Doctorate
Adjunct Professor, Southern Connecticut State University, New Haven, United States
Adjunct Professor in Psychology. Research focused on addiction.
Simon Zhornitsky I am an Adjunct Professor in the Department of Psychology at Southern Connecticut State University (SCSU) and the Department of Humanities, Languages & Media Arts at Genesee Community College (SUNY). Throughout my academic career, I have honed my ability to translate complex preclinical and clinical research into accessible information for diverse audiences, including undergraduate and graduate students, patients, policymakers, and clinicians. My expertise includes presenting material on preclinical models, clinical trials, population-based approaches, and data-driven investigations in a clear and engaging manner.
At SCSU and Genesee Community College, I have taught a range of undergraduate courses (e.g., Introduction to Psychology, Brain and Behavior) and graduate courses (e.g., Problems in Psychology) to a diverse student body through both in-person and online formats. Student feedback has been invaluable in refining my teaching methods to foster deeper engagement and develop effective assessment strategies. I am eager to continue enhancing my teaching practices by offering courses aligned with my training and research expertise. Additionally, I have extensive experience mentoring trainees at various stages of the research process, including study design, participant recruitment, statistical analysis, and manuscript preparation.
In my academic journey, I have secured several prestigious grants and awards, totaling $212,400. These include the Multiple Sclerosis Society of Canada Postdoctoral Fellowship salary award, the CIHR Drug Safety & Effectiveness Cross-Disciplinary Training Program salary award, and the endMS Scholar Program for Researchers in Training Inter-Institutional Research Transfer award. My primary research focus is on understanding, treating, and preventing addiction in both adults and youth. I approach this topic through the lenses of physiological psychology, psychopathology, and cognition, and my research has spanned institutions such as the University of Montreal, Yale University School of Medicine, and the University of Connecticut.
To date, I have authored over 80 peer-reviewed publications and one book chapter, and my research portfolio includes cross-sectional, longitudinal, and experimental studies. I am proficient in SPSS and Comprehensive Meta-Analysis software, with expertise in univariate, bivariate, and multivariate analyses, including multiple regression, nonparametric statistics, and principal component analysis. I am also skilled in conducting systematic reviews following PRISMA guidelines and publishing review protocols on the Open Science Framework.
Beyond publishing, I have served as a guest editor for a special issue on the Prevention and Treatment of Addictive Disorders in the Journal of Clinical Medicine. I have also delivered lectures to patients, medical students, and clinicians and presented posters at numerous scientific conferences. My work reflects my passion for bridging the gap between research and practice, fostering understanding and advancing the field of addiction science.
Author: Simon Zhornitsky
