Barbara Banz, PhD
Assistant Professor of Emergency MedicineCards
Appointments
About
Titles
Assistant Professor of Emergency Medicine
Biography
Dr. Barbara C. Banz is an Assistant Professor of Emergency Medicine where she leads the Yale Developmental Neurocognitive Driving Simulation Research Center (DrivSim Lab). She earned her PhD in Cognitive Neuroscience in the Department of Psychology at Colorado State University. Dr. Banz completed a three-year T32 postdoctoral fellowship (NIAAA/NIDA) focused on addiction neuroscience in adolescents and young adults in the Department of Psychiatry at Yale School of Medicine. Dr. Banz’s graduate and early postdoctoral research was largely focused on using neurocognitive and neuropsychological testing, electrophysiology, and functional magnetic resonance imaging to build a neurocognitive profile of college-aged drinkers. In 2017, Dr. Banz joined the DEM and the Yale DrivSim Lab as a postdoctoral associate. As a cognitive neuroscientist with expertise in youth alcohol use, her ongoing research is aimed to develop a profile of how alcohol and drug use during youth use translates to neurocognitive functioning and real-world implications among young drivers. In the Yale DrivSim Lab, Dr. Banz designs and builds high-fidelity driving simulation studies in order bridge cognitive neuroscience with real-world application. Through her multidisciplinary and translational research program within the Yale DrivSim Lab, Dr. Banz works to transform her novel empirical work to real-world meaningful impact; understanding the brain to save the lives of teens and young adults to they can thrive in early adulthood and beyond.
Appointments
Emergency Medicine
Assistant ProfessorPrimary
Other Departments & Organizations
- Center for Brain & Mind Health
- Developmental Neurocognitive Driving Simulation Research Center (DrivSim Lab)
- Emergency Medicine
- Emergency Medicine York Street Campus Faculty
Education & Training
- NIDA T32 Postdoctoral Fellow
- Yale University School of Medicine (2017)
- NIAAA T32 Postdoctoral Fellow
- Yale University School of Medicine (2015)
- PhD
- Colorado State University, Department of Psychology, Cognitive Neuroscience (2014)
- MS
- Colorado State University, Department of Psychology, Cognitive Neuroscience (2010)
- BS
- Shippensburg University, Psychology (2008)
Research
Overview
Medical Subject Headings (MeSH)
Research at a Glance
Yale Co-Authors
Publications Timeline
Research Interests
Federico E Vaca, MD, MPH
Deepa Camenga, MD, MHS, FAAP
Leslie Curry, PhD, MPH
Vanessa Zuniga
Michael Crowley, PhD
Hal Blumenfeld, MD, PhD
Automobile Driving
Young Adult
Cannabis
Neurosciences
Publications
2024
Modeling of drinking and driving behaviors among adolescents and young adults in the United States: Complexities and Intervention outcomes
Hosseinichimeh N, MacDonald R, Li K, Fell J, Haynie D, Simons-Morton B, Banz B, Camenga D, Iannotti R, Curry L, Dziura J, Andersen D, Vaca F. Modeling of drinking and driving behaviors among adolescents and young adults in the United States: Complexities and Intervention outcomes. Social Science & Medicine 2024, 354: 117087. PMID: 39043064, DOI: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2024.117087.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchAltmetricConceptsAlcohol-impaired drivingAlcohol-related crash fatalitiesLikelihood of unintended consequencesUnited StatesAlcohol-related crashesPolicy-makersUnintended consequencesGroup model building sessionsInterconnected factorsModel building sessionsCrash fatalitiesYoung adultsModels of drinkingHistorical trendsPublic health problemStakeholder actionsCombined interventionSustained declineIntervention outcomesHealth problemsActivistsCrash deathsInterventionSubject matter experts
2023
Shared and distinct parental influences on teen impaired driving in rural and suburban contexts: A mixed methods study of young drivers
Camenga D, Li K, Banz B, Zuniga V, Iannotti R, Grayton C, Haynie D, Simons-Morton B, Curry L, Vaca F. Shared and distinct parental influences on teen impaired driving in rural and suburban contexts: A mixed methods study of young drivers. Accident Analysis & Prevention 2023, 193: 107330. PMID: 37788529, PMCID: PMC10634432, DOI: 10.1016/j.aap.2023.107330.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchCitationsAltmetricMeSH Keywords and ConceptsConceptsParental influenceTrajectory classesNEXT Generation Health StudyHigh schoolYoung driversParent modelingRural adolescentsImpaired driversSuburban adolescentsEcodevelopmental theoryChildren's riskImpaired behaviorMixed-methods studyAdolescentsQualitative interviewsPrevention interventionsParticipantsMethods studyContextInterviewsSchoolsPurposeful selectionRural contextSuburban contextAdulthoodDo adolescent trajectories of riding with an impaired driver and driving impaired predict similar behaviors in early adulthood?
