SDSU-UCSD Joint Doctoral Program in Interdisciplinary Research on Substance Use
Dr. Pitpitan is Associate Director of the SDSU-UCSD Joint Doctoral Program in Interdisciplinary Research on Substance Use, as well as a mentor in the program; she is currently accepting students. For more information, please visit the program website.
Addiction Scientists Strengthened though Education and Training (ASSET)
Taking Addiction Research Training to the Next Level
If we look at a profile of scientists in the U.S. who are getting NIH funding for substance use research, the picture is primarily of non-Hispanic White scientists.
What happens when we lack diversity in research teams? What happens when those who are working to improve treatments and leading the science do not reflect the diversity of communities in need of such interventions and treatments?
We might end up designing research and developing treatments that may not meet the needs of communities that are disproportionately burdened with problems related to substance use.
On the other hand, if the scientists included individuals with diverse insights, experiences, and racial and ethnic backgrounds, our capacity to problem solve and develop more effective treatments will improve. Diversity and inclusion in science, as with every other place in our world, matters. Scientific research has shown, for example, that creative problem-solving solutions are more likely to arise from teams that incorporate diverse perspectives; when there is equity at the table in giving individuals with different backgrounds a voice at the table to guide solutions.
What are we doing to solve lack of diversity in people who are leading addiction science?
To address the lack of diversity in addiction science, a diverse (in terms of race, ethnicity, and professional backgrounds) team of researchers from SDSU and UC San Diego joined forces to design ASSET, “Addiction Scientists Strengthened through Education and Training.” ASSET is an addiction research education and training program intended to promote diversity in science and scientific leadership in the field of substance use and addiction research. A grant to fund ASSET was awarded in September 2020 by the National Institutes of Health/NIDA.
So what exactly is ASSET?
ASSET is a substance use research training and education program focused exclusively on supporting Black and/or Latinx junior faculty in their development as scientific researchers and intervention scientists. ASSET will provide research knowledge, skills, and mentored career development training to build faculty confidence and resilience to become independent researchers and leaders in the field of substance use research.
Program Directors Drs. Eileen Pitpitan and María Luisa Zúñiga will co-lead ASSET, along with Dr. Michael Taffe from the UC San Diego Department of Psychiatry. Other key program co-directors include Drs. Steffanie Strathdee and Carla Marienfeld at UC San Diego. Funding will support 6 Black and/or Latinx scholars per year to participate in a 12-week structured training program, including seminars on designing substance use research that is responsive to community needs, writing compelling research proposals to move the science forward, and learning how to bridge authentic partnerships between researchers and communities. With support from a strong mentoring team comprised of SDSU and UC San Diego faculty and community input, each ASSET Scholar will develop and conduct their own substance use research study.
By building a more diverse community of academics and scientists who will themselves become future mentors of diverse junior scientists, we will simultaneously reach, teach and inspire the next generation of individuals who will make a positive, lasting impact to address substance use and its related problems.
Strategic Planning Alignment
ASSET is supported by our Division of Diversity and Innovation and is aligned with the SDSU Strategic Plan by supporting:
- Equitable diversification of faculty,
- Expanding regional, national and international high impact practices that provide experiences for students to research with diverse community organizations.