Jessica Baird, PhD, Neurology, Primary Mentor: Dr. Rob Motl

Jessica earned a BS in Exercise Science in 2009 from Ithaca College and a MS in Exercise Science in 2012 from the University of South Carolina. She continued her education at the University of South Carolina working in Dr. Jill C. Stewart’s Motor Behavior and Neuroimaging lab. In 2017 she completed her dissertation entitled, “The Effect of Energy-Matched Exercise Intensity on Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor and Motor Learning” and earned her PhD (also in Exercise Science!). Jessica is now working as a postdoctoral fellow with Dr. Rob Motl in the Neuroscience Exercise Research Lab at UAB. Her primary research interest is using neuroimaging as a tool to examine the effects of physical activity, physical fitness, and exercise on mobility and cognition in persons with multiple sclerosis. She is also an avid sports fan, and enjoys rooting for the Buffalo Bills and the South Carolina Gamecocks!