Dr. Jessica Weafer

Dr. Weafer received her bachelor’s degree in Psychology in 2004 from Boston University. She received her PhD in 2012 from the University of Kentucky under the mentorship of Dr. Mark Fillmore, where she studied the acute cognitive, behavioral, and subjective effects of alcohol in relation to heavy drinking. She then completed her postdoctoral training at the University of Chicago in Dr. Harriet de Wit’s Human Behavioral Pharmacology Laboratory, where she investigated the relationship between behavioral and neural correlates of inhibitory control and sensitivity to drug reward. Dr. Weafer returned to UK in 2019 as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychology. Her current research combines behavioral, hormonal, and functional neuroimaging methods to identify sex differences in neurobiological factors underlying risk for alcohol use disorder. Ultimately, she hopes that this line of research will allow for the identification of sex-specific risk factors, and the development of sex-specific prevention and treatment efforts, for alcohol and substance use disorders.

Current Lab Members

Chloe Willett is a first-year graduate student in the Cognitive Neuroscience Ph.D. program at Ohio State University. She received her bachelor's degree in Psychology from the University of Missouri in May of 2023. She is interested in utilizing neuroimaging techniques to investigate the biological and hormonal differences that make women especially vulnerable to the detrimental effects of substance use. Outside of research, Chloe enjoys watching movies, reading books, and playing with her two cats.

Chloe Willett - Graduate Student

Libby is a Clinical Research Assistant in the Weafer Lab. She graduated from the University of Dayton in 2024, where she got her B.S. in Biology and Psychology and minored in Neuroscience. She is currently interested in the neurobiological and cognitive underpinnings of mood, anxiety, and substance use disorders, and how these can be leveraged when developing and considering treatments. She hopes to eventually pursue a PhD in Clinical Psychology. In her free time, she enjoys running, collecting records, and traveling with friends and family.

Michelle is a Clinical Research Assistant in the Weafer Lab. She graduated from Ohio University in 2024 with a B.S. in Psychology and a minor in Community & Public Health. She is interested in mental health disparities among people of color, mood disorders, and health outcomes across different populations, and how these influence help-seeking behaviors. She plans to become a Licensed Social Worker (LSW) and Certified Clinical Research Coordinator (CCRC) to combine her passion of research and counseling. Outside of the lab, Michelle enjoys traveling, crocheting, reading, and spending time with friends and family.

Our lab’s Clinical Research Nurse, Julie Roberts, is an Ohio State University alumna with a Bachelor of Science in Psychology. After receiving her degree in 2020, she continued her education at Xavier University where she received a Bachelor of Science in an accelerated Nursing program. After passing her board exam in early 2023, Julie worked as a bedside MICU nurse until returning to academia. Her professional goal is to provide a high level of health care to the community through research and investigation. In addition to her passion for nursing, Julie enjoys going on walks, gardening, and spending time with her family and friends.