Lab News
2025
Congratulations to Dr. Buckner, who was awarded nearly $1 million from the US Department
of Health & Human Services to fund a training grant designed to increase the number
of clinical psychology graduate students trained in delivery of clinical services
for substance use disorders and related conditions in high-need/underserved areas
(which Baton Rouge sadly is), while also increasing the number of clinical services
available to underserved patients with these disorders in the Baton Rouge Community
at OLOL Hospital!
Incoming graduate student Khoa Le was awarded the Schwartzberg Fellowship from LSU's
Humanities and Social Sciences!
Congratulations to Katie Thomas, who was awarded a $1,000 Graduate Student Strategic
Research Grant (GR-SRG) from the LSU Psychology Department to fund her research project,
The Impact of Dyadic Coping on Alcohol Use and Related Problems among College Students
in Romantic Relationships.
Dr. Buckner is co-PI on a grant that was funded by the Louisiana Department of Health
Healthcare Employment Reinvestment Opportunity (H.E.R.O.) fund! This grant will provide
funding for graduate student therapists-in-training to expand critical mental health
services at Our Lady of the Lake Hospital!
Dr. Buckner’s scholarly works rank in the top 0.05% of all scholars worldwide per
ScholarGPS! She is a Highly Ranked Scholar in Social anxiety (#5) and anxiety. More
details can be found on their website.
Dr. Buckner's research on anticipatory anxiety, especially among individuals with
elevated social anxiety & anticipatory anxiety's impact on drinking, was featured
in the American Psychological Association’s Monitor on Psychology!
Paige Morris accepted a research-focused post-doctoral position as an Advanced Fellow
in Mental Illness Research and Treatment (MIRECC) at the Philadelphia VA!
Caroline Scherzer will complete her pre-doctoral internship at the Medical University
of South Carolina!
Congratulations to our honors thesis student, Amelia Knox, who was recognized as an
LSU Distinguished Undergraduate Researcher!
Undergraduate honors student Amelia Knox received an LSU Ogden Honors College Travel
Award ($1,000) to help fund her trip to present results from her honors thesis project
at the Collaborative Perspectives on Addiction Annual Meeting in Providence, RI!
Undergraduate honors student Amelia Knox was awarded an LSU Discover Travel Award
($750) to help fund her trip to present results from her honors thesis project at
the Collaborative Perspectives on Addiction Annual Meeting in Providence, RI!
Undergraduate research assistant Elanna Russell was awarded $1,000 from LSU's Aspiring
Scholars program in REsearch (ASPIRE) Undergraduate Research Experience to conduct
research in our lab during the 2025-2026 year, with the goal of presenting her research
at a national conference!
2024
Dr. Buckner was interviewed by the Baton Rouge Advocate about panic attacks and how
to help when someone is experiencing one. You can check out the full article here.
Dr. Julie Buckner received the Louisiana Psychological Association's 2024 Contributions
in Psychological Science Award. This award is given to an individual who has significantly
increased knowledge of psychological concepts via research and dissemination of research
findings. Dr. Buckner was chosen for the award based on her exemplary contributions
to psychology.
Graduate student Paige Morris was awarded a Psychology Department Strategic Research
Grant to support her dissertation, Testing the Utility of the Three Good Things Intervention
for Cannabis Misuse Among College Students!
1st year graduate student Katie Thomas was awarded a student travel award to present
research at the 1st Sex & Gender & Alcohol Satellite Meeting of the Research Society
on Alcohol!
Undergraduate research assistant Delaney Sawicki-Lake was awarded $1,000 from LSU's
Aspiring Scholars program in REsearch (ASPIRE) Undergraduate Research Experience to
conduct research in our lab during the 2024-2025 year, with the goal of presenting
her research at a national conference!
Congratulations to Shaniya McNair of Coppin State University on being placed in our
lab for the 2024 NIDA Summer Research Internship Program!
Congratulations to graduate student, Paige Morris, who will complete her pre-doctoral
internship at the Southeast Louisiana Veterans Health Care System in New Orleans!
