Biography

Since 2019, Nikki has held many roles within the HEAL/REBEL team! As an undergrad Student Research Assistant, she supported a number of remote and in-person studies on topics ranging from the appeal of e-cigarettes to young adult vaping & respiratory health. As a UFAS Fellow, she examined barriers to quitting smoking and anxiety symptoms among African Americans who smoke cigarettes, and presented these findings at SRNT and in a recently-published manuscript. Now as a Project Assistant, Nikki leads and supports several in-person and remote lab studies focusing on tobacco dependence and novel oral nicotine products. This Fall, she will begin her newest role within the team as a Graduate Student in the Health Behavior Research PhD program under the primary mentorship of Dr. Jess Barrington-Trimis! During her training, she hopes to further explore her research interests surrounding the poly-use of tobacco, cannabis, and alcohol among adolescents and young adults.