PSC in the Public Eye
Dr. Shawn Dorius Presents at Iowa Governor's Behavioral Health Conference
04/20/2026: Dr. Shawn Dorius's presentation, "Living the Good Life in a Resource-Rich Community," focuses on the role of community and environment in substance use prevention, treatment, and recovery. He draws on the lived experiences of people who use drugs, the scientific literature about place and substance use, and the advice of recovery leaders from around the country. He also includes community resources that can support prevention, treatment, and recovery from substance use disorder. Click the link above to register for the event.
Dr. Shawn Dorius receives Outstanding Teaching Award
03/02/2026: We are thrilled to announce that Dr. Shawn Dorius received the faculty 2026 Outstanding Achievement in Teaching Award from the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at Iowa State University. His teaching philosophy is grounded in experiential learning, relevance, and developing personal and professional agency, which he leverages to advance PSC's projects and team. Congratulations, Dr. Dorius!
On-Going Technical Assistance to Advance Integrated Local Data Systems in Rural Communities
02/19/2026: Dr. Kelsey Van Selous and Dr. Shawn Dorius have been awarded funds from the Rural Opioid Technical Assistance Regional Center to provide technical assistance to communities with existing opioid response surveillance systems, ensuring communities are able to make the most of these vital strategy tools.
Designing Substance Use Prevention Strategies with Integrated Local Data Systems
02/19/2026: Dr. Shawn Dorius and Dr. Kelsey Van Selous have been awarded funds from the Prevention Technology Transfer Center Network to update and expand seven substance use monitoring systems in Iowa and develop two new systems in the four-state region aimed at reducing substance-related harms. The systems are designed to support communities in data-driven solutions to reduce overdose deaths in their communities.
Remembering our Colleague and Collaborator Shannon Harper
We are deeply saddened by the loss of Dr. Shannon Harper, a cherished colleague and collaborator at Iowa State University. Shannon’s research on intimate partner violence and homicide shone a light on the experiences of marginalized communities, and her work made a real difference both in scholarship and in people’s lives. She was an inspiring teacher, a supportive mentor, and a passionate advocate for justice, contributing to projects through the Public Science Collaborative and beyond. Her kindness, and dedication touched everyone who knew her, and she will be deeply missed.
Upcoming APHA 2025: Community Analysis of Intimate Partner Violence and Alcohol Availability (November 2-5)
11/02/2025: Our team will present new research at APHA 2025 exploring how alcohol outlet density impacts intimate partner violence in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Using police dispatch data and spatial analysis, this study highlights how off-premise alcohol retailers like liquor stores and gas stations pose nearly double the IPV risk compared to on-premise establishments. Click to learn how this research can guide community strategies.
Congratulations Alister and Dhairya for completing PSC's Data Science Internship!
09/25/2025: We are incredibly grateful to have hosted Alister Ee Shern Gan and Dhairya Kachalia in data science internships with PSC this year! Alister supported the development of three of our most complex substance use monitoring systems this summer and Dhairya supported the launch of a new substance use monitoring system in Tableau, while also creating an innovative data pipeline to make future updates to our Recovery Iowa website easier! Their dedication to innovation will leave a lasting impact on PSC! Click the link above to read more about our current and past team members.
Lincoln County Launching New Dashboard to Track Opioid and Stimulant Risks
09/16/2025: PSC's development of Lincoln County, Nebraska’s new Opioid & Stimulant Monitoring dashboard was highlighted by our community partner Community Connections in a recent news article and podcast by the North Platte Post. Check out the link above to hear what our partners are saying about our work!
Opioid, Stimulant Monitoring Effort Launched in Lincoln County
9/15/2025: Our work to develop an Opioid & Stimulant Monitoring dashboard, in partnership with Community Connections for Lincoln County, Nebraska, was highlighted by the North Platte Bulletin this month! Click the link above to learn more about our partnership and system launch!
Statistical research center opening at Iowa State offers a convenient ‘treasure trove’ of data for Iowa scientists
09/11/2025: Former Director of PSC and now senior scientist at the US Census Bureau, Dr Cass Dorius, helped open the new federal statistical research data center on the campus of Iowa State University. Click the link above to learn more!
Recovery Iowa Conference 2025: Data-Driven Tools for Recovery
09/03/2025: Our team from the Public Science Collaborative joined recovery professionals, advocates, and community members at the Recovery Iowa Conference. Dr. Shawn Dorius and Dr. Kelsey Van Selous presented on data-driven tools and resources that support recovery efforts across Iowa. This event was an opportunity to share insights, learn from others, and celebrate the progress being made in the recovery community.
National Prevention Conference 2025 (August 11-13)
08/12/2025: Our team presented “Building Substance Use Monitoring Systems to Reduce Overdose Deaths in Rural Places” at the 2025 National Prevention Conference, highlighting the creation of 13 local systems to track trends and support response efforts.
