Rate My Professor Bonnie Bowers

Bonnie B. Bowers is Professor and Chair of Psychology at Hollins University. She earned her B.A. and Ph.D. in life sciences, focusing on ethology, from the University of Tennessee. Drawing from her interdisciplinary background, Bowers pursues research in two primary areas: behavior and learning in snakes and non-pharmacological treatments for seasonal affective disorder (SAD) in humans, specifically using negative air ions. She is affiliated with the Psychology department as well as Environmental Studies/Environmental Science and Public Health programs.

Bowers teaches courses that incorporate experiential learning, such as collecting and analyzing real data or designing interventions for real-world problems. Her offerings include PSY 205 & 205L Research Design & Laboratory for Research Design, PSY 208 Research Statistics, PSY 210 Research Practicum, PSY 215 Motivation & Emotion, PSY 281 Professional Development in Psychology, BIO/PSY 317 Biological Psychology, Short Term Seminar: Snakes: Science, Society, & Superstition, and First-Year Seminar: The Creative Brain. She mentors students extensively, overseeing independent studies (PSY 290, PSY 390), internships, honors theses (PSY 490), and research projects. In the Research Practicum, students conduct self-directed research and present posters displayed in the department. Key publications include "Controlled trial evaluation of exposure duration to negative air ions for the treatment of seasonal affective disorder" (Psychiatry Research, 259, 7-14, 2017, with R. Flory, J. Ametepe, L. Staley, A. Patrick, H. Carrington); "Personality and individuality in reptile behavior" in Personality of Nonhuman Animals (2017, with R.M. Waters, G.M. Burghardt); and "A randomized, placebo-controlled trial of bright light and high-density negative air ions for treatment of seasonal affective disorder" (Psychiatry Research, 177, 101-108, 2010, with R. Flory, J. Ametepe). Additional publications appear in Behaviour, Journal of Comparative Psychology, Developmental Psychobiology, Journal of Avian Biology, with book chapters on eating disorders, human-reptile interactions, and reptile personality.