. Badanich, M. Musto, C. L. Kirstein (2013).
The Interaction between Environmental Enrichment and Chronic Binge
Ethanol on Novelty-Seeking in Adolescent and Adult rats. Poster presented at
E.A. Hahn, R. Andel., M. Crowe, S. Seetharaman, D.G. Finkel, N.L. Pedersen (2012). Job Control, Job Demands, and Social Support at Work may
Influence the Rate of Decline in Memory Before and After Retirement. Poster
presented at the Cognitive Aging Conference, Atlanta, GA.
S. Seetharaman & D.M. Diamond (2010). Increased Weight Gain, Enhanced
Fear Memory, and Increased Anxiety in Rats Fed an American Diet, But Not in Rats Fed an Atkins Diet. Presented at the annual Anxiety Disorders
Association of America conference, Baltimore, MD.
S. Seetharaman., P.R. Zoladz, & D.M. Diamond (2009). The Influence of
Social Enrichment in Blocking the Development of Conditioned Fear and Heightened Anxiety in an Animal Model of PTSD . Presented at the University
of South Florida Neuroscience Research Day, Tampa General Hospital, Tampa, FL.
S. Seetharaman, & D.M. Diamond (2009). Increased Weight Gain, Enhanced
Fear Memory, and Increased Anxiety in Rats Fed an American Diet, But Not in Rats Fed an Atkins Diet. Presented at the annual Society for Neuroscience
conference Chicago, IL.
S. Seetharaman., P.R. Zoladz, & D.M. Diamond (2009). Daily Social
Stimulation Ameliorates PTSD-Like Behavioral and Physiological Sequelae Induced by Psychosocial Stress in Rats. Presented at the annual Society for
Neuroscience conference, Chicago, IL.
S. Seetharaman., P.R. Zoladz, & D.M. Diamond (2008). The Influence of
Social Enrichment in Blocking the Development of Conditioned Fear and Heightened Anxiety in an Animal Model of PTSD . Presented at the Annual
Society for Neuroscience conference, Washington, D.C.
S. Seetharaman., P.R. Zoladz, & D.M. Diamond (2008). The Influence of
Social Enrichment in Blocking the Development of Conditioned Fear and Heightened Anxiety in an Animal Model of PTSD . Presented at the Brain
Research conference, Arlington, VA.
S. Seetharaman., P.R. Zoladz, C. Munoz & D.M. Diamond (2007). Acute
Administration of the Antidepressant Tianeptine Delays Bicuculline-Induced Seizure Onset in Rats . Presented at the Annual Society for Neuroscience
conference, San Diego, CA.
M. Harden, M., C. Bloom, I. Martin, J. Venard, & S. Seetharaman (2006).
Fear & Superstition: Negative Emotion Modifies Superstitious Conditioning.
Presented at the annual meeting of the Association for Psychological Science, New York, NY
INVITED TALKS
Effects of “Slight” Environmental Changes on the Brain and Behavior of Rats.
University of South Florida College of Medicine (Fall, 2007).