Leopold Annual Report 2025: Sustainable Cocoa Farming in Uganda
06/15/2025: Our team was highlighted in the Leopold Annual Report for research on sustainable cocoa farming in Uganda. Led by Dr. Shawn Dorius, Sydney Etten, and Joe Betti, this study examines how cocoa farming practices intersect with public health, particularly how farm waste can influence mosquito habitats and malaria risk. Click to learn how this One Health project is advancing community well-being and environmental sustainability.
Growing Community Connections June 2025 Newsletter
06/01/2025: Growing Community Connections highlighted our RecoveryIowa.org platform in their June 2025 newsletter. This statewide hub connects Iowans to recovery support groups, community resources, and local services, making it easier to navigate substance use recovery.
Get to Know: Shawn Dorius
05/21/2025: Dr. Shawn Dorius was recently featured in Iowa State University's College of Agriculture and Life Sciences' STORIES Magazine. Read Dr. Dorius's Stories of Connection by clicking the link above.
PSC Partners with the Rural Opioids Technical Assistance Center to Combat Rural Opioid Crisis
2025: Dr. Shawn Dorius and Dr. Kelsey Van Selous have been awarded funds in partnership with Iowa State University's Partnerships in Prevention Science Institute to continue their development of substance use monitoring systems in four new communities in the Midwest. The systems are designed to support communities in data-driven solutions to reduce overdose deaths in their communities.
PSC Continues to Advance Substance Use Recovery in Iowa
2025: Dr. Shawn Dorius and PSC enter into their fifth year of supporting the development of substance use recovery resources in the state in partnership with the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services.
APHA 2024: Historical Housing Policy and Alcohol Outlet Density in the Midwest
10/27/2024: Our team presented groundbreaking research at the APHA 2024 Annual Meeting connecting historical redlining to today’s alcohol outlet patterns in six Iowa communities. By combining 20th-century HOLC maps with modern alcohol licensing and census data, we show how past housing policies continue to shape neighborhood health risks and alcohol-related harm. Click to explore how history impacts community well-being today.
APHA 2023 Presentation: Alcohol Outlet Densities and Family-Reactive Service Calls
11/12/2023: Kelsey Van Selous attended the 2022 APHA Conference in Atlanta, Georgia, to present preliminary analysis from her dissertation examining alcohol availability and family-related reactive service calls. Click the link above to learn more about her preliminary findings and presentation!
Shawn Dorius – Dean’s Faculty Fellow
2023: We are excited to announce that PSC Director Dr. Shawn Dorius was named a Dean’s Faculty Fellow for his work on substance use, rural communities, and social change for the Iowa State University's College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. Congratulations, Dr. Dorius!
Data Science for the Public Good Young Scholars Program
12/09/2022: PSC team members Dr. Cass Dorius, Dr. Shawn Dorius, Kelsey Van Selous, and Matthew Voss lead a Midwest Big Data Hub webinar about their time with the Data Science for the Public Good (DSPG) Young Scholars Program. Click the link above to find an article they were featured in, as well as a link to their webinar.
NCFR 2022 – New Research on Alcohol, Family Violence, and Community Harm
11/18/2022: PSC team members Kelsey Van Selous and Dr. Cassandra Dorius travelled to Minneapolis, Minnesota, for a poster presentation about the Alcohol Research Initiative's analysis of family-related reactive service calls in four Iowa communities, where they found that neighborhoods with more alcohol availability also had higher reactive service calls related to families. Click the link above to learn more about their presentation which was also co-authored by Dr. Shawn Dorius.
APHA 2022 Presentation: The Effect of Alcohol Outlet Densities on Reactive Service Calls in Small and Midsized Towns
11/08/2022: We were excited to present “The Effect of Alcohol Outlet Densities on Reactive Service Calls in Small and Midsized Towns” at the APHA 2022 Annual Meeting. This study examined how alcohol outlet density in four Iowa communities relates to public safety and well-being, finding links between higher concentrations of outlets and increased alcohol-related, family-related, and violence-related 911 calls.
APHA 2022 Presentation: Gendered Drivers of Methamphetamine Use
11/08/2022: Our team presented “Gendered Drivers of Methamphetamine Use” at the APHA 2022 Annual Meeting. This study used mixed methods, including 37 in-depth interviews, 55 focus groups, and analysis of eight datasets, to explore motivations for methamphetamine use in Iowa.
ISU News: ISU Researchers use Data to Help Communities Discover and Solve Biggest Problems
02/08/2021: We are excited to share that the work of PSC team members Dr. Cass Dorius and Kelsey Van Selous were highlighted in an Iowa State University’s News Service article describing their leadership in the 2021 Data Science for the Public Good (DSPG) program. This program showcased how data science can create meaningful impact for Iowa communities and advanced projects in the substance use and recovery space.
NABCA Awards PSC Funds for Iowa Outlet Density Research
2020: PSC partnered with the Iowa Alcoholic Beverages Division to better understand the relationship between alcohol outlet density and health and safety risk factors throughout the state. The research team partnered with local law enforcement in four Iowa communities, including Burlington, Cedar Rapids, Iowa City, and Marshalltown, to better understand alcohol outlet densities and their relationship to community safety and wellbeing. -NABCA