2023
Congratulations to graduate student, Paige Morris, whose poster, "Cannabis use across
the menstrual cycle: The impact of negative affect and cannabis use motives," was
awarded Outstanding Student Poster by the Association for Behavioral and Cognitive
Therapies’ (ABCT) Addictive Behaviors Special Interest Group!
Congratulations to undergraduate research assistant, Mollie McMichael, who was awarded
$1,000 from LSU's Aspiring Scholars program in REsearch (ASPIRE) Undergraduate Research
Experience to conduct research in our lab during the 2023-2024 year, with the goal
of presenting her research at a national conference!
Dr. Buckner was awarded an R21 from NIDA ($419, 904.00) to fund an EMA study of the
impact of race-based microaggressions on cannabis use!
Congratulations to our undergraduate research assistant, Evan Threeton, who graduated
with college honors!
Congratulations to lab alum, Dr. Mara Ferrie, on her new position as Staff Psychologist
at the PTSD-SUD Clinic, Southeast Louisiana Veterans Health Care System in New Orleans
Congratulations to our undergraduate research assistant, Evan Threeton, who was recognized
as a Distinguished Undergraduate Researcher!
Congratulations to our undergraduate research assistant, Madison O’Neal, who was accepted
into the LSU McNair Research Scholars Program!
Congratulations to our undergraduate research assistant, Evan Threeton, who was awarded
the Paul C Young award for most outstanding student in Psychology!
Congratulations to our undergraduate research assistant, Evan Threeton, whose poster,
"Sexual Orientation and Cannabis Outcomes among Black Individuals: The Role of Cannabis
Use Motives" was awarded 2nd place for Humanities, Social Sciences, Mass Communication,
& Business at this Spring’s LSU Discover Day Undergraduate Research & Creativity Conference!
Congratulations to undergraduate student, Olivia Amorando, who was awarded $1,000
from LSU's Aspiring Scholars program in REsearch (ASPIRE) Undergraduate Research Experience
to conduct research in our lab during the 2023-2024 year, with the goal of presenting
her research at a national conference!
Congratulations to lab alum, Dr. Katherine Walukevich-Dienst, on her new position
as Acting Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences
at the University of Washington!
Dr. Buckner was awarded an R21 from NIAAA ($402,835.00) to fund an EMA study of the
impact of race-based microaggressions on mental health and alcohol use!
Dr. Buckner was awarded a $204,799 grant from Louisiana Department of Health (LDH)
Bureau of Health Services Financing (Medicaid)’s Louisiana Public University Partnership
Program to test the impact of brief motivation-based interventions on post-discharge
substance use among patients at OLOL with Medicaid insurance!
2022
Congratulations to our undergraduate research assistant, Evan Threeton, who was awarded
an LSU Discover Travel Award to help fund his travel to present research at the annual
conference of the Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies in NYC!
Congratulations to lab alum, Dr. Katherine Walukevich-Dienst, on her award from NIH’s
Loan Repayment Program!
Congratulations to Emma Armstrong, whose undergraduate honors thesis, “Preferences,
Expectations, and Experiences of Online Therapy among College Students during the
COVID-19 Pandemic” was awarded an Ogden Honors College Outstanding Thesis Award!
Congratulations to Caroline Scherzer, who was awarded a $1,000 Graduate Student Strategic
Research Grant (GR-SRG) from the LSU Psychology Department to fund her research project,
The impact of social stress and alcohol intoxication on implicit views of the self
in college students with heavy episodic drinking.
Congratulations to our undergraduate research assistant, Evan Threeton, who was awarded
$1,000 from LSU's Aspiring Scholars program in REsearch (ASPIRE) Undergraduate Research
Experience Summer 2022!
Dr. Julie Buckner was awarded an LSU Rainmaker Mid-Career Scholar Award! This award
recognizes faculty members with established track records in securing external research
funding and publishing in high-impact journals.
2021
Congratulations to Mara Lewis, who was awarded a Graduate Student Strategic Research
Grant (GR-SRG) from the LSU Psychology Department to fund her dissertation project,
A Novel Online Personalized Feedback Intervention to Reduce Alcohol Use and Negative
Affect.