Li K, Camenga D, Banz B, Zuniga V, Iannotti R, Grayton C, Dziura J, Haynie D, Simons-Morton B, Curry L, Vaca F. Do adolescent trajectories of riding with an impaired driver and driving impaired predict similar behaviors in early adulthood? Accident Analysis & Prevention 2023, 193: 107304. PMID: 37729749, PMCID: PMC10591885, DOI: 10.1016/j.aap.2023.107304.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchAltmetricMeSH Keywords and ConceptsConceptsDWI behaviorEarly adulthoodMarijuana useImpaired driversAnnual assessment wavesNEXT Generation Health StudyAdolescent trajectoriesLatent class analysis studyRepresentative longitudinal studyAssessment wavesNext participantHigher engagementTrajectory classesLongitudinal studyProspective associationsMixed-methods studyLatest followWork hoursRelated deathsLong-term effectsAdulthoodInterview 4Health StudyHealth statusGrade cohortsLongitudinal perspectives of riding with a cannabis-impaired driver
Banz B, Camenga D, Li K, Zuniga V, Iannotti R, Grayton C, Haynie D, Simons-Morton B, Curry L, Vaca F. Longitudinal perspectives of riding with a cannabis-impaired driver. Accident Analysis & Prevention 2023, 193: 107300. PMID: 37717297, PMCID: PMC10757553, DOI: 10.1016/j.aap.2023.107300.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchAltmetricMeSH Keywords and ConceptsConceptsCannabis-impaired driversYoung adulthoodTrajectory classesHigh schoolNEXT Generation Health StudyAdolescent health behaviorsYoung driversSemi-structured interviewsLongitudinal perspectiveEveryday activitiesMultifaceted natureAdulthoodHealth behaviorsQualitative interviewsUnique themesParticipantsSchoolsTheoretical modelInterviewsLegal concernsPerceptionContextEmergeDriversThemes
2022
Binge drinking and alcohol-related symptoms may underlie patterns of dynamic brain oscillations of resource allocation during high-fidelity driving simulation
Banz B, Camenga D, Crowley M, Vaca F. Binge drinking and alcohol-related symptoms may underlie patterns of dynamic brain oscillations of resource allocation during high-fidelity driving simulation. Traffic Injury Prevention 2022, 23: s232-s233. DOI: 10.1080/15389588.2022.2119027.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchA study of self-reported personal cannabis use and state legal status and associations with engagement in and perceptions of cannabis-impaired driving
Brown T, Banz B, Schmitt R, Gaffney G, Milavetz G, Camenga D, Li K, Brooks-Russell A, Vaca F. A study of self-reported personal cannabis use and state legal status and associations with engagement in and perceptions of cannabis-impaired driving. Traffic Injury Prevention 2022, 23: s183-s186. PMID: 37014194, PMCID: PMC10618935, DOI: 10.1080/15389588.2022.2124803.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchCitations
2021
A preliminary evaluation of the relationships between patterns of drinking initiation and driving simulation vehicle control among sober young adults
Banz B, Crowley M, Camenga D, Vaca F. A preliminary evaluation of the relationships between patterns of drinking initiation and driving simulation vehicle control among sober young adults. Traffic Injury Prevention 2021, 22: s184-s185. DOI: 10.1080/15389588.2021.1983369.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsIs my User Impaired? Designing Adaptive Automation that Monitors the User’s State
