Elizabeth R Aston

Elizabeth R. Aston is an Associate Professor (Research) in the Department of Behavioral and Social Sciences at Brown University. She holds a Ph.D. in Neuroscience from Wake Forest University (2012), focusing on alcohol estimation and simulated driving behavior in heavy drinking populations. Her research emphasizes behavioral economic frameworks to analyze substance use patterns, particularly cannabis and alcohol demand, co-use dynamics, and treatment development. Dr. Aston leads studies on cannabis use disorder severity, motivational factors in substance use, and the impact of legalization policies. She is affiliated with the Center for Alcohol and Addiction Studies (CAAS) and has received a NIH K01 career development award to refine behavioral economic measures for cannabis demand.

Education:

• Ph.D. in Neuroscience, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, 2012

Research Interests:

• Behavioral economic modeling of substance use demand
• Cannabis and alcohol co-use patterns
• Impact of legalization policies on substance use
• Qualitative methods in addiction research
• Clinical validation of assessment tools

Grants & Awards:

• NIDA K01 Career Development Award (NIH)

Her work bridges laboratory findings with real-world applications, emphasizing translational research to inform public health policies and clinical interventions.