Benjamin Chapman
PhD, MPH, MS
Research Topics
Life course and social epidemiology; Later life cognitive function and dementia; Biopsychosocial factors and processes associated with longevity and later life morbidity; Epidemiologic methods, psychometrics, and statistics
Summary
Benjamin Chapman, PhD, MPH, MS, joined the Department of Epidemiology and Environmental Health in July 2025 as a full professor. Chapman earned his PhD in psychology from the University of North Texas, followed by an MPH and MS in biostatistics from the University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry. He held faculty positions at the University of Rochester Medical Center as an assistant professor, associate professor with tenure and full professor with tenure in in the departments of Psychiatry and Public Health Sciences. His research has been continuously funded by the National Institute on Aging (NIA) since 2008, including multiple R01s as principal investigator.
In 2024, Chapman became a branch chief at the NIA’s Division of Behavioral and Social Research, where he supervised program officers, oversaw a portfolio of grants focused on a variety of aging topics and collaborated with leadership on stratefic scientific planning.
Chapman’s research centers on how psychological factors, social class and cognitive ability influence aging outcomes such as dementia, longevity and mental health across the lifespan. He has been the principal investigator of multiple studies with the Project Talent cohort, a landmark study of over 377,000 Americans assessed in high school and followed up for later life health outcomes. His work has been published in top-tier journals including JAMA Psychiatry, the American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, and Psychosomatic Medicine, and has been featured in outlets like The New York Times. He is committed to advancing interdisciplinary research, mentoring the next generation of scientists, and translating findings into meaningful improvements in public health and aging policy.
Education and Training
- MS, biostatistics, University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry
- MPH, public health, University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry
- PhD, psychology, University of North Texas
- MS, psychology, University of North Texas
- Bachelor's Degree, psychology, Illinois Wesleyan University
- National Research Service Award (NRSA) Fellowship, University of Rochester Medical Center, Department of Psychiatry