News from the Lab

Upcoming in 2024

Taylor Shimizu will travel to Helsinki, Finland, as a Hamilton Scholar to present a research poster from our lab on hearing voices in Tanzania at the International Society for the Study of Psychosis conference in June.

Dr. Myers new book, Breaking Points: Youth in Crisis and How We All Can Help is In Press with University of California Press and expected in Fall 2024.

Nusaiba Chowdhury has a planned dissertation defense April 9, 2024.

Justin Wilkey was admitted to medical school at UT-Southwestern for Fall 2024 –congratulations, Justin!

2023

Fall

Dr. Myers becomes the new Director of Health and Society at SMU.

Simon Gonzales joined the lab to research families and substance use among Chicano/xs in Texas.

The team published an article on substance use and early psychosis in Early Intervention in Psychiatry in partnership with colleagues from UT-Austin.

Claire Jannsen graduated from SMU early with plans to travel, work, and apply to medical anthropology programs in the Fall.

Halle Tarvin took a temporary leave to pursue a Master’s in Cannabis Studies en route to her PhD. We also submitted some new research proposals!

Marne Chacon finished the program with her Master’s degree and will remain in Montana where she has been working as a child therapist–we are wishing her all the best!

Dr. Myers, Matthew Hutnyan and Emily Stein have a new publication in the SMU Undergraduate Research journal based on research we completed together in the lab.

Summer

Dr. Myers, Justin Wilkey, and Claire Janssen traveled to Lausanne, Switzerland to present the lab’s research on substance use and early psychosis at the International Early Intervention in Mental Health conference (IEPA 14) from July 10-12, 2024.

April

Dr. Myers and lab members Nusaiba Chowdhury, Mihiret Mesganaw, Halle Tarvin, and Yang Liu will travel to San Diego, CA in late April to present our research at the Society for Psychological Anthropology Conference joint with the Society for the Study of Psychiatry and Culture from April 27-30.

March

Dr. Myers, along with several SMU students and colleagues from around the US, published a systematic review of published research about early psychosis care for Black and Latino Youth in the US. You can view the press release here. Recommendations are made for future research noting the gaps in the literature, as well as policy interventions that reduce the role of police in mental health crisis support.

February

Dr. Myers visited Stanford Center for the Humanities to give an invited lecture, Of Gods and Supheroes: Madness, Moral Agency, and Belonging for Youth. Stanford University Medical Humanities Seminar. February 15, 2023, Stanford University, CA. Follow the link to view the recording!

Dr. Myers visited UCLA to give two lectures in Anthropology at the Mind, Medicine and Culture seminar, as well as Grand Rounds in Psychiatry. You can view the Psychiatry lecture here! Why Young People Use and Refuse Care: Moral Agency and Engagement for Youth with Early Psychosis. Semel Institute Psychiatry Grand Rounds. University of California at Los Angeles. February 28, 2023.

January

Dr. Myers’ is a guest on the Neuroethics Society Today Apple Podcast, Community-Centered Social Justice. Recorded August 2022, released January 2023.

Skip to toolbar