Congratulations to Paige Morris, who was awarded a Graduate Student Strategic Research
Grant (GR-SRG) from the LSU Psychology Department to fund her thesis project, Cannabis
Use Across The Menstrual Cycle: The Impact Of Negative Affect And Coping Motives.
Congratulations to lab alum, Dr. Katherine Walukevich-Dienst, on her National Institute
of Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism Grant F32AA029589 (PI: Walukevich-Dienst), which focuses
on the role of affect and novel measures of affective dynamics in high-risk substance
use behaviors!
At their annual meeting in June, the Louisiana Psychological Association named lab
alum Dr. Sonia Shah Blauvelt as the 2021 recipient of the award for Psychology in
the Public Interest! Congratulations!
Congratulations to our undergraduate research assistant, Abby Brien, who was awarded
$1,000 from LSU's Aspiring Scholars program in REsearch (ASPIRE) Undergraduate Research
Experience Summer 2021!
2020
Katherine Walukevich-Dienst, a Clinical Psychology student in our laboratory, has
been awarded a 2020 American Psychological Association (APA) Dissertation Research
Award. The title of her project is: Development and psychometric properties of the
cannabidiol effect expectancies questionnaire (CBD-EEQ).
Dr. Julie Buckner was awarded a 2020 LSU Distinguished Faculty Award! This award recognizes
faculty members with sustained records of excellence in teaching, research, and/or
service.
Congratulations to Dr. Tony Ecker on being awarded an Outstanding Faculty Award from
the Baylor College of Medicine Clinical Psychology Internship Program! Dr. Ecker an
Assistant Professor in Baylor College of Medicine’s Department of Psychiatry and a
researcher at the Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center.
Congratulations to our undergraduate research assistant, Maria Velasquez, who received
$1,000 from the Aspiring Scholars Program in REsearch (ASPIRE) Undergraduate Research
Experience in LSU's College of Humanities and Social Sciences!
Congratulations to our undergraduate research assistant, Shayon Tayebi, who received
a $1,500 LSU Discover Travel Award!
Congratulations to our undergraduate research assistant, Jackson Green, who received
an LSU Distinguished Undergraduate Researcher award!
Congratulations to our undergraduate research assistant, Alexandra Drago, who received
$1,000 from the Aspiring Scholars Program in REsearch (ASPIRE) Undergraduate Research
Experience in LSU's College of Humanities and Social Sciences!
2019
Dr. Buckner was awarded a $865,817 grant from the U.S. Department of Health & Human
Services Administration's Graduate Psychology Education (GPE) Program, Inter-professional
Training in Integrated Behavioral Health Services with Underserved Populations in
High-Need Medical Setting. A primary focus of this grant is to prepare doctoral-level
psychologists to provide mental and behavioral health care, especially treatment for
opioid use disorder and other substance use disorders and related conditions. Another
focus is to provide treatment for these conditions at Our Lady of the Lake Hospital
in Baton Rouge.
Congratulations to Dr. Buckner for receiving the G. Alan Marlatt Mid-Career Research
Award from the Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies Addictive Behaviors
Special Interest Group!
Congratulations to Katherine Walukevich-Dienst, who was awarded a $1000 Graduate Student
Strategic Research Grant (GR-SRG) from the LSU Psychology Department to fund her research!
Congratulations to graduate student Mara Lewis on receiving an LSU Department of Psychology
Graduate Student Strategic Research Grant (GR-SRG) to fund her thesis project, The
Impact of Mindfulness Training on Post-Event Processing in Social Anxiety: A Multi-Method
Investigation!
Congratulations to our undergraduate research assistant, Maria Enger, who received
$1,000 from the Aspiring Scholars Program in REsearch (ASPIRE) Undergraduate Research
Experience in LSU's College of Humanities and Social Sciences!
A recent graduate from our lab, Dr. Anthony Ecker, was interviewed by the American
Psychological Association about his research! Hear/read the interview here.
