Student Society Network
The Drug Science Student Society Network (SSN) is an international network of university students and student societies relating to drug policy, science and research, all of which are aligned with Drug Science’s mission
Our Community
We provide education for students around evidence-based drug policy and drug science, equipping them with the tools they need to influence policy makers, governing bodies and thought leaders. Read more about our mission and objectives on our charter.
You can join as a society and/or as an individual. We use Whatsapp Community to communicate and share information and resources. Click on the button below to apply to join – once verified by our team, you will be added to the Whatsapp group. Societies are welcome to have their own channel within our Whatsapp Community group.
Any student society can apply to join the network, providing they meet the criteria laid out in the SSN Memorandum of Understanding (MoU). To become a member society, download and complete the MoU, then send to us as a PDF or Word document, so that Drug Science can confirm your membership.
Our Resources
Our team has created resources for new members and any student interested in learning more about drug science, policy and research. These include drug information, harm reduction advice, recommended reading/listening/watching and some of the latest research highlights in areas like psychedelics and medical cannabis.
Harvey Berrington – SSN Co-Chair
Harvey is working as a trainee clinical scientist in the NHS whilst undergoing a part time postgraduate degree in medical physics at Newcastle University, having completed an undergraduate degree in Physics at the University of York. He is specialising in radiation safety and diagnostic radiology, which involves ensuring that the clinical use of x-rays and other radioactive materials in hospital settings are safe for patients and the public, as well as ensuring that the equipment is suitable for clinical use. Harvey plans to use his medical physics background to get involved in psychedelic therapy, and eventually move into medical legislation around hard to access medicines and wider drug policy.
Macey Webb – SSN Co-Chair
Macey is a fourth-year MSci neuroscience student at the University of Bristol researching naloxones-reduced reversal of synthetic opioids relative to morphine. She has a particular interest in becoming a research scientist in uncovering the cellular mechanisms undergone during a psychedelic experience that cause their clinical outcomes. Not only this but she also has an interest in disease and defense and how psychedelics can affect physical as well as mental well-being. Complementing this research is approaching how as a society we think and interact with drugs; this has led to her passion and enthusiasm for harm reduction and education on drug use.
Ewan Fawcett - Events Officer
Ewan is a recent graduate from Imperial College London, undertaking an MSc in Novel Therapies, having previously obtained a BSc in Pharmacology from the University of Leeds. Ewan is interested in neuropharmacology, and how the unique properties of psychedelics can be leveraged as tools to better our understanding of consciousness and treatment of mental health challenges. He is fascinated by the ability of psychedelics to scramble the modularity of the brain and elicit neuroplastic changes with therapeutic benefits. Ewan is passionate about raising awareness through public engagement and worked as co-chair for the Student Psychedelic Conference 2024. He believes educating others, challenging misperceptions and effectuating change will be a key approach to effectuate change within a field that has been historically stigmatised. Ewan will continue this commitment throughout his postgraduate studies and contribute to efforts aimed at promoting evidence-based policymaking.
Garen Zartarian – SSN Graphic Design Officer
Garen is a Master's student in Clinical Drug Development at UCL, with a background in BSc Neuroscience from The University of Edinburgh. Deeply interested in both the clinical and non-clinical applications of psychedelics, Garen is dedicated to researching psychedelic-assisted therapies, as well as exploring their potential for peacebuilding and collective healing in divided regions. He truly believes that revising drug policies globally can reduce drug- and mental health-related stigma and isolation, facilitating overall healthier communities. In his role as Graphic Design Officer, he will develop evidence-based educational content, and contribute to initiating constructive conversations through social media platforms.
Claudia Oosterveld - Events Officer
Claudia is currently pursuing a Master's degree in Behavioural and Cognitive Neuroscience at the University of Groningen in the Netherlands. She holds a Bachelor's degree in Neuroscience and Psychology from King’s College London, where her research focused on identifying neuroimaging markers of ketamine's early antidepressant effects on emotional memory processing. Claudia’s academic interests focus on investigating the neurobiological mechanisms underlying psychedelic therapies, particularly through neuroimaging methodologies. As president of the King’s College London Psychedelic Research Society, she organised lectures and discussions addressing contemporary challenges and advancements in psychedelic research. This leadership role led to her involvement with the Drug Science SSN, where she now contributes as an Events Officer, organising impactful events that foster dialogue on evidence-based psychedelic research.
