The Center for Intervention and Prevention Research on HIV and Drug Abuse (CIPRHDA), a NIDA Social Work Research Development (SWRD) program at the Columbia University School of Social Work (CUSSW), is seeking funding to host a scientific conference entitled NIDA SWRD Programs' Promising New Investigators Conference. Consistent with NIDA's recognition of the valuable role that social workers play in the field of drug abuse intervention as well as NIDA's efforts to enhance the research infrastructure in schools of social work, the goals of the proposed conference are to bring together drug abuse researchers from NIDA-funded social work research training centers in order to (1) enhance the capabilities and speed the development of promising new social work researchers in conducting drug abuse research; (2) identify key activities, infrastructure, and support mechanisms crucial to implementing a university-housed/supported drug abuse research training program for social workers building a new drug abuse research program; and (3) promote collaboration across SWRD programs and drug abuse researchers located in different schools of social work, departments/ disciplines, and universities across the country. The proposed conference, tentatively planned for Fall 2004, will gather a cadre of promising new investigators from each SWRD program, Directors from each of the SWRD programs who are all experienced drug abuse researchers charged with building and implementing a training and mentorship program for new social work drug abuse researchers, Deans from each school of social work that has a NIDA-funded SWRD program, and Program Officials from each division of NIDA.
