WHERE ARE THEY NOW? Catching Up with CPA Inclusive Poster Award Winners

For the past five years, the CPA conference has been highlighting exemplary research related to inclusivity and diversity in the field of addiction psychology by awarding an Inclusive Poster Award. We recently reconnected with three past recipients of this award to learn more about their current work and career goals, and to hear their reflections on the impact that attending CPA has had on their scholastic development. 

Dr. Neo Gebru won recognition in 2021 for his qualitative study "'That's pot culture right there': Purchasing behaviors of recreational marijuana users," which examined how economic and contextual factors influence cannabis purchasing decisions. Since then, he's expanded his focus as an Assistant Professor of Family Medicine at Emory School of Medicine, developing digital interventions for substance use and HIV outcomes. Neo credits CPA as "a catalyst in my career" and has attended regularly since his first conference in 2018. He noted that CPA helped him network with leading researchers and stay "reinvigorated towards my long-term goals." His approach to equity work centers on "practicing radical acceptance of where we are as a field" to identify areas where he can advance health and wellness for all, emphasizing that “impact can manifest in different ways for different people.”

Rachel Girard's award-winning research, a project with nearly 9,000 American Indian adolescents, revealed that family disapproval of substance use was most protective when paired with strong cultural affiliation. Now in her fourth year of doctoral training, she's pursuing F31-funded research on provider stigma in buprenorphine prescribing while working clinically at MGH's West End Clinic. Rachel describes CPA as "a source of encouragement and hope amidst many recent, heartbreaking federal changes," noting that leadership communications "make an impact and help motivate us trainees." Her equity philosophy centers on community connection: "Real change happens when we are with the people, not apart from them."

Ebonie White's research demonstrated how reinforcement from substance-free activities varies across racial and socioeconomic lines among emerging adults. Now in her second year at University of Memphis, she continues researching underserved groups. She credits CPA with exposing her to "innovative, impactful research" and connecting her with researchers whose work deeply inspired her own professional journey. For Ebonie, "inclusion, equity, and diversity are central to my research goals," and she advises others to "never lose sight of why you began this work and let that purpose guide every step forward."

These awardees provide examples of the impactful work that is being presented annually at CPA. On behalf of the CPA Diversity Committee, we’d like to thank each of the awardees for sharing their thoughts with us, and we encourage you to consider reaching out to them directly with future opportunities.
 
Interested in having your own work considered for the Inclusive Poster Award at CPA? 

Be sure to select this as an option during submission! Visit https://addictionpsychology.org/cpa for more details.