Tom Hummer, PhD

Dr. Hummer was born and raised in Cincinnati and has since made his way throughout the Midwest. Before coming to Indianapolis, he received his undergraduate degree in psychology from the Ohio State University and a PhD in computational neuroscience from the University of Chicago. He became a faculty member for the Department of Psychiatry in 2009.

At IUSM, he joined a team using neuroimaging to examine how media violence exposure affects the brain. Since that time, he has utilized neuropsychological, behavioral, and neuroimaging tools to examine how different forms of digital media use impact brain structure and function, particularly during childhood and adolescence. He also employs neuroimaging to examine adolescent risky decision-making in areas such as substance use and sexual behavior. As a member of the IU Psychotic Disorders Program team, he helps investigate brain mechanisms underlying the progression and potential treatments of psychosis. He also teaches an IUSM research elective course, Neuroimaging in Psychiatric Research. Outside of work, he enjoys spending time coaching soccer, running, wrestling with his dog, and playing Legos with his children.