SEPTEMBER 26, 2025
Jacob Borodovsky, PhD
Senior Research Scientist
Center for Technology and Behavioral Health and the Department of Biomedical Data Science
Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth
About the Presentation: Join Jacob Borodovsky, Senior Research Scientist at Dartmouth, for a talk on how digital technologies are shaping adolescent development. Drawing on data from nearly 12,000 youth in the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) study, Jacob will describe how patterns of social media, gaming, texting, and other screen use change from late childhood into early adolescence. He will discuss how these trajectories connect to emerging mental health challenges and early substance use, and why distinguishing technology subtypes rather than relying on “total screen time” is essential for understanding risk and resilience in today’s youth.
About the Presenter: Jacob Borodovsky, PhD is a Senior Research Scientist and Epidemiologist at the Center for Technology and Behavioral Health and the Department of Biomedical Data Science at Dartmouth’s Geisel School of Medicine. His research program centers on two big questions: Why do people use psychoactive substances, and how can science and policy change these behaviors to improve public health? Jake’s work integrates measurement science, novel data collection methods, advanced analytic approaches, and computational modeling to advance the study of substance use. He is developing the field of Cannabis Regulatory Science by creating standardized ways to measure cannabis exposure, examining how marketing and policy influence consumer behavior, and designing tools that regulators can use to evaluate compliance and guide decision-making.
In addition to cannabis, Jake applies large-scale national datasets to investigate topics such as adolescent technology use, prescription medication patterns, and connections between substance use and mental health. He also studies ways to strengthen the evidence base for treatments for opioid use disorder in young people, with a focus on improving access and adherence. His goal is to generate research that both advances science and directly informs policy, regulation, and clinical practice. His work has shaped policy discussions in the U.S. and internationally, and he has been interviewed by The New York Times, Time Magazine, and NPR.