Kip Bohnert
Current Hometown
Ann Arbor, MI
Born and raised
Flint, MI
Favorite Movie?
Home Alone
Favorite musical group/singer?
I have a(n ever growing) record collection, and listening to music is one of my favorite things to do. I always enjoy learning about new artists, and when I travel, I try and bring back a new record from my trip. Music is mood dependent, so I don’t really have one favorite artist, but I do enjoy Donald Byrd, Suzanne Kraft, Beach House, and one or more of the sad dad bands in this McSweeney’s article:
https://www.mcsweeneys.net/articles/what-your-favorite-sad-dad-band-says-about-you
Favorite Color?
Yellow
Favorite sport to play or watch?
Swimming is my favorite sport. When I’m on dry land, I like to bike (hopefully staying on my bike) in the spring, summer, and fall and cross-country ski in the winter. I’m happy to watch almost any sport, though, especially with my friends and family.
What do you like to do in your free time?
When I have free time, I enjoy being outside, especially in northern Michigan, cooking and grilling, and spending time with my family.
What is the most interesting/enjoyable place you have visited?
I’ve been fortunate to travel to many interesting places over the years, both within and outside of the US. I really don’t have a favorite and have valued the experiences from everywhere I have visited. My most recent international trips included traveling to Amsterdam and Montreal, and they were both fantastic (I did manage to bring back a record from the former but not the latter).
Describe your current research or area of interest
Overall, my research seeks to understand the causes and consequences of substance use, substance use disorders, and other psychiatric conditions, as well as to improve the health and wellbeing of those individuals living with such mental health conditions. I’m particularly interested in cannabis use and health at the population level, especially given the major shifts in legalization, attitudes, and behaviors related to cannabis use in the US over the past 25 years.
What advice would you give to a student?
- Being able to write well is critical for success. Write daily. Think about your word choices. Read and learn from good writers to help improve your own writing. How did they structure an argument with clarity and precision?
- Question and think critically about your work. Why did you do choose to do something the way you did as opposed to another way? Can you explain and support it to others?
- Be curious, interested in, and passionate about your research area and specific research questions. Getting a graduate degree is difficult enough, if you don't choose a research topic that genuinely excites you, it will be even more challenging.