The University of Washington, Group Health Cooperative, Pacific Science Center, and the Washington Association for Biomedical Research will significantly enhance their existing science education partnership to deliver an engaging drug education project, """"""""Addiction: Hijacking the Brain"""""""" (AH Brain). The project enhancements include new geographic service areas with expansion into Idaho and Montana; new target professional audiences; new exhibits a virtual exhibit area and expanded web presence. The new audiences will be reached with professional workshops for judges, DEA officers, court officials, attorneys, chemical dependency counselors and health professionals. In uniting scientists researching the neurobiology of addiction with these new audiences, AH Brain seeks to expand the already effective Drug Addiction Science Education Partnership previously funded by NIDA. AH Brain seeks to: 1) increase public knowledge about the neurobiology of drug addiction with programs for key audiences; 2) increase appreciation for the value and processes of drug abuse research, including the use of animals in research; and 3) increase the interest of students in careers related to drug abuse research. AH Brain's program components will include: an interactive mobile science program that goes to schools and community events, community task forces, a Mini Med School on the neurobiology of addiction for the general public, a workshop for professional groups, a speaker's bureau and a student competition as well as web-based information. A formative and summative evaluation will be conducted to assess AH Brain's success in reaching its objectives.
