Laboratory Personnel
Director
Julia Buckner is a Professor of Psychology and Director of LSU's Anxiety and Addictive
Behaviors Laboratory & Clinic. She is also a Clinical Associate Professor in the Department
of Psychiatry at LSU-Health Sciences Center and a licensed clinical psychologist.
Dr. Buckner's program of research primarily focuses on: (1) psycho-sociocultural causal
and maintaining factors implicated in substance use disorders and co-occurring anxiety-substance
use disorders; and (2) development and evaluation of empirically-informed treatment
and prevention protocols for substance use disorders, including treatment for co-occurring
anxiety-substance use disorders. Dr. Buckner has had over 230 publications and has
utilized a variety of research methodologies in her research, including ecological
momentary assessment, affect and craving induction paradigms, attentional bias paradigms,
technology-based interventions, and randomized clinical trials. She has been involved
with several NIH grants as PI, co-PI, consultant, and sponsor and is currently Project
Director on her second graduate education training grant from the US Department of
Health & Human Services' HRSA. She has also received funding from the Louisiana Department
of Health and awards from the Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies (ABCT),
Association for Psychological Science, American Psychological Association, College
on Problems of Drug Dependence, Anxiety Disorders Association of America.
Graduate Students
Katie Thomas received her Bachelor of Arts degree in Cognitive Science from Rice University in 2019. She joined LSU’s Clinical Psychology program in 2023. Her research interests include the interaction of traumatic stress on substance use patterns as well as identifying protective factors that reduce risk for the development of substance use disorders.
Luke Vargo joined LSU’s Clinical Psychology program in 2023 after receiving his Master of Arts
degree in Psychological Research from Texas State University the prior spring. His
research interests pertain to the transdiagnostic mechanisms between substance use
(particularly cannabis use) and anxiety disorders in hopes of refining available evidence-based
psychological treatments.
Khoa Duc Le joined LSU’s Clinical Psychology program in 2025 after receiving his Bachelor of
Arts in Psychology from Case Western Reserve University in 2024. His research interests
center on understanding factors that contribute to the initiation and maintenance
of substance use, with a particular focus on alcohol and methamphetamines. He is especially
interested in the role of co-occurring mental health disorders in shaping substance
use trajectories and treatment outcomes.
Ashley Ruiz joined LSU's Clinical Psychology program in 2026 after receiving her Bachelor of
Science degree from Arizona State University in 2023. Her research interests include
understanding how culturally relevant stressors and emotion regulation challenges
influence substance use and psychopathology among underserved populations. She also
has an interest in implementing EMA methodology and digital intervention development
within her research.
Eleanor A. Fester joined LSU’s Clinical Psychology program in 2026 after receiving her Master of Arts
degree in Applied Clinical Psychology from Penn State University that Spring. Her
research interests include the relationship between substance use and stigma, with
a particular focus on how stigma impacts engagement with harm reduction services,
and on the systemic and interpersonal factors that influence access to and outcomes
of treatment.
Undergraduate Students
Bailee Trahan is a junior majoring in Psychology with a concentration in Cognitive Neuroscience
who plans to attend graduate school to pursue a PhD in clinical psychology. Her research
interests include understanding the factors that contribute to anxiety and substance
behaviors, as well as identifying factors that can improve prevention and treatment
outcomes.
Carolina Fuller is a junior majoring in Psychology with a concentration in Cognitive Neuroscience.
Her research interests include adolescent mental health disorders and their relationship
with substance use. She plans to attend graduate school to obtain a PsyD in clinical
psychology after graduating.
Honors Students
Sasha Quintanilla is a senior majoring in Psychology with a concentration in Cognitive Neuroscience
with minors in Honors Research and Sociology. Her interests include the mental health
of sexual and racial minorities, anxiety disorders, and psychopathology. She plans
to attend graduate school to get a PhD in clinical psychology after graduating.