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Department of Psychology Psychopharmacology Lab

About Us

Rebecca M. Craft, Ph.D.

Greetings from the Inland Northwest. I’ve been at WSU since 1993. The research gets better every year, in large measure due to the high degree of intelligence, creativity, motivation and hard work of the students in my lab. I came to WSU from Silver Spring, Maryland, via North Carolina (graduate training at UNC-Chapel Hill) and Arizona (post-doctoral training at U of AZ).


 

Former Trainees

Hannah Y. Gogulski, M.S.

Hannah was the last grad student in the lab, having completed BS degrees in Cellular/Molecular Biology and Psychology at Southern Oregon University. For her MS thesis, Hannah examined the prophylactic potential of cannabinoids against chemotherapy-induced neuropathic pain in female vs. male rats. Thereafter she studied the effects of adolescent cannabinoid exposure on adult pain and analgesic sensitivity.

Hannah was born in California and spent some years in Ashland, Oregon before coming to Pullman

Photo:  Hannah (before grad school) — she looks a teeny bit older and wiser now 🙂


 

Stevie C. Britch, Ph.D.

Stevie completed her PhD in June 2019. Her research examined analgesic effects of cannabidiol and THC alone and in combination, as well as THC-morphine analgesic synergy in female vs. male rats. Stevie devised the most complex but effective system of lab & rat colony management that has ever graced the Craft Lab 🙂 She is now applying her considerable intellectual and organizational power to drug research (on humans!) at the University of KY.

Stevie came to Pullman from Maryland, where she worked as a medical scribe.

Photo: Stevie looking happy and relaxed (taken BEFORE graduate school!)


 

Julie_bird[1]Julie Stratmann Krivsky, Ph.D.

Julie was the first Ph.D. student to graduate from the Craft Lab — she finished in 2001. Julie worked on everything during her time in the lab; in fact, the whole enterprise wouldn’t have gotten off the ground without her. Julie currently works at the local library, and occasionally teaches psychology at WSU.

Julie came to WSU from Kirksville, Missouri.

Photo: luckily, Julie (AKA Dr. Ornithophobia) never had to run any experiments with pigeons…


Scott_Alan[1]Scott A. Bernal, M.S.

Scott earned his M.S. in Experimental Psychology in 2000. He now lives in southern CA with his daughter. Scott was the best computer guru we ever had; among other things, he created these beautiful web pages.

Scott came to WSU from Southern California.

Photo: Alan (left) and Scott (right) take a break from brain overload at INRC’99


erin%202001a[1]Erin C. Stoffel, Ph.D.

Erin completed her doctoral degree in 2004; she studied the effects of post-partum hormone withdrawal on depression- and anxiety-like behaviors in female rats. She progressed to studying impulsivity and psychostimulant abuse in the laboratory of Dr. Kathryn Cunningham at U of TX Medical Branch in Galveston, and thereafter was an assistant professor of psychology at Augustana College in Rock Island, IL. Erin is now back in WI with her family.

Erin came to WSU from a dairy farm somewhere in the wilds of Wisconsin.

Photo: Erin’s dream house, Colorado Springs, April 2001


alan[1]Alan H. Tseng, Ph.D.

Alan completed his doctoral dissertation in 2002; he initiated the study of sex differences in cannabinoid behavioral pharmacology in the Craft lab. Multi-talented, Alan is now a web developer in western WA, where he lives with his wife and son.

Alan came to WSU from the great state of California.

Photo: Alan on a rare day outside the lab (Oregon coast?)

 


Rory%20&%20Chowdah%20&%20Loki[1]Rory E. Bartok, M.S.

Rory completed her masters thesis on sex differences in opioid analgesia in 1996. She subsequently became an art therapist (all of the best scientific (and other) illustrations in the lab were signed RB), and is now back in PA.

Rory came to WSU from Pennsylvania.

Photo: Rory with woman’s best friends, Chowdah and Loki.

 


AGFA DIGITAL CAMERAJean E. Sumner, M.S.

Jean completed her M.S. in 2005; she examined testosterone modulation of males’ sensitivity to pain and analgesia. After leaving WSU, Jean became an undergraduate advisor at Trinidad State Community College in Colorado.

Jean came to WSU from Houston, Texas.

