People

Anthropology

Biography

Whitney is a doctoral candidate and graduate research assistant in the College of Medicine with a focus in medical and visual anthropology. She holds an M.A. in anthropology from Wichita State University, a B.S. in forensic science from the University of Central Oklahoma, and a certificate of mastery in digital cinema production. In addition to her work at UCF, she volunteers as a docent with the Orange County Regional History Museum, is a member of FWD_DOC: Documentary Filmmakers with Disabilities, the Professional Photographers of America, the Society for Applied Anthropology, and serves the National Association of Practicing Anthropologists as an editor for the series sNAPAshots. Whitney is working under the advisement of Shana Harris focusing on the use of cannabis to treat chronic pain in adults 55 and over in a cross-comparative study between Central Oklahoma and Central Florida.

Whitney was awarded the Trevor Colbourn Anthropology Endowment Grant in 2021 and 2023, the College of Graduate Studies Presentation Fellowship in Spring 2023, Spring 2024, and Fall 2024, the Richard Tucker Gerontology Applied Research Grant in 2023, the L.E.A.R.N. scholarship for research mentorship in 2023, and the College of Science Dean’s Fellowship in 2023.

Research Interests/Specializations:
  • Cultural and medical anthropology
  • Visual anthropology and visual methodologies
  • Public health and education

Publications & Presentations

Publications
2024 Cohn AM, Elmasry H, Niznik TG, Pickworth W, Smith MA, Margaritis WD, Wyatt R, Dunn D, Hedeker D, Murphy JG, Audrain-McGovern J, Villanti AC. Racial and ethnic differences in topography and subjective effects among young adults in response to smoking their usual brand menthol or non-menthol cigarette. Experimental and Clinical Psychopharmacology (accepted for publication).
2024 Kline, Nolan, Margaritis, W.D., Manzano, R.R., Dew, S., Alejandro, S., and Fulmer, L. (Submitted). Structural Interventions and Policing in the United States: Identifying Research and Practice Opportunities. Journal of Urban Health.
2024 Rubalcava Hernandez, Esmeralda J., Bayhi, J.L., Herron, C., Dew, S., Nava, M. and Margaritis, W.D. (Submitted). A Scoping Review to Assess the Health Impacts of Discretionary Arrests on the LGBTQ+ Community in the United States. Journal of LGBT Health.
2024 Cohn AM, Elmasry H, Ashare R, Pickworth W, Murphy JG, Villanti AC, Hedeker D, Dunn DS, Wyatt R, Niznik TG, Cotton W, Smith MA, Ehlke SJ, Audrain-McGovern J. The relative reinforcing value of menthol among young adult cigarette smokers: results from a behavioral choice task. Nicotine and Tobacco Research. (accepted for publication).
2022 Cohn, Amy M., Wallace Pickworth, Janet Audrain-McGovern, James Murphy, Andrea C Villanti, Donald Hedeker, Delaney Dunn, Riley Wyatt, Taylor Niznik, Whitney Cotten, Michael Smith, Sarah J Ehlke. Measuring young adult appeal for menthol and non-menthol cigarettes: protocol of a clinical trial using both laboratory and intensive longitudinal methods (PRISM). BMJ Open. 12(4): e058823.
2019 Brett, E. I., E.M. Stevens, T.L. Wagener, E.S. Leavens, T.L. Morgan, W.D. Cotten, E.T. Hébert. A Content Analysis of JUUL Discussions on Social Media: Using Reddit to Understand Patterns of Use and Perceptions of JUUL. Drug Alcohol Dependence. 194:358-362.
2017 Cotten, Whitney. A study in scapular opacity. Wichita State University

 

Paper Presentations
Margaritis, W.D. (2024) Fostering Autonomy: Chronic Pain and Cannabis Care in Florida’s Aging Population for American Anthropological Association Annual Conference, Tampa, Florida.
Margaritis, W.D. (2024) Cannabinoid Use among Older Adults with Chronic Pain. Presented at the Society for Applied Anthropology Conference, Santa Fe, New Mexico.
Akil, Sarah, Shana Harris PhD, Whitney Margaritis M.A., Rachel Totaram M.H.A, M.H. Clark PhD, Barbara Andraka-Christou PhD, J.D. (2024)  The Co-Use of Opioids and Stimulants: Causes, Practices, and Harm Reduction Responses to an Emerging Polysubstance Use Trend in the United States. Presented at the Global Health Conference, Orlando, Florida.
Niznik, T., Cohn, A. M., Elmasry, H.,., Villanti, A. C., Smith, M. A., Cotten, W., Wyatt, R., Dunn, D., Hedeker, D., Pickworth, W., Murphy, J. G., Audrain-McGovern, J. (2023) Assessing Young Adult Smokers’ Flavored Little Cigar/Cigarillo (LCC) Consumption: Insights from Ecological Momentary Assessment (EMA). Presented at the Tobacco Regulatory Science Meeting, U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Bethesda, Maryland.
Margaritis, W. D. (2023) Cannabinoids and chronic conditions: at the crossroads of biomedical and alternative treatment. Presented at the Society for Applied Anthropology Conference, Cincinnati, Ohio.
Margaritis, W. D. (2021) A Mission of Scarcity: Food Insecurity in Orlando, Florida. Presented at the Integrative Anthropology Conference, Orlando, FL.
Margaritis, W. D. (2020) Cannabinoid use in autoimmune patients: a systematic review of the transformations of the current body of work. Presented at the Integrative Anthropology Conference, Orlando, FL.
Cotten, W., Cohn, A., Johnson, M., Noble, B., Dunn, D., Hall, S., Nguyen, Q. V., Smith, M. (2019). Effects of cannabidiol (CBD) and sociocultural environment on product use behavior and health. Presented at the American Anthropological Association, Vancouver, Canada.
Cotten, W., Moore-Jansen, P. (2015). Getting Better with Age: A Study in Scapular Opacity. Presented at the Lambda Alpha Anthropological Symposium, Wichita, KS.
Cotten, W., Moore-Jansen, P. (2014). Variance in Cranial Morphology of the Basilar Region. Presented at the Central States Anthropological Society Conference, Carbondale, IL.
Cotten, W., Moore-Jansen, P. (2014). Variance in Cranial Capacity of Modern Human. Presented at the Lambda Alpha Anthropological Symposium, Wichita, KS.