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John Agnew

Academic Coordinator

College of Psychology and Community Services

School of Psychology

Degree Program Ph.D. Psychology

John Agnew has a Ph.D. in Neuroscience from Georgetown University and a B.A. in Chemistry and Biochemistry from Haverford College. In his dissertation research, he used functional magnetic resonance imaging to investigate the neuroanatomical basis of motor control in individuals with dyslexia and matched control subjects. Since 2004, he has taught biology, psychology, and neuroscience courses at the community college and university level in Colorado and online. He has been involved in neuroscience research, attempting to understand some of the behavioral aspects of autism spectrum disorders and evaluating the effectiveness of interventions for individuals with autism, such as therapeutic horseback riding. In addition to teaching, Dr. Agnew has also been a freelance editor, working with textbook publishers to update and develop new content for their psychology and neuroscience texts. So far, he has developed content for James Kalat’s Biological Psychology, Michael Gazzaniga’s Cognitive Neuroscience, Bob Garrett’s Brain & Behavior, David Eagleman’s Cognitive Neuroscience, and Kolb, Whishaw and Teskey's Introduction to Brain and Behavior texts. In 2019, Dr. Agnew was hired to be a Program Coordinator for the Ph.D. Psychology program at Walden University.

Courses Taught

PSYC 8226 - Biopsychology

PSYC 8412 - Research Foundations

Education

PhD, Georgetown University - Washington, DC United States

BA, Haverford College - Haverford, PA United States

Public Service

Alumni Admissions Volunteer Interviewer, Volunteer - Haverford, PA United States

Awards / Honors

Faculty Excellence Award, Walden University, 2018

Master Part-Time Online Instructor, Front Range Community College, 2018

Master Part-Time Instructor, Front Range Community College, 2006

Travel grant from Organization for Human Brain Mapping, Organization for Human Brain Mapping, 2001

Fellow at McDonnell-Pew Summer Institute in Cognitive Neuroscience, McDonnell-Pew Summer Institute in Cognitive Neuroscience, 1999

Publications

Gabriels, R. L., Pan, Z., Dechant, B., Agnew, J. A., Brim, N., Mesibov, G. (2015). Randomized Controlled Trial of Therapeutic Horseback Riding in Children and Adolescents With Autism Spectrum Disorder.. Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry.

Gabriels, R., Agnew, J. A., Pan, Z., Holt, K., Reynolds, A., Laudenslager, M. (2013). Elevated repetitive behaviors are associated with lower diurnal salivary cortisol levels in autism spectrum disorder. Biological Psychology.

Gabriels, R. L., Agnew, J. A., Holt, K., Shoffner, A., Zhaoxing, P., Ruzzano, S., Clayton, G., Mesibov, G. (2012). Pilot study measuring the effects of therapeutic horseback riding on school-age children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorder. Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders.

Gabriels, R. L., Agnew, J. A., Beresford, C., Morrow, M. A., Mesibov, G., Wamboldt, M. (2012). Improving psychiatric hospital care for pediatric patients with autism spectrum disorders and intellectual disabilities.. Autism research and treatment.

Lin, F., Agnew, J. A., Belliveau, J., Zeffiro, T. (2009). Functional and effective connectivity of visuomotor control systems demonstrated using generalized partial least squares and structural equation modeling. Human Brain Mapping.

Gabriels, R., Agnew, J. A., Miller, L., Gralla, J., Zhaoxing, P., Goldson, E., Ledbetter, J., Dinkins, J., Hooks, E. (2008). Is there a relationship between restricted, repetitive, stereotyped behaviors and interests and abnormal sensory response in children with autism spectrum disorders?. Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders.

Gabriels, R., Ivers, B., Hill, D., Agnew, J. A., McNeill, J. (2007). Stability of adaptive behaviors in middle-school children with autism spectrum disorders. Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders. Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders.

Eden, G., Jones, K., Cappell, K., Gareau, L., Wood, F., Zeffiro, T., Dietz, N., Agnew, J. A., Flowers, D. (2004). Neural changes following remediation in adult developmental dyslexia. Neuron.

Agnew, J. A., Eden, G., Zeffiro, T. (2004). Left hemisphere specialization for the control of voluntary movement rate. NeuroImage.

