Alicia (Thomas) Barr

Pronouns: she, her, hers

Degree: Ph.D., Medical College of Wisconsin, 2014

Teaching Philosophy:

My commitment as an educator is to inform and educate students on the philosophies of psychology and neuroscience in a way that is understandable, relatable, and culturally relevant. This idea underlies how I view my role as an educator. At the end of the semester when a student leaves my class, I want them to have more resources than on the day they walked in. Ideally, they’ll be a little more confident in psychology and neuroscience. This is fundamental to teaching at any level but especially important for classes that make up the foundation/general education requirements. Just as importantly, I want each student to take with them the facts and principles of psychology and neuroscience but to also understand the framework that led this discovery or principle to occur. Students will take with them critical thinking skills that will help them in an increasingly diverse, global, and complex world.

Courses Taught:

PSYCH 233: Neuropsychology

PSYCH 254: Physiological Psychology

PSYCH 454: Psychopharmacology

Publications:

Harris, J. C., Wallace, A. L., Thomas, A. M., Wirtz, H. G., Kaiver, C. M., & Lisdahl, K. M. (2022). Disrupted Resting State Attentional Network Connectivity in Adolescent and Young Adult Cannabis Users following Two-Weeks of Monitored Abstinence. Brain sciences, 12(2), 287. https://doi.org/10.3390/brainsci12020287

Sullivan, R. M., Maple, K. E., Wallace, A. L., Thomas, A. M., & Lisdahl, K. M. (2022). Examining Inhibitory Affective Processing Within the Rostral Anterior Cingulate Cortex Among Abstinent Cannabis-Using Adolescents and Young Adults. Frontiers in psychiatry, 13, 851118. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2022.851118

Wade, N. E., Thomas, A. M., Gruber, S. A., Tapert, S. F., Filbey, F. M., & Lisdahl, K. M. (2020). Binge and Cannabis Co-Use Episodes in Relation to White Matter Integrity in Emerging Adults. Cannabis and cannabinoid research, 5(1), 62–72. https://doi.org/10.1089/can.2018.0062

Wallace, A. L., Maple, K. E., Barr, A. T., & Lisdahl, K. M. (2020). BOLD responses to inhibition in cannabis-using adolescents and emerging adults after 2 weeks of monitored cannabis abstinence. Psychopharmacology, 237(11), 3259–3268. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00213-020-05608-7

Maple, K. E., Thomas, A. M., Kangiser, M. M., & Lisdahl, K. M. (2019). Anterior cingulate volume reductions in abstinent adolescent and young adult cannabis users: Association with affective processing deficits. Psychiatry research. Neuroimaging, 288, 51–59. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pscychresns.2019.04.011

Shollenbarger, S., Thomas, A. M., Wade, N. E., Gruber, S. A., Tapert, S. F., Filbey, F. M., & Lisdahl, K. M. (2019). Intrinsic Frontolimbic Connectivity and Mood Symptoms in Young Adult Cannabis Users. Frontiers in public health, 7, 311. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2019.00311