Cotter J, Atchley A, Banz B, Tenhundfeld N. Is my User Impaired? Designing Adaptive Automation that Monitors the User’s State. 2021, 00: 1-6. DOI: 10.1109/sieds52267.2021.9483731.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchCitations
2020
The Association of Sleep Hygiene and Drowsiness with Adverse Driving Events in Emergency Medicine Residents
Green W, Gao X, Li K, Banz BC, Wu J, Crowley MJ, Camenga DR, Vaca FE. The Association of Sleep Hygiene and Drowsiness with Adverse Driving Events in Emergency Medicine Residents. Western Journal Of Emergency Medicine 2020, 21: 219-224. PMID: 33207169, PMCID: PMC7673877, DOI: 10.5811/westjem.2020.8.47357.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchCitationsAltmetricMeSH Keywords and ConceptsConceptsAdverse driving eventsHigher sleepiness levelsSleep hygieneEmergency medicine residentsSleepiness levelsOvernight shiftsMedicine residentsResidency training levelDrive homeJunior residentsMotor vehicle crashesPostgraduate year 1Emergency physiciansHigh riskSelf-administered surveyResponse rateSleepinessLevel of trainingVehicle crashesClinical dutiesWork shiftEM residentsSenior residentsHygienePhysiciansBrain-based limitations in attention and secondary task engagement during high-fidelity driving simulation among young adults.
Banz BC, Wu J, Camenga DR, Mayes LC, Crowley MJ, Vaca FE. Brain-based limitations in attention and secondary task engagement during high-fidelity driving simulation among young adults. Neuroreport 2020, 31: 619-623. PMID: 32366810, DOI: 10.1097/wnr.0000000000001451.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchCitationsMeSH Keywords and ConceptsConceptsAuditory attention taskP3 responseAttention taskNo-Load ConditionSelective auditory attention taskEvent-related potential componentHigh-fidelity driving simulationPosterior sitesSecondary task engagementPosterior midline sitesPosterior P2Auditory attentionAttention processingAuditory taskAttention conditionAttention capabilitiesCognitive loadTask engagementNeural processingFrontal sitesAuditory stimuliAuditory tonesP3 componentDistracted drivingP2 responses
Academic Achievements and Community Involvement
activity Association for the Advancement of Automotive Medicine
Meeting Planning and ParticipationScientific CommitteeDetailsScientific Planning Committee2020 - Presenthonor Outstanding Oral Presentation
Other AwardYale Postdoctoral AssociationDetails06/08/2018United Stateshonor Junior Investigator Award
National AwardResearch Society on AlcoholismDetails04/17/2018, 04/17/2017, 04/17/2016, 04/17/2015United Stateshonor New Investigator Award
Yale School of Medicine AwardDepartment of Emergency MedicineDetails04/12/2018United Stateshonor Psi Chi National Honor Society
National AwardPsi Chi National Honor SocietyDetails10/01/2008, 10/01/2007, 10/01/2006United States
Links & Media
News
- June 13, 2024Source: WFYI
Drunk driving costs the U.S. billions in medical expenses and lives lost. One school uses a simulation to raise awareness
- May 27, 2022Source: Ontario Today
Close calls of distracted driving
- February 06, 2022
Yale DrivSim faculty use systems science to develop a causal loop model focused on systems in society that influences driving after drinking behaviors among adolescents and young adults
- October 20, 2021
Associations between simulated and self-reported driving among young adults with and without prenatal cocaine exposure