Two leaders. One critical mission. As co-directors of the STARR Lab, Drs. Lewis and Litt lead innovative research focused on adolescent and young adult alcohol use and related risk, with the goal of informing prevention, intervention, and real-world impact. Learn more: www.uta.edu/academics/sc...

Research from UTA School of Social Work, led by @melissa-lewis.bsky.social in collaboration with , @phdlitt.bsky.social, is featured in a @jsadjournal.bsky.social press release! This work shows smartphone-based, personalized interventions can help young adults reduce alcohol & cannabis use.

If I seem a little distracted today, my RA got spooked by a giant clap of thunder and has now taken up residence in my lap.

📣Attention NIH LRP applicants - the deadline has been moved to December 4: x.com/NIHFunding/s...

My new work notebook seems fitting.

I’m sorry if I was distracted during my last meeting. I couldn’t hear you over my research assistant’s snoring.

With the new school year starting, it’s definitely time to refresh my cheesy office snack supply. I found myself wholly unprepared today and want to make sure that doesn’t happen again.

Just in case you were worried that I fired my research assistant, she’s here and still as useful as always.

📣 ANNOUNCEMENT: 31 Days of Action – All August! Funding cuts. Banned words. Fired public servants. Trump & his cronies are dismantling America’s greatest experiment - our democracy - & with it, science. Between now & Sept 30th we decide: Are we a democracy… or an oligarchy? (1/4)

I’m going to need Teams and Webex to up their beauty filters to Zoom standards. My vanity can’t take it.

So proud of the work that @melissa-lewis.bsky.social and I are doing and excited to grow our work in the UTA School of Social Work!

Trying to keep a straight face on a zoom call is hard when this is across from you.

Latest yard sign.

Science doers, allies & stans in the House, literally: RIGHT NOW! Standup for #Science. Stand up for #NIH. Standup for #EPA. Standup for #NSF. Standup for #CDC. Standup to #Trump Standup to #RFK Standup to #Bhattacharya Standup to #Zeldin EVERYBODY UP! Resist here zurl.co/QdR9F #SUFS #EPA139

I feel like we could all use a Birdie smile about now.

My research assistant is sleeping on the job again.

Birdie and I are repping @standupforscience.bsky.social today in Texas!

I had the privilege of being interviewed recently to talk about two subjects close to my heart: mental health and the profound connection between humans and animals. Even better? I wasn’t alone as I was joined by two very special co-hosts. youtu.be/sh7KKP54CWo

I don’t have popcorn, but I do have a party size bag of nerds clusters from Costco. Who wants to join me for the show?

People are going to start expecting me to bring puppies to work every day….

This is the last time I take my research assistant to work with me at a coffee shop, because I’m pretty sure she’s trying to interview to work with someone else…

Wishing strength to everyone working on grants right now for the June submission cycle . May your cutting-to-length go smoothly, your finalizing stay final, and your sanity hold despite… looks around… everything. We’ve got this.

When the IT guy takes over my computer remotely

My research assistant and I are caffeinating in preparation for the day.

Puppy yoga = perfect finals week reset. I’m so proud to bring together my passions for mental health and animal welfare for events like this one! See below for more info! Story here: tinyurl.com/38rcn2zf Video here: youtu.be/UZiXngCxkvs

At the end of this summer, the future of U.S. science and research will be decided. From weather alerts to cancer breakthroughs, science shapes every part of our lives. We need everyone in this fight. The Summer Fight for Science starts now. Are you in? The fight starts here: bit.ly/4ddiuqU

People are concerned about AI in the classroom and I’m just sitting here making my dog into cartoons.

Thanks to everyone who attended the @rsa_education 3MT competition today! Huge congrats to the winners (Destinee Cruthird and @kathylindquist.bsky.social ) and to everyone who participated. My apologies for not being able to host given an ill-timed power outage. Hope to do it again next year!

Congrats to @kathylindquist.bsky.social for winning the 3MT competition for preclinical students - way to go, Kathy!!! @drjrink.bsky.social

Sometimes, when the world is in complete chaos, you need to impulse buy a zen hippo.

The RSA Career Development and Training Committee is hosting our first ever 3MT competition! Please join us and support our trainees on May 6th over zoom. Link to register and more info is below! @rsaofficial.bsky.social @rsaeducation.bsky.social

RSA Members, I am running for VP of @rsaofficial.bsky.social. Check your email from RSA and exercise your right to VOTE! We need everyone engaged to preserve our science and the next generation of diverse outstanding addiction scholars. I would be honored to represent our members in this work.

Mark your calendar for this fun event! Let’s support our student scientists!

Grateful for the opportunity to present at #CPA2025. It was also a much needed opportunity to reconnect and recharge with our strong and vibrant research community and to be around those with shared goals and values, particularly during these challenging times. @apadivision50.bsky.social

Breaking news: A new lawsuit seeks to challenge the National Institutes of Health’s decisions to abruptly terminate hundreds of grants, totaling more than $2.4 billion, over the past month. scim.ag/3DZnylL

NEW: Researchers have sued the NIH and HHS, alleging that they have engaged in a "reckless and illegal purge to stamp out NIH-funded research that addresses topics and populations that they disfavor" by terminating hundreds of grants, violating the APA, Fifth Amendment and the Separation of Powers.

Sen. Cory Booker urged us all to get in some good trouble. We're here to help with that. Sign our letter and find resources at wearehighered.org docs.google.com/document/d/1...

Two things to brighten your day.

So how are we listing terminated grants on our CV? 😬

The entire National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) team at SAMHSA was terminated today. Do not listen to the platitudes of this administration when they say they care about drug overdose, addiction, mental health, or suicide.

We are excited to announce our official partnership with @indivisible.org for the National Day of Action on April 5th! Stand Up for Science says: HANDS OFF OUR SCIENCE! #standupforscience #handsoffourscience Find and register for an event near you: handsoff2025.com?utm_source=s...

There are lots of reasons, both professional and personal, why the current attack on science is keeping me up at night. Five years ago this week, my family lost my uncle, Mark Blum, to the first wave of the pandemic in NYC. (1/2)

I just gave Birdie the daily news update and she is not impressed.

So I’m pretty sure I have the doomscrolling equivalent of “gamer’s thumb”…

Turns out puppy therapy is exactly what this scientist needed.

Unfortunately, there was another round of FUNDED grants cancelled yesterday. These illegal cuts stop projects that have been in progress for years, interrupt lifesaving research, and destroy the public good of science in the US. If you were impacted, please share you story with us: fedfreeze.org

The crush of new grant cancellations hasn't let up. If your grant was terminated (or your app was pulled) please use this Google Form👇 to submit details for tracking purposes. Multiple advocacy efforts are moving forward, but we must must must know more about what grants were cancelled and why.

I hope that folks in media know the scope of the bloodbath that is happening across the #NIH. They are literally cutting millions of $ focused on #HIV, improving human health across populations, & PREVENTING DISEASES. I can't go 1 hour without another colleague telling me their work was ended (1/3)

Current situation.