Ayanna K Thomas

Ayanna Kim Thomas is an American scientist, author, and cognitive researcher and the Dean of the Graduate School of Tufts School of Arts and Sciences. She also served as Dean Research for the School from 2021 to 2025.

Education and career Thomas received her B.A. in African American studies and psychology from Wesleyan University in 1996 and matriculated to the University of Washington to earn her PhD in 2001. In 2004, she completed her post-doctoral work as a National Institute of Aging (NIA) Fellow at Washington University in St. Louis.

Thomas' journey to professorship began as a research scientist at Washington University. In 2004, she transitioned to assistant professor at Colby College in the Department of Psychology. In 2007, Thomas became an assistant professor at Tufts University. In 2019, she was promoted to professor at the Tufts University Department of Psychology, and named Editor-in-Chief of the journal Memory & Cognition, starting her term on January 1, 2020.

In 2021, Thomas was appointed as the Dean of Research for School of Arts and Sciences at Tufts University. Thomas is a founding member of the SPARK Society which is devoted to increasing representation in cognitive sciences for underrepresented minorities. Thomas has acquired fellow memberships with the Psychonomic Society and American Psychological Association Minority Fellowship Program.

In 2026, Thomas was announced as the president-elect of the Association for Psychological Science. Her term will commence June 1, 2026.

Research Thomas's research is in the field of psychology, memory and cognitive aging. Her approach to research is translational with the use of different methodological techniques.

Thomas was editor of the 2020 release of The Cambridge Handbook of Cognitive Aging: A Life Course Perspective. Her research has been covered by I Am a Scientist, National Public Radio, CBC News in Canada, and Popular Science.

Selected publications

Honors and awards In 2018, Thomas received a Dalmas Taylor Award from the American Psychological Association. She received a mid-career award from the Psychonomic Society in 2021.