Amy Banas is a doctoral student under the supervision of Dr. Elliot Turiel. She is a former NCAA Division I student-athlete and holds master's degrees in Global Studies and the Intersection of Sport and Education. Her master's thesis explored the use of sport in global peace and development initiatives and involved fieldwork in Cambodia. She has worked as the Lead Research Consultant for No Bully’s “Power of Zero” anti-bullying campaign and has completed research on weapon-use in California high schools with Dr. Chunyan Yang.
Currently, Amy is working on a dissertation about the ways human beings consider contextual factors in their decision-making about the use of physical force against others (i.e., aggression), as well as a research project examining the relationship between limits to personal autonomy and mental health outcomes for NCAA student-athletes. Additionally, Amy is working with a team from the Haas School of Business as the Lead Content Expert in Human Development.
In her spare time, you can find her sipping matcha at local cafes, walking her dog in the beautiful Berkeley Hills (often with camera in hand), or trying her best to stay active through yoga or basketball or whatever else is available. Lastly, thanks to her long-term journey with persistent concussion syndrome, Amy loves connecting folks to resources related to concussion and TBI recovery and support, so drop her a note if you want to learn more!
Specializations and Interests
social and moral development; aggression/violence/bullying; sport; emotions and mental health
