Graduate Students
Lauren Berny
Doctoral Candidate, Prevention Science
MEd, Vanderbilt University
BA, The University of the South
Lauren is passionate about using rigorous analytical approaches to inform preventive interventions and improve evidence-based decision-making, particularly in the fields of substance use and mental health. Her program of research is focused on understanding how social and environmental contexts influence health outcomes, reducing risk in secondary and tertiary adolescent populations, and identifying mechanisms of action in preventive interventions and treatments. She was recently awarded an R36 research grant from the National Institute on Drug Abuse to support her dissertation research, which aims to examine the long-term effects of recovery high school attendance on substance use and psychosocial outcomes and analyze if and to what extent pro-recovery peer support may mediate those relationships. In the 2021-2022 academic year, Lauren completed an injury prevention fellowship with the Society for Public Health Education and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that focused on suicidality among adolescents with substance use disorders. Outside of her academic work, Lauren enjoys watching basketball, pop culture commentary, listening to podcasts, and playing trivia with friends.
Aden Bhagwat
Doctoral Student, Prevention Science
BS, The Ohio State University
Aden is a doctoral student in the Prevention Science program interested in researching methods to support children with adverse childhood experiences. He aims to study intervention and prevention programs that can be implemented in schools and improve the well-being of children involved with Child Protective Services or foster care. Aden hopes to pursue a research career, using advanced quantitative methods such as meta-analysis to evaluate existing programs and create new, evidence-based programs. Before coming to the University of Oregon, Aden worked at Mathematica Policy Research for three years, across areas including education, nutrition, family support, and child welfare. As a Research Associate, and later a Research Analyst, Aden analyzed administrative and survey data, presented findings to clients, and authored papers. Prior to Mathematica, Aden completed a BS in Psychology and Criminology at the Ohio State University. While at Ohio State he completed an honors thesis with Dr. Russell Fazio in the social psychology department and was a research assistant for Dr. Theodore Beauchaine in clinical psychology. In his free time, Aden enjoys cooking, watching stand-up comedy, and boxing workout classes.
Frank Mojekwu
Doctoral Candidate, Counseling Psychology
MS, University of Oregon
BS, University of Texas at Austin
Frank was first exposed to applied psychology in a small criminal justice seminar that focused on the benefits of therapeutic jurisprudence and alternative adjudication programs. This experience ignited his interest in understanding how psychological research is used within the criminal justice system and adjacent sociopolitical structures. With the Applied Research Methods and Statistics lab, he has participated in NIJ-funded investigations of treatment court effectiveness and investigations of psychological factors that impact gun ownership. His research interests are also represented in his clinical positions. Frank works with a forensic psychology practice in Lane County, where he assists in evaluations of competency to stand trial, psychosexual risk, and eligibility for Guilty Except Insanity pleas. Concurrently, he works within a practice that specializes in the evidence-based treatment of anxiety and stress disorders, where he provides individual therapy to clients who receive Medicaid benefits. In this role, he also develops initiatives to improve culturally sensitive mental health training and service provision.
Frank is currently on doctoral internship at the Clement J. Zablocki VA Medical Center in Milwaukee, WI.
Lindsey Nichols
Doctoral Candidate, Counseling Psychology
MS, University of Oregon
BS, University of Texas at Austin
As a doctoral candidate in Counseling Psychology, Lindsey’s training has been a blend of research and clinical work across various settings. Broadly, her research interests include understanding substance use behaviors and mental health among young people. Lindsey conducts research aimed at understanding variability in substance use treatment and intervention effects by identifying salient risk and protective factors as well as promoting treatment outcomes and improving continuing care supports. She uses a variety of research methods to address her research questions and also has a secondary interest in research synthesis methods. Her dissertation project focuses on studying post-substance use treatment trajectories among youth, with a specific focus on their mental health and levels of social support at treatment discharge. Lindsey hopes that this work will inform holistic clinical assessment practices for substance use disorders among young people. Outside of school, she enjoys exploring the outdoors with her pup (Ruth), trying new restaurants and coffee shops, and lounging around her house reading or watching TV shows.
Lindsey is currently on doctoral internship at the Brown University Clinical Psychology Training Program in Providence, RI.
Andrew Prior
Doctoral Student, Counseling Psychology
MEd, University of Missouri
BA, Swarthmore College
Andrew is a doctoral student in UO’s Counseling Psychology program. Previously, he completed his M.Ed. in Counseling Psychology at the University of Missouri and his B.A. in Sociology at Swarthmore College. Andrew‘s clinical experience includes serving young men at a New Orleans residential program and facilitating brief motivational interventions with college students. Andrew‘s research centers on substance use prevention and recovery among adolescents and emerging adults; he has presented work on collegiate recovery programs at the 2023 NASPA Strategies Conference and the 2024 Collaborative Perspectives on Addiction Conference. Ultimately, Andrew intends to pursue a career in academia to further explore the efficacy of positive psychology interventions and integrative mental health care in recovery. Andrew is also passionate about connecting with communities through participatory action and collaborating with students as a TA. In Andrew‘s free time, he runs long distances and shouts at the TV during Philadelphia 76ers games.
