Sue Thomas, PhD, is a Senior Research Scientist and Director of PIRE-Santa Cruz, which specializes in research at the intersection of social science, law and policy. Among her several PIRE projects, Dr. Thomas has served on NIAAA’s Alcohol Policy Information System (APIS) project and SAMHSA’s Report to Congress on Underage Drinking since their inceptions. Her project specialties include alcohol and drug use during pregnancy, reproductive rights, and methodological questions pertaining to using legal data for social science research. Reflecting the latter, in conjunction with the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, Dr. Thomas is co-author of several publications on the topic.
In addition to PIRE projects and publications, she has published seven books and dozens of journal articles, books chapters, encyclopedia entries, and book reviews on women, politics, and policy and American government.
Before joining PIRE, she was Associate Professor of Government and Director of Women’s Studies at Georgetown University.
Selected Projects
Alcohol Policy Information System (APIS) Project
Drugs, Alcohol, and Pregnancy Policy—The Effects of Supportive and Punitive Policies
STOP Project: Sober Truth on Preventing (STOP) Underage Drinking
Selected Publications
Roberts, S. C. M., Mericle, A. A., Subbaraman, M. S., Thomas, S., Treffers, R. D., Delucchi, K. L., & Kerr, W. C. (2019). State policies targeting alcohol use during pregnancy and alcohol use among pregnant women 1985-2016: Evidence from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System. Women’s Health Issues, 29(3), 213-221. PMCID: PMC6597255. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.whi.2019.02.001
Thomas, S., Treffers, R., Berglas, N. F., Drabble, L., & Roberts, S. C. M. (2018). Drug use during pregnancy policies in the United States from 1970 to 2016. Contemporary Drug Problems, 45(4), 441-459. https://doi.org/10.1177/0091450918790790
Roberts, S., Thomas, S., Treffers, R., & Drabble, L. (2017). Forty years of state alcohol and pregnancy policies in the USA: Best practices for public health or efforts to restrict women’s reproductive rights? Alcohol and Alcoholism, 52(6), 1-7. PMCID: PMC5860145. https://doi.org/10.1093/alcalc/agx047
Thomas, S., Paschall, M. J., Grube, J. W., Cannon, C., & Treffers, R. (2012). Underage alcohol policies across 50 California cities: An assessment of best practices. Substance Abuse Treatment, Prevention, and Policy, 7, 26. PMCID: PMC3533749. https://doi.org/10.1186/1747-597x-7-26
Thomas, S. (1994). How women legislate. New York: Oxford University Press. Winner of the 2020 Malcolm Jewell Enduring Contribution Book Award from the State Politics and Policy section of APSA.
