Chase Smitterberg, B.S.

Research Interests

While pursuing an undergraduate degree at Michigan State University, I was involved in Communicative Science and Disorders research under Dr. Laura Dilley, focusing on the phonetic differences between African American and standard American English dialects. I also developed an ecology research project conducted in the Brazilian Pantanal. This effort resulted in the development of a conservation plan for a Brazilian nature preserve and programs for local students to study there. I became increasingly interested in neuropharmacology and public health towards the end of my undergraduate degree which peaked my interest to train at NIDA. Here, I currently study the interactions between weather variables (such as temperature, sunlight hours, and precipitation), mood, and drug use as I prepare for medical school.