In this Season 2 interview, we sit down with Elena Kalina, a PhD candidate and certified health education specialist researching heavy drinking, decision-making, and alcohol-related risk in college students — including how students set (and break) their drinking limits in real time.

Elena breaks down what it actually means to pursue a PhD (spoiler: you’re not just learning… you’re creating new knowledge), what “bar labs” are (yes — research spaces designed to look like bars), and how app-based interventions can help people make better choices while drinking. We also get into the messy reality of college drinking culture (pregaming, tailgates, frat tabs), the link between alcohol and harm, and why science + data matter more than opinions.

We talk mental health and self-care in high-pressure environments, “team science,” how research can lead to real-world impact, and why the military is a population that deserves more attention and support in substance use prevention work.

And of course… we end with our Season 2 staple: hottest hot takes (gym etiquette, political hats, Trader Joe’s parking lots, and Whole Foods pizza).

✨ Connect with Elena + her research:
She recommends looking her up on Google Scholar (and yes — she’ll send papers if you hit a paywall).

✨ Check her out HERE!

✨ If you enjoyed this episode, like, subscribe, and drop a comment: what’s your hottest hot take? And what topic do you want us to interview next?