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Volume 1, Issue 1July 2007

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El Faro Staff

Volume 1, Issue 1

Summer Research Training Institute Corner

I first heard of the National Hispanic Science Network (NHSN) in 2003 when I was applying for a doctoral program at the University of Texas at Austin. At that time I was interested in conducting substance abuse research but was not sure what steps I should take.

Attending the Summer Research Training Institute (SRTI) in Houston was an incredible opportunity, which influences my career to this date. My experience was far more valuable than what I had initially expected.  During that summer session I had the opportunity to meet several senior scientists with considerable federal funding experiences, successful new investigators and many friendly representatives of the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA). We learned first hand about their work and received invaluable advice on how to navigate the complex world of research.  In addition, I met a wonderful group of peers who I have the opportunity to meet once a year during the NHSN annual conference.  Moreover, I was assigned a mentor, Dr. Alberto Mata, who has worked closely with me since.  The SRTI provides wonderful training which teaches fellows not only substance abuse research tools, but also the insider substance abuse research culture, politics, and experience that we do not learn in school. Most importantly, I became part of a network of friends and researchers I can count on.

Today, as I look back at my experiences I see the critical role the Network has played on my successes.  NHSN taught me how to approach people, discuss my needs, and get the guidance I need.  I am currently serving as a co-editor for Adelante, the Summer Training Institute fellow newsletter and conducting my dissertation research at the National Development and Research Institutes. My research is supported by a diversity supplement from NIDA under the supervision of Dr. Eloise Dunlap. Whenever I need guidance, support, or feedback I draw from the NHSN network.  They are always there for me!

Liliane Windsor, M.S.W.

Announcements

• Cecile Henquet, 2005 Summer Fellow from the Universiteit Maastricht, Netherlands, finished her Ph.D. thesis entitled "Ecogenetic Studies of Cannabis as a Cause of Psychosis."
• Damian Martínez, 2006 Summer Fellow, was awarded his Doctorate in Social Welfare from the University of Chicago.

Updates

The 2007 Summer Research Training Institute (SRTI) will be held at the University of Houston Hilton Hotel on June 4-12.

Drug abuse in the U.S. continues to disproportionately impact ethnic minorities, particularly minority youth. However, the number of researchers studying the problem remains relatively small, and few training and research centers focus on drug abuse issues among Latinos. The NHSN Summer Research Training Institute was created to help address the critical need for training the next generation of drug abuse researchers.

Applicants to the Summer Institute must be advanced graduate students in good academic standing, or early career scientists/post-docs, who have an interest in drug abuse issues among Hispanics.  Preference is given to applicants who have previous research experience and knowledge of the Hispanic population. NHSN fellowships are available that include travel to and from Houston, Texas, lodging, meals, and a $500 stipend.  The NIDA International Program has also awarded additional fellowships to outstanding international applicants.

Selected fellows attend an intensive, eight-day multidisciplinary training, led by NIDA and other NIH-funded scientists. The Institute is organized around a series of lectures and workshops designed to increase each Fellow’s knowledge of drug abuse research issues and methodologies, and to promote interest in and professional commitment to Hispanic drug abuse research. The Institute also fosters ongoing mentoring relationships between the Fellows and leading Hispanic drug abuse researchers.

Lectures and workshop topics include the epidemiology and etiology of drug use among Hispanics, intervention and prevention research, an introduction to neuroscience, HIV/AIDS, and appropriate designs and measures in research with Hispanics. These sessions are led by NIH officials and NIDA or other NIH-funded drug abuse researchers.

Several NHSN members have been selected as 2007 Institute Fellows:

• Dr. Victoria Ojeda, who received her doctorate in Public Health from UCLA
• Ms. Maria Gurrola, a second year Social Work Ph.D. student at Arizona State University
• Ms. Jeannine Tamez, a Clinical Psychology Ph.D. student at Texas A&M University

NHSN members were also active in recommending successful applicants:

• Dr. Vera Lopez from Arizona State University was recommended by Dr. Ramiro Martínez
• Mr. Mathew Gayman from Florida State University was recommended by Dr. Jay Turner

Other 2007 Fellows heard about the Institute and applied from outside the network:

• Ms. Vivian Pacheco from Rutgers University
• Mr. Ricardo Gabriel from the City University of New York

A special thank-you goes to Institute faculty who have served for 5 or more years:

• Dr. Bryan Page, Qualitative Research: Its Application to Drug Research
• Dr. Felipe González Castro, Identifying the Research Needs & Gaps in Hispanic Drug Use: Prevention and Intervention among Adolescents
• Dr. Dharma Cortes, Acculturation, Substance Abuse, and HIV Risk: Current Limitations and New Perspectives
• Dr. Keith Trujillo, Neuroscience and Drug Issues
• Dr. María Félix Ortíz, Appropriate Design and Measures in Hispanic Research: Defining and Measuring Cultural Phenomena
• Dr. Merrill Singer, HIV/AIDS Research: The Community Perspective

Also, a very special thanks to the NIH officers who have been committed to the Institute:

• Dr. Joseph Frascella, NIDA
• Dr. Michael Sesma, NIMH
• Dr. Cecilia Spitznas, NIDA
• Dr. Bennett Fletcher, NIDA
• Ms. Ana Anders, NIDA

Finally, we would like to thank our dedicated Institute leader and Chair, Dr. Avelardo (Lalo) Valdez, and our Institute’s much-loved “Padrino,” Dr. Alberto (Al) Mata.

If you would like to learn more about the Summer Research Training Institute, please visit our site at www.hispanicscience.org or www.uh.edu/odspr. You can also contact the Insitute’s Coordinator, Mr. Evelio Escamilla, by email at Evelio.Escamilla@mail.uh.edu and by phone at (713) 743-8345.

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