August 31, 2018

IWRI Training Programs Thrive

The Indigenous HIV/AIDS Research Training Program (IHART²) is in its ninth year this year and celebrated the enrollment of four up and coming scholars in the spring. The 2018 and the 2017 cohort of fellows participated in two training events this spring and summer. Fellows had the chance to meet members of the IHART2 Scientific Community and Leadership Council at the sixth annual Spring Writing Retreat in April 2018 and spend time together as a cohort during the July/August Summer Research Institute at the University of Washington in Seattle.

The new cohort of the Indigenous Substance Abuse, Medicines, and Addictions Research Training program (ISMART) also attended the Spring Writing Retreat. Fellows met with their ISMART mentors, attended presentations on health research and projects such as…., and networked with IHART2 fellows and scientific advisors. The ISMART fellows also attended the 2018 Annual Meeting of the Society for Prevention Research conference in Washington, DC.

The goal of the Indigenous HIV/AIDS Research Training Program (IHART²) is to develop a cadre of culturally grounded Native scholars capable of serving as PIs on extramurally funded HIV/AIDS-related prevention and disparities studies with Indigenous populations.* The goal of the Indigenous Substance Abuse, Medicines, and Addictions Research Training Program (ISMART) is to offer a mentoring program in career and research development for American Indian and Alaska Native (AIAN) scholars.** These programs demonstrate IWRI’s commitment to mentoring indigenous and underrepresented minorities. To date, 51 mid-level, early career and pre-doctorate scholars have been mentored through our IHART and ISMART programs since IHART began in 2009.

The 2018 cohort (2018-2020) of IHART2 Fellows include:

• Richard Armenta, PhD (Pascua Yaqui/Latino), Assistant Professor, Health Science/Kinesiology, California State University San Marcos
• Peter Mataira, PhD (USA/Maori), MSW Program Director and Assistant Professor, School of Social Work, Hawai’i Pacific University
• Eugenia Millender, PhD (USA/Indigenous Afro-Latina (Kuna/Guna), Republic of Panama), Associate Professor, Florida State University Center for Indigenous Nursing Research for Health Equity)
• Matthew A. Town, PhD (Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma), Assistant Professor, Department of Public Health, Pacific University Oregon

The 2017-18 cohort of ISMART Fellows include:

• Ricky Camplain, PhD (White, Native American/Comanche), Postdoctoral Scholar, Center for Health Equity Research, Northern Arizona University
• Charles Lea, PhD (African American), Assistant Professor, School of Social Work, University of Washington
• Araceli Orozco (Mexican), Doctoral student, School of Social Work, University of Washington
• Sarah Rhoades-Kerswill, PhD (Kiowa Tribe of Oklahoma), Postdoctoral Scholar, Psychology, Oklahoma State University

* The IHART2 program is funded by the National Institute of Mental Health, Award Number R25MH084565.

** The ISMART program is funded by the National Institute of Drug Abuse, Contract Number HHSN271201700716P.