I received my B.A. in Psychology in 2019 and my M.A. in Psychological Science in 2021 at the University of North Carolina Wilmington. Currently, I am a Health Behavior doctoral candidate at Indiana University's School of Public Health minoring in Epidemiology and Addictive Behaviors. My research interests encompass correlates and consequences of prescription drug use and misuse. Before I came to IU, I collected primary data on correlates of prescription stimulant misuse among college students, such as prescription stimulant drug expectancies and perceptions of other college students who engage in prescription stimulant misuse. Now, my work has shifted focus to using large-scale, administrative health records to understand associations between prescription opioid use and adverse outcomes among individuals experiencing chronic pain. Further, I am interested in the development of statistical models to measure complex constructs, in addition to aspects related to mental health and substance use stigmatization more broadly.
I am currently a PhD candidate in the Health Behavior program in the department of Applied Health Science, minoring in Epidemiology. I also have a Master’s in Public Heath from the University of Pittsburgh with a concentration in Public Health genetics. Broadly, my research interests are how individual genetics interplay with environmental factors and impact risky health behaviors in adolescence, mainly externalizing behaviors. More specifically, I focus on substance use and the development of substance use disorders. My research studies the biological connection between co-occurring disorders: mental health and substance use. The methods that I use for my research utilize longitudinal samples, taking a developmental stance that externalizing behaviors and mental health outcomes change and develop over time due to genetic influences. I primarily formulate polygenic risk scores to measure genetic influence.
I received my Master of Public Health, Master of Healthcare Administration, and Master of Business Administration from Missouri State University. I am now a doctoral student in the Department of Applied Health Sciences at School of Public Health, majoring in Health Behavior. My research interests cover topics related to marijuana use, specifically new approaches to marijuana consumption among adolescents and young adults, and legal policies for marijuana. Right now, I am working on a project that uses the NSDUH dataset to study the latest profile of synthetic cannabis users using quantitative methods and large national datasets. I am also interested in the relationship between adverse childhood experiences and marijuana use.
I’m currently working towards a masters in the Indiana University School of Public Health in Public Health Administration. I received my bachelor’s in psychology and biology from Shepherd University in West Virginia. After graduating, I worked in epigenetics research at a cancer research center before being recruited to work in the field of substance abuse treatment. I am interested in studying early life and genetic influences that put people at a higher risk for developing substance use disorder, bettering my understanding of new therapies and methods for helping people who suffer from it, and creating and implementing education for the public on the nature of the disease.
