Lizabeth (Libby) Benson, PhD

Dr. Lizabeth (Libby) Benson is an assistant professor of applied exercise science at the University of Michigan School of Kinesiology. Previously, she was a research assistant professor in the Data Science for Dynamic Intervention Decision-Making Center at the U-M Institute for Social Research.

Dr. Benson completed a predoctoral training at the UPenn Positive Psychology Center and earned her PhD from the Pennsylvania State University with training in quantitative psychology, lifespan development, and intervention science. She subsequently completed a postdoctoral research fellowship at the TSET Health Promotion Research Center which is part of the NCI-designated Stephenson Cancer Center and University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center.

Dr. Benson's research program leverages data science, mobile technologies, and theory-driven approaches to optimize interventions that promote mental and physical health by meeting individuals' unique and evolving needs in real-time, real-world contexts. Specifically, she focuses on (1) developing intensive longitudinal methods for modeling how psychological and behavioral processes unfold in daily life and intervention contexts, and (2) using knowledge of these processes to personalize intervention content and delivery in domains such as physical activity promotion and smoking cessation. Her overarching goal is to move beyond one-size-fits-all interventions and improve the accessibility of support in people's everyday lives.