Center Welcomes Assistant Scientist Jessica Powers

The Cofrin Logan Center for Addiction Research and Treatment  welcomes Jessica Powers, Ph.D., assistant scientist, to the center in fall 2025. 

Powers is a licensed clinical psychologist with a joint appointment in the Department of Psychology. Her research is broadly focused on pain, substance use (e.g., nicotine/tobacco, alcohol, opioids, cannabis), and other health behavior in the context of cancer, chronic pain, and chronic or serious illness. More recently, she has an emerging line of research focused on substance use across pregnancy and the perinatal period.

"We look forward to the innovative research and collaborations that will arise from the addition of Dr. Powell to our cente," said Richard Yi, director of the center. 

Powers completed an NCI T32 postdoctoral fellowship in Cancer Prevention and Control at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine and the Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center. She earned a bachelor's degree in psychology at Northwestern University and a master's degree in clinical psychology at Syracuse University. Additionally, Powers completed her pre-doctoral clinical internship at the Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University in the Health Psychology/Behavioral Medicine Track and earned her doctorate in Clinical Psychology from Syracuse University in 2023.

Her research program uses a multi-method approach (e.g., large national data, qualitative research, laboratory paradigms, RCTs, digital health). At KU, she will be conducting projects focused on identifying mechanisms in pain and substance use to ultimately inform development of accessible and tailored intervention approaches in pain, cancer, and addiction. She currently serves on the Trainee Network Advisory Council for the Society for Research on Nicotine and Tobacco. She is passionate about mentorship and is excited to provide research opportunities for trainees as she starts her lab. 

Powers will teach Psychology 350, Psychological Disorders, in spring 2026 at KU. 

View Powers’ peer-reviewed publications through PubMed.