Agnew, J. A., Dorn, C., Eden, G. (2004). Effect of intensive training on auditory processing and reading skills. Brain and Language.

Lin, F., McIntosh, A., Agnew, J. A., Eden, G., Zeffiro, T., Belliveau, J. (2003). Multivariate analysis of neuronal interactions in the generalized partial least squares framework: Simulations and empirical studies. NeuroImage.

Parkash, J., Robblee, J. H., Agnew, J. A., Gibbs, E., Collings, P., Pasternack, R. F., de Paula, J. C. (1998). Depolarized resonance light scattering by porphyrin and chlorophyll a aggregates. Biophysical Journal.

Moreau, R., Powell, M., Agnew, J. A., Young, D. (1998). Chlorophyll-derived porphyrins co-chromatograph with phospholipids in HPLC separation of plant lipid classes. Phytochemical Analysis.

Presentations

Agnew, J. A., Pan, Z., Gabriels, R. (2013). Aberrant behavior changes resulting from therapeutic horseback riding in children with autism.

Gabriels, R., Agnew, J. A., Pan, Z. (2013). Changes in aberrant behaviors and attitudes toward household pets following 10-week involvement in therapeutic horseback riding in children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorders.

Carroll, H., Agnew, J. A., Pan, Z., Gabriels, R. (2012). Functional health outcomes of an outdoor sports camp for children with an autism spectrum disorder.

Pan, Z., Agnew, J. A., Shoffner, A., Gabriels, R. (2012). Therapeutic horseback riding in children with autism spectrum disorders.

Carey, C., Agnew, J. A. (2012). Baker RAP engages CU freshmen in STEM education, scientific research and internships.

Gabriels, R., Agnew, J. A., Beresford, C., Morrow, M., Miller, J., Wamboldt, M. (2011). Crisis psychiatric hospital program and its outcome for pediatric patients with autism spectrum disorders and intellectual disabilities: A retrospective study.

Agnew, J. A., Gabriels, R., Runde, J., Gralla, J., Pan, Z., Goldson, E., Wamboldt, M. (2011). Examining the use of a visual schedule / reinforcement system for routine medical exams with children on the autism spectrum: Pilot study.

Agnew, J. A., Gabriels, R., Pan, Z., Holt, K., Martin, S., Clayton, G., Ruzzano, S., Bosler, H., Howard, R. and Mesibov, G. (2010). Therapeutic horseback riding in children with autism spectrum disorders.

Gabriels, R., Holt, K., Agnew, J. A., Reynolds, A., Sherwood, K., Goldstein, M., Zhaoxing, P., Laudenslager, M. (2008). Repetitive behaviors (RBs) and salivary cortisol in children with autism spectrum disorders: Pilot study.

Gabriels, R., Agnew, J. A., Goldson, E., Gralla, J., Pan, Z., Hill, D., Miller, L. (2007). Investigating the relation between sensory processing impairments and rigid/repetitive behaviors (RBs) in autism spectrum disorders (ASD).

Lin, F., Agnew, J. A., Belliveau, J., Zeffiro, T. (2007). Neural systems controlling hand movement identified using generalized partial least squares and structural equation modeling.

Gabriels, R., Lam, K., Agnew, J. A., Holtzclaw, T., Cuccaro, M., Bodfish, J. (2006). Repetitive behaviors and problem behaviors in preschoolers with Autism Spectrum Disorder compared to typical controls.

Gabriels, R., Agnew, J. A., Ledbetter, J., Goldson, E., Cuccaro, M. (2005). The relation between sensory problems and repetitive behavior in children with autism: Preliminary research findings and treatment options.

Lin, F., McIntosh, A., Zeffiro, T., Agnew, J. A., Belliveau, J. (2001). Comparison of orthogonal and independent component analysis on dimension-reduced fMRI data in partial least squares framework.

Flowers, L., Zeffiro, T., Jones, K., Cappell, K., Gareau, L., Dietz, N., Agnew, J. A., VanMeter, J., Wood, F., Eden, G. (2001). Functional neuroanatomy of reading remediation in dyslexia.

Agnew, J. A., Eden, G., Jones, K., Zeffiro, T. (2000). Rate related activity in cortical motor systems during performance of dominant and non-dominant hand movement.