Professor Eleanor Seaton is a Co-Investigator on a grant from the NIH’s National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism examining the etiology of alcohol use among racially-ethnically diverse populations using data from the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) study. The team is using a developmentally and culturally informed approach to study gene-environment interaction (G x E) processes. Professor Seaton is providing expertise on understanding the role of racial discrimination experiences in relation to alcohol use among Black American adolescents.
Could you provide some background on the motivation behind this project? What inspired you to take it on?
I consider the PI (Primary Investigator), Assistant Professor Jinni Su from Arizona State University, to be a mentee and friend! I was happy to join the project when I learned of her efforts to disentangle G x E processes among Black youth.
Dr. Su and I have a paper in which we examined alcohol use among Black American college students. This project was a natural extension of our prior research with a younger population.
Looking ahead, how do you see this project evolving or expanding? What do you hope it will achieve in the long term?
I hope this project expands my research repertoire! Prior to this project, I wasn't interested in G x E processes. However, I have already learned a great deal and am pondering how to incorporate these perspectives within my research agenda.
How does this project align with the Department of Psychology's broader goals, values, or strategic initiatives?
This project is consistent with the Psychology department's values to celebrate human diversity in all its forms, and conduct cutting-edge diversity science.
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