Austin Drake
Professional Research Assistant
Staff

B.A., Psychology; Minor in Data Science, University of Colorado Boulder, Fall 2022

I am very interested in the effects of psychoactive substances on the body and mind. I have previously worked in addiction treatment, so the factors that precipitate and predict substance use and abuse are also fascinating to me. In the future, I hope to study how trauma and emotion relate to psychoactive substance use, and the bi-directional relationships between them. The potential therapeutic uses for many substances is another favorite subject of mine.

Responsibilities: I am an independent study student contributing to the OASIS and PRISM projects, studying the effects of cannabis use on anxiety, inflammation, and stress. I primarily assist in participant recruitment, screening and scheduling, aiding in data collection, and assisting other research assistants in general lab tasks.

About Me: I originally come from Steamboat Springs, where I received an associates degree in Psychology before transferring to CU Boulder. I enjoy spending time in the outdoors hiking, biking, and skiing; exploring is one of my greatest passions. From a young age I began programming as a hobby, developing small games and programs to share with my friends. Today I’m using this skill to supplement my degree as I pursue a career in clinical research