Assistant Professor
Dr. Bonner is interested in supervising new graduate students in Fall 2026, pending departmental supervision allocations.
Ph.D., BCBA-D, RBA(Ont.)
Dr. Bonner is accepting master’s and doctoral students. Interested students are encouraged to email him directly.
Dr. Bonner is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Applied Disability Studies at Brock University. He also serves on the board of directors and executive committee of Values to Action, a social justice nonprofit organization dedicated to using evidence-based behavioral interventions to address society’s most common and costly problems.
Dr. Bonner earned his undergraduate degree in psychology from the University of British Columbia, followed by a master’s degree in behaviour analysis from the University of Maryland, Baltimore County. During his master’s training, he had the opportunity to work on the Neurobehavioral Unit at the Kennedy Krieger Institute. He went on to complete a doctorate in behaviour analysis at the University of Florida.
Since then, Dr. Bonner’s work has shown a commitment to promoting social and environmental justice. To that end, his NEST Lab (Nurturing Environments for Social Transformation) is dedicated to developing, and evaluating interventions that minimize toxic biological and social conditions, strengthen prosocial behavior, reduce problematic behavior, and promote psychological flexibility.
Nurturing Communities
Our lab is piloting protocols that bring small communities together to identify shared challenges and build collective solutions. These initiatives include community-wide visioning, reward and reminder campaigns, and structured problem-identification processes, which are followed by Action Circles that mobilize residents, organizations, and decision-makers toward sustainable change.
School-Based Prevention
We are advancing prevention initiatives that include the PAX Good Behavior Game® (PAX GBG®), a trauma-informed, universal classroom management system that promotes cooperation, reduces bullying and high risk behaviors, and supports long-term student well-being. We’re also evaluating PAX GBG® in new settings such as special education classrooms and alternative schools. These protocols are being designed with an eye toward strengthening resilience across school systems.
Family Interventions
The lab is expanding work on family-centered approaches for reducing the harmful effects of excessive screen time and social media use among adolescents. One project focus on strategies for adolescents and young adults, while another protocol focuses on younger children.
Another area of family-intervention research involves the use of PAX Tools®, a set of evidence-based kernels designed to empower caregivers with simple, trauma-informed strategies that strengthen relationships and promote healthy development at home.
Climate Change and Sustainability
Our climate-focused projects apply behavior science to both individual and community action. Efforts include developing strategies for reducing personal and household energy use and supporting community mobilization around climate challenges.
Westling, E., O’Hara, C. A., Gordon, J., Meng, P. M., Purdum, B., Bonner A. C., & Biglan, A. (2025). Harmful marketing: An overlooked social determinant of health. Prevention Science, 26, 138-148 https://doi.org/10.1007/s11121-024-01763-x
Bonner, A. C., Biglan, A., & Drugan-Eppich, K. (2023). The dismal state of federal funding for experimental evaluations of interventions to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Perspectives on Behavior Science, 46, 5-23. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40614-021-00316-9
Agrawal, N., Anderson, C., Ashby, T., Barnett, C., Biglan, A., Bonner, A., Gordon, J., Kohler, J., Krugman, R., Kruljac, J., Mannix, N., Olds, D., Oral, R., Ortiz, A., Palusci, V. J., Pecora, P., Richmond, K., Roose, H., Ruck, J., … & Well, K. (2023). Mobilizing America to End Child Abuse and Neglect. Values to Action & ENDCAN. https://www.valuestoaction.org/ENDCAN
Hack, G. O., DeLeon, I. G., Bonner, A. C., Weinsztok, S. C., Dallery, J., & Berry, M. S. (2023). Framing effects on hypothetical use of public transportation: A time cost demand analysis. Behavior and Social Issues, 32, 534-559. https://doi.org/10.1007/s42822-023-00142-5
Bonner, A. C., & Biglan, A. (2021). Rebooting behavioral science to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Behavior and Social Issues, 30, 106-120. https://doi.org/10.1007/s42822-021-00058-y
Watson-Thompson, J., Terry, K., Jordan, N., Impson, A., Gordon, J., DiCocco, J., Bonner, A., Biglan, A., & Ashby, T. (2021). A Guide to Reducing Juvenile Offending in Your Community. Values to Action. https://www.valuestoaction.org/juvenile-justice-guide
Szarko, A., Miller, O., Miller, M., Martien-Koch, P., Impson, A., Jerdes, H. H., Henkle, K., Brody, K. D., Dellinger-Wray, K., Copeland, L., Bonner, A., Biglan, A., Ashby, T., & Agana, T. R. (2021). A Guide to Improving Healthcare for Persons with Special Healthcare Needs. Values to Action. https://www.valuestoaction.org/healthcare-guide2
Biglan, A., & Bonner, A. C. (2020). Rebuilding Opportunity in America: A Policy Guide to Reducing Concentrated Disadvantage. Values to Action. https://www.valuestoaction.org/rebuildingopportunity
Biglan, A., Bonner, A. C., Johannson, M., Ghai, J. L., Van Ryzin, M. J., Dubuc, T. L., Seniuk, H. A., Fiebig, J. H., & Coyne, L. W. (2020). The state of experimental research on community interventions to reduce greenhouse gas emissions – A systematic review. Sustainability, 12(18), 7593. https://doi.org/10.3390/su12187593
