Dr. Kasey Claborn, UT Social Work professor and director of the Addition Research Institute, was named to the 2025-2026 cohort of the Research Leaders Academy lead by the Office of the Vice President for Research, Scholarship and Creative Endeavors.
This newest cohort includes 15 researchers from across the Forty Acres. Selected participants were chosen through competitive peer review and represent 10 colleges, schools and units from across campus. The cohort will work collaboratively with OVPR’s Research Development team to expand their capacities, including how to secure additional external support and successfully implement a vision of high-impact research.
“I’m so incredibly excited to get started with this cohort to further develop the life-changing research we do every day,” said Dr. Claborn. “Social workers shouldn’t just be at the table when it comes to research – we should lead. Opportunities such as this academy validate and enhance the kind of large-scale research projects that social workers utilize to improve lives and address major social challenges.”
Dr. Claborn, an expert in substance misuse and addiction research, was recently recognized as a Texas Changemaker by Texas Research for her work in overdose responses and interventions, notably with projects such as the digital platform Texans Connecting Overdose Prevention Efforts (TxCOPE). The project uses data to track the location of most frequent overdoses and the prevalence of certain drugs to help overdose agencies set up community-specific targeted plans of action and response efforts.
“Professor Claborn leads our Addiction Research Institute with excellence, and her acceptance into the Research Leaders Academy signifies the high quality of leadership she brings to our school and social work research,” said Allan Cole, dean of UT Social Work. “As she receives this well-deserved recognition, I am excited to watch her timely and transformative research change even more lives.”