Rate My Professor Yanerys Leon

Yanerys Leon, Ph.D., is a Research Associate Professor in the Department of Psychology at the University of Miami, where she also serves as Division Director of Applied Research and Behavior Training at the UM-NSU Center for Autism and Related Disabilities and Assistant Chair for Academic Affairs and Research. She earned her Doctor of Philosophy in Behavior Analysis from the Florida Institute of Technology in 2012, Master of Arts in Applied Behavior Analysis from the University of Maryland, Baltimore County in 2009, and Bachelor of Science in Psychology from the University of Florida in 2007. A Board Certified Behavior Analyst-Doctoral (BCBA-D), Leon joined the University of Miami in January 2019 following her tenure as Assistant Professor in the School of Behavior Analysis at Florida Institute of Technology from November 2014 to December 2018. Prior appointments include Visiting Assistant Professor positions at Florida International University from 2012 to 2014, Graduate Research Assistant roles at Florida Institute of Technology and University of Maryland Baltimore County, and clinical positions such as Research Assistant II at Kennedy Krieger Institute and Case Supervisor at The Scott Center for Autism Treatment.

Dr. Leon's research specializations include applied behavior analysis with emphases on functional assessment and treatment of problem behavior, skill acquisition, preference and reinforcer assessment, token economies, noncontingent reinforcement, differential reinforcement, staff training, and interventions for autism spectrum disorders and developmental disabilities. Key publications are Leon, Y., Borrero, J. C., & DeLeon, I. G. (2016). A parametric analysis of delayed primary and conditioned reinforcers. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 49, 639-655; Leon, Y., Lazarchick, W. N., Rooker, G. W., & DeLeon, I. G. (2013). Assessment of problem behavior occasioned by disruption of ritualistic toy arrangements in a child with autism. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 46, 1-5; Leon, Y., Kahng, S., Hausman, N. L., & Becraft, J. L. (2010). Further examination of discriminated functional communication. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 43, 525-530; and Leon, Y., Wilder, D. A., & Saini, V. (2021). Within- and across-session increases in work requirement do not produce similar response output. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis. She received the 2021 APA Division 25 B.F. Skinner Foundation New Applied Researcher Award. Leon serves on the Board of Editors for the Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, co-directs the Intensive Behavior Intervention Services Clinic, and has chaired symposia at Association for Behavior Analysis International and Florida Association for Behavior Analysis conferences.