The Institute for Translational Research Education (ITRE) in Adolescent Drug Use is currently recruiting Scholars into the program beginning in the spring semester, 2021. The deadline for applications is October 1, 2020.
Students from health-related fields and community partners are eligible to apply and will earn a graduate certificate in Translational Research and Adolescent behavioral Health from the University of South Florida. All tuition and fees for the 15 credit hours are paid for by the institute for Scholars accepted into the program.
ITRE is a federally funded, state-of-the-art research education program that is a collaboration between Northern Arizona University College of Health and Human Services, NAU’s Center for Health Equity Research and the University of South Florida College of Behavioral and Community Sciences. Regents’ Professor Julie Baldwin, director of CHER, is one of the principal investigators of ITRE.
“This is a nationally recognized program funded by the National Institute on Drug Abuse that supports students in getting advanced training in translational research focused on the prevention of alcohol and drug use among children, adolescents and young adults,” Baldwin said. “It is truly a unique training opportunity that not only benefits the Scholars’ careers, but also has the potential to improve the lives of young people we serve.”
By pairing graduate students with academic mentors and community partners, ITRE teaches the practical skills of translational research and implementation science in the field of adolescent behavioral health. The mentors are local community agency leaders, academic specialists and national experts in the field of adolescent behavioral health.
Through the program, scholars will gain experience by conducting a service learning research project in a community-based setting relevant to alcohol and drug abuse, as well as other behavioral health issues in adolescents.
Amy Armstrong-Heimsoth, an associate clinical professor in the Department of Occupational Therapy and a past ITRE scholar, said that the opportunity benefited her in her own research development.
“As a former institute scholar, I received valuable and personalized mentorship in qualitative research design and analysis,” Armstrong-Heimsoth said. “This has furthered my ability to impact our community through research. Now as an academic mentor, I have the amazing opportunity to teach our students how to use their research to assist the community. It has been invaluable both for them and for the community we serve.”
The project is funded by the National Institutes of Health, # 5R25DA031103. To apply or for more information, visit the ITRE website.