In Memory of CRIAG H. KINSLEY
The Psychology Department is saddened to report the recent passing of one its most
distinguished graduates, Craig H. Kinsley. Craig received his doctoral degree in 1985 from
Albany where he trained in the discipline of behavioral neuroscience. He specialized in the
study of behavioral neuroendocrinology. From 1985 to 1989 he was a postdoctoral fellow and
research associate in the Laboratory of Human Reproduction and Reproductive Biology,
Department of Anatomy, at Harvard Medical School, and an instructor at Harvard University. He
joined the University of Richmond and its Department of Psychology in 1989 and rapidly rose to
the rank of full professor and holder of the MacEldin Trawick Chair in neuroscience.
Craig was a prolific scholar publishing over 140 journal articles, books, book chapters
and monographs. His research spanned many different areas of brain- behavior relationships,
including parental behavior, prenatal effects on sexual differentiation, and the impact of stress
on biological and behavioral systems. Importantly, he always had one foot firmly planted in the
analysis of behavior and another in its physiological underpinnings. His most recognized
scientific contribution concerned what many now call his “Mommy” brain research. He
discovered that the brains of female mammals undergo permanent structural changes during
pregnancy and that those changes permit the female to exhibit efficient maternal care toward
her offspring, improved learning and memory, and elevated levels of multi-tasking. This work
received worldwide attention, was the subject of many books, articles by the popular press in
leading newspapers and magazines, and is considered to be one of the most important
behavioral neuroscience findings in the last 20 years. It has spawned considerable research on
human parental behavior especially as it relates to understanding the etiology of
psychopathological states like postpartum depression.
Craig published his work with scholars from around the world as well as with many of
his students. His research was highly cited and frequently appeared in leading high impact
scientific journals in neuroscience such as Nature, Journal of Neuroendocrinology,
Neuroendocrinology, Brain Research, and Scientific American. He also co-authored with Kelly
Lambert a leading textbook in neuroscience entitled Clinical Neuroscience: The Neurobiological
Foundations of Mental Health. Craig’s research was funded by the US National Institutes of
Health, the National Science Foundation and by private foundations such as the Howard
Hughes Medical Institute, the Keck Foundation, and the Arnold O. Beckman foundation. One of
Craig’s proudest achievements was the 100s of students he mentored who later went on to
significant accomplishments in PhD, MD, and MA programs in neuroscience and related areas.
While we mourn the loss of Craig Kinsley, we simultaneously celebrate his life of remarkable
accomplishment in the world of science and higher education. Craig leaves his wife Nancy, and
his two children, Devon and David, as well as countless colleagues, friends, and former students
who were inspired by his dedicati