MARC I. KRUSE, M.A.
GRADUATE STUDENT
Marc Kruse joined the SAHARA Lab in the Fall of 2000, earned his M.A. in May of 2003, and his Ph.D. in August of 2008. As a graduate student under the supervision of Dr. Fromme, Marc took a lead role on multiple research projects including several alcohol administration and laboratory assessment studies as well as recruitment for "The UT Experience!" study.

Marc's dissertation was focused on the identification of factors (physiological, psychological, and social) that reliably differentiate underage drinkers who are at a greater risk for experiencing alcohol-related problems and persisting in heavy drinking patterns into adulthood from those who will naturally "mature out" of heavy drinking in response to life changes. In conjunction with Dr. Fromme, Marc developed and conducted a series of studies designed to examine the potential influence of individual differences in subjective response to alcohol on the drinking patterns of emerging adults. In particular, his research efforts centered on the development of a valid and reliable self-report measure of subjective response to alcohol that can be utilized with underage drinkers; and exploration of whether individual differences in subjective response to alcohol are unique to the pharmacological effects of ethanol or represent a general pattern of responsiveness to physiological sensations. Marc was awarded a 3 year Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award Pre-Doctoral Fellowship from the National Institute of Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism to support his research.

After completing a pre-doctoral internship in clinical psychology at Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island, Marc accepted a research position in the VISN 17 Center of Excellence for Research on Returning War Veterans at the Central Texas Veterans Health Care System. At the Center, Marc is part of a transdisciplinary team focused on the identification, treatment, and clinical course of psychopathological response to war-related stress (including Post-Traumatic Stress Disorders, Substance Use Disorders, Mood Disorders, and Traumatic Brain Injury). In this setting, Marc is able to capitalize on his research (e.g., alcohol administration, longitudinal, and qualitative studies; former member of UT Institutional Review Board), clinical (e.g., addiction and PTSD treatment at the Providence Veterans Affairs Hospital under the supervision of Drs. John McGeary and Jayne Kurkjian; mood disorders at Rhode Island Hospital under the guidance of Dr. Gabor Keitner), and neuropsychological assessment (under the supervision of Dr. David Tucker at UT and Dr. Steve Correia at the Providence VA) experiences with this very important population. In addition to his active involvement in research, Marc is in the process of becoming licensed.

On a personal note, Marc lives in Georgetown, Texas (a suburb approximately 35 miles north of downtown Austin) with his wife Crystal, son Jake, and two cats. They are expecting their second child (a daughter -- negotiations over her name are still ongoing) in January of 2009. If you have questions regarding the clinical psychology program at UT, working with Dr. Fromme in the SAHARA Lab, or what it is like to live in Texas (both Marc and his wife are both native Californians) please feel free to contact him by e-mail at: Marc.Kruse@va.gov.