functional neuroimaging.
With grants from the Department of Defense and several private foundations, she leads research on the neural bases of attention and the effects of mindfulness-based training programs on cognition, emotion, resilience, and performance in education, corporate, elite sports, first-responder, and military contexts.
In her laboratory at the University of Miami, she uses functional MRI, electrophysiological recordings and behavioral analysis techniques to understand why our attention sometimes fails us, and if it can be trained for greater focus and less distractibility. She launched the first-ever study to offer mindfulness training tools to active duty military service members as they prepared for deployment. What she has discovered is that without intervention, attention is compromised, and attentional lapses increase. Yet, with mindfulness training, attention can be strengthened and protected.
In addition to her own published body of research, her work has been featured in many outlets including TED.com, NPR, and Mindful Magazine. In addition, she has been invited to present her work to NATO, the UK Parliament, the Pentagon, and at the World Economic Forum. In her forthcoming book, Peak Mind (Harper Collins, 2021), she shares her discoveries on how attention can be trained for optimal performance and well-being.
Education
| Ph.D. , University of California-Davis | |
| Post Doctoral Brain Imaging, Duke University |
Professional Experience
| - | Assistant Professor, Center for Cognitive Neuroscience at the University of Pennsylvania |
Honors & Acknowledgements
Science and Public Leadership Fellow
Mindful Kids Miami Ambassador of Mindfulness
Memberships
Member of Editorial Review Board
Publications
Denkova, E., Barry, J., Slavin, L., Zanesco, A. P., Rogers, S. L., & Jha, A. P. " Investigating the impact of peer-trainer delivered mindfulness training on cognitive abilities and psychological health." Mindfulness. 2645–266112 (2021). [Link]
Zanesco, A.P., Denkova, E., & Jha, A.P. Brain and Cognition 105696150 (2021). [Link]
Zanesco, A. P., Denkova, E., & Jha, A. P. "Self-reported mind wandering and response time variability differentiate pre-stimulus EEG microstate dynamics during a sustained attention task." Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience 28-45.33(1), (2021). [Link]
Zanesco, A. P., Denkova, E., Witkin, J. E., & Jha, A. P. " Experience sampling of the degree of mind wandering distinguishes hidden attentional states." Cognition 104380205 (2020). [Link]
Denkova, E., Zanesco, A. P., Rogers, S. L., & Jha, A. P. " Is resilience trainable? An initial study comparing mindfulness and relaxation training in firefighters." Psychiatry Research 1-8285 (2020). [Link]