Photo: Jean (left) and Beezer take a break from poster presentations at Pharm/Tox Day, 2004.


Karen%20Gerde%20white%20coat[1]Karen Gerde, M.S.

Karen completed a master’s degree in Pharmacology/Toxicology, in the summers between attending Pharmacy School at WSU. Karen’s research focused on determining the effects of ovarian hormone withdrawal on post-partum anxiety in females. Karen then completed a PharmD degree in Spokane, WA, and works as a pharmacist.

Karen came to WSU from Fairbanks, Alaska.

Photo: Karen (left) and Brittany at the “white coat ceremony” for new pharmacy students, in Fall 2007.


Kim%20T%20and%20Zimbardo[1]Kim Tsutsui, M.S.

Kim completed her M.S. degree in Spring, 2010; her master’s research was on anabolic-androgenic steroid effects on pain and analgesia in males. She also collaborated on an investigation of sex differences in cannabinoid analgesia. Kim tech’ed for awhile in research labs at the U of MD and U of WA, and is now a health care practitioner.

Kim came to WSU from Hilo, Hawaii.

Photo: Kim at a conference from her undergraduate days, rubbing elbows with the famous social psychologist Dr. Philip Zimbardo.

 


 

Alexa%20in%20labAlexa A. Wakley, Ph.D.

Alexa completed her PhD in 2013.  She studied cannabinoid-opioid interactions in male rats, sex differences in THC’s effects, and hormone modulation of THC sensitivity and brain cannabinoid receptor density in female rats. After defending her dissertation she completed two studies on sex differences in the development of antinociceptive tolerance to THC.  After working at the Univ of New England for several years, Alexa now works in industry.

Alexa came to WSU from Pocatello, Idaho.

Photo: Alexa in her favorite hangout, the lab.

 


Seth%20Davis%202012[1]Seth M. Davis, Ph.D.

Seth defended his dissertation in 2014.  He worked on multiple projects, including sex differences in cannabinoid receptor mediation of THC’s analgesic effects, gonadal steroid modulation of morphine’s analgesic effects against chronic inflammatory pain, and sex differences in morphine place preference in normal vs. chronic pain states.  Seth worked as a lab manager and researcher at the University of New England for several years, and now teaches psychology in Maine.

Seth originally hails from central Oregon.

Photo: Seth in the lab, demonstrating how to remain endlessly cheerful and relaxed-looking despite the many demands of graduate school.

 


 


 

Other Contributors to Our Research

As Graduate Students

Jill Boyer, Abigail Brewer, Jenny Browning, Beezer Cocking, Michelle Cyr, Aaron Haas, Colin Harbke, Paul Kruzich, Diane Lane, Joanna Mann-Jones, Reka Natarajan, Ryan Reckhemmer, Karina Villa

As Undergraduate Students

Joe Barrett, Jo Cervenka, James Clark, Tiana Collins, Colton Crawford, Victoria Cussen, Theresa Bangs Davis, Kyle Drexel, Jaime Ellis, Matt Evavold, Alysid Fernandes, Andrea Foor, Michelle Fox, Nicholas Greene, Michael Hammond, Stephen Hart, Leah Heideman, Claire Herold, Kelly Hewitt, Christina Hsaio, Bryce Inman, Megan Johnsen, Ram Kandasamy, Kim Karosich, Katt Kelley, Stephanie King, Carlie Knox, Cassidy Kobialka, Marylynne Kostick, Jillian Laggart, Darla Lee, Mike Leitl, Jenny Longstreet, Craig Mahoney, Holly Maier, Courtney Marable, Elizabeth Matthaei, Alisha McBride, Irie McCaughran, Erin McCutcheon, Dawn McNiel, Rebecca Ryan Millholland, Tamie Miura, Criss Morgan, Brittany Navarre, Adam Newell, Susan Nies, Drew Norvell, Alisha Olmstead, Billy Page, Jenna Pederson, Abby Pondelick, Debra Raub, Justin Ripka, Jessica Rogers, Georgie Rosales, Jennifer Schmidt, Evan Skaanes, Latisha Sternod, Pierce Spencer, Jennifer Sule, Misty Thompson, Andrea Trockel, Tom Ulrich, Mike Veinot, Tom Walpole, Andrea Westerman, Corissa White, Shannon Urza, Savanna Young