Michelle Olofsson - Education Officer
Michelle is a 2nd year PhD student with the graduate partnership program between the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) in the United States and Karolinska Institute (KI) in Sweden. She holds a bachelor’s degree in biomedical sciences from Imperial College London. Michelle’s current research lies at the intersection of neuroscience and psychiatry, where she is involved in various projects related to psychedelics and mental health. Her primary work leverages epidemiological approaches to better understand psychological outcomes of naturalistic psychedelic use and predictors of both potential psychological therapeutic benefit and harm. As an Education Officer at the Drug Science SSN, Michelle is dedicated to promoting drug harm reduction strategies and enhancing public awareness and literacy regarding drug science and research.
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Joe Cioma - Communications Officer
Joe is working as a Research Technician through the University of Bristol, following the completion of an undergraduate degree in Neuroscience at the University of Manchester. He has an interest in how psychedelics can be used to treat various mental health conditions by altering thought patterns and changing behaviours. Joe is excited to share and discuss research and information about psychedelics and drug policy with a wide range of people and hopes to pursue a career in which he can impact these areas in the future.
Brandon Masih - Designs Officer
Brandon is a recent Physics graduate from the University of York, and now works as a graduate physicist specialising in radio-frequency uses in industry. Brandon has an interest in evolution in drug policy both within the U.K. and on the international stage, where he began reading about cannabis regulation in Uruguay and Transform’s (excellent) How to Regulate Cannabis. Since then, Brandon has become involved in politics and wants to push back against stigma placed on those using drugs, both medicinally and recreationally, with an eventual goal of bringing discussion of better drug regulation to a national stage.
Evie Wetherell - Community Lead
Evie is a recent graduate from the University of Bristol, where she studied Neuroscience. She is now aiming to pursue a career in psychology and psychedelic therapy, with a focus on how these treatments can improve patient outcomes. Fascinated by the neural mechanisms underlying psychedelics, Evie is particularly interested in how the brain's functional changes during a psychedelic experience translate to clinical benefits. She believes psychedelic therapy has the potential to offer long-term solutions by addressing the root causes of mental health conditions, rather than just masking symptoms. In her role as Community Lead, Evie is excited to engage in discussions around evidence-based drug education and the origin of psychedelics.
University Partners
Barts
University of Bristol
University of Cambridge
University of Cardiff
De Montfort University
Durham University
University of Glasgow
University of Greenwich
Imperial College London
Keele University
University of Kent
Kings College London
Leeds University
Middlesex University
Newcastle University
University of Nottingham
University of Sussex
University of Warwick
University of York
Anna Jopling - Graphics Design Officer
Anna is a fourth year undergraduate student in Biology with Science & Society at the University of Manchester, having completed a one year placement in science communication at an innovation company called CPI in 2024. The placement allowed them to gain experience in internal/external communications, content creation, press relations, events and marketing.
As well as completing standard biology units, Anna’s course allows them to explore the changing social, ethical and political dimensions of the biological sciences while also developing research, writing, and communication skills. With a keen interest in neuropharmacology and psychedelic medicine, Anna hopes to one day use her skills to work for a psychedelic start-up or become a medical writer.
Articles
Fascinating articles by members of the Drug Science Student Society
Tiger Swithenbank-Michel - Education Officer
Tiger is a graduate of the University of St Andrews, where she obtained a Bachelor’s degree in Chemistry with Medicinal Chemistry and is now pursuing a Master’s degree in Artificial Intelligence and Ethics. Tiger is dedicated to education and believes that it is the most effective way to promote harm reduction. Her interests also lie at the intersection of science and public policy and she advocates for evidence-based reforms that prioritise safety and informed choices, striving to create a more informed and compassionate approach to drug use and regulation. In her role as Education Officer at the Drug Science SSN, Tiger is committed to developing accessible educational resources that promote drug literacy. She hopes to equip individuals with knowledge to make informed choices and contribute to a broader cultural shift towards evidence-based drug policies.