2018
Graduate student Kimberlye Dean was awarded a Graduate Student Strategic Research
Grant to help fund her dissertation study, The Impact of Experimentally-Induced Perceived
Discrimination on Substance Use and Related Problems. Congratulations!
Congratulations to our undergraduate research assistant, Hayden Rigby, who received
$1,000 from the Aspiring Scholars Program in REsearch (ASPIRE) Undergraduate Research
Experience in LSU's College of Humanities and Social Sciences!
Congratulations to our undergraduate research assistant, Dylan Twitty, for her work
in the Pre-Doctoral Scholar’s Institute (PDSI) program ($1,500)!
2017
Dr. Buckner serves as statistical and EMA consultant on a R03 grant ($146,440) from
NIDA awarded to Dr. Ty Schepis to fund his project, Ecological Momentary Assessment
of Mechanisms related to College Student Prescription Stimulant Misuse
Dr. Buckner received an LSU College of Humanities & Social Sciences Manship Summer
Research Award to fund her project, Web-Based Personalized Feedback Intervention for
Cannabis Use
Congratulations to our undergraduate research assistant, Marcos Gallegos, for his
work in the Pre-Doctoral Scholar’s Institute (PDSI) program ($1,500)!
2016
Congratulations to Emily Jeffries, who was awarded a Graduate Student Strategic Research
Grant (GR-SRG) from the LSU Psychology Department to fund her dissertation project,
Hatha Yoga as an Aid to Smoking Cessation for Smokers with Anxiety and/or Depression:
A Randomized Controlled Trial.
Congratulations to graduate student Tony Ecker for being named Student of the Month
(June), Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies Addictive Behaviors Special
Interest Group!
Congratulations to our undergraduate research assistant, Ashlyn Richards, for her
work in the Pre-Doctoral Scholar’s Institute (PDSI) program ($1,500)!
2015
Congratulations to Kimberlye Dean, who was awarded a Graduate Student Strategic Research
Grant (GR-SRG) from the LSU Psychology Department to fund her thesis project, The
Impact of a Transdiagnostic Risk Factor on Willingness to Seek Treatment amongst Black
Students!
2014
Congratulations to graduate student Tony Ecker for receiving the 2014 Best Student
Poster Award from the Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies Addictive
Behaviors Special Interest Group.
Congratulations to our undergraduate research assistant, Kayli Alphonso, who received
$1,000 from the Aspiring Scholars Program in REsearch (ASPIRE) Undergraduate Research
Experience in LSU's College of Humanities and Social Sciences!
2013
Congratulations to Dr. Buckner for receiving the Rainmaker Emerging Scholar Award
for Research and Creative Activity in the Arts, Humanities, and Social or Behavioral
Sciences from the LSU Office of Research and Economic Development!
AABC director Dr. Julia Buckner's research was featured in Newsweek. Read the Newsweek article.
Dr. Buckner's research on the impact of co-occurring social anxiety among those with
cannabis use disorders is being feature in NIDA Notes, a publication of the National
Institute of Drug Abuse. Read the NIDA article.
2012
Dr. Buckner received an R34 (R34DA031937) grant from NIDA to fund her research project,
Integrated CBT for Cannabis Dependence with Co-occurring Anxiety Disorders ($624,159)
Dr. Buckner serves as consultant on an R34 (R34DA031313) grant from NIDA awarded to
Drs. Peter Norton and Michael Zvolensky to fund, Augmenting Smoking Cessation with
Transdiagnostic CBT for Smokers with Anxiety Disorders ($675,750)
Congratulations to Dr. Buckner for receiving the Early Career Award, Association for
Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies (ABCT) Addictive Behaviors Special Interest Group!
Congratulations to our undergraduate research assistant, Jourdan Brown, who received
$1,000 from the Aspiring Scholars Program in REsearch (ASPIRE) Undergraduate Research
Experience in LSU's College of Humanities and Social Sciences!
2011
Dr. Buckner received an R21 (R21DA029811) grant from NIDA to fund her research project,
Multi-method Assessment of Affective and Situational Antecedents of Marijuana Use
($359,716)