SRNT 2024 Annual Meeting Global Support - SUMMARY/ABSTRACT
The Society for Research on Nicotine & Tobacco (SRNT) is the only scientific association dedicated
exclusively to the support of researchers, academics, treatment professionals, government employees, and
other partners in the field of nicotine and tobacco research. With members in more than 40 countries, SRNT is
truly global in its reach. The SRNT Annual Meeting is the main venue for presentation of novel findings from
global tobacco control research and for networking among scientists in the field. To promote its international
mission, SRNT has a longstanding policy of waiving registration fees and providing travel awards for low- and
middle-income country (LMIC) researchers to ensure representation of global tobacco control science in the
meeting program. The SRNT Global Research Network (GRN) supports SRNT members in LMICs; provides
guidance to the SRNT Board and committees, as necessary, to inform discussions around issues related to
research and researchers in LMICs; and enhances SRNT’s mission by promoting and encouraging sustained
involvement in global tobacco control science. For over a decade, LMIC researchers from across geographic
regions and with extensive research experience and professional networks across LMICs have been GRN
Chairs and have led GRN committees. Despite SRNT’s support, global tobacco control and LMIC-based
science are underrepresented at its annual meeting especially given that 80% of the world’s tobacco users live
in LMICs. Further, the promotion of implementation science is desperately needed to close the critical
implementation gap in global tobacco control. SRNT seeks a conference grant to elevate the visibility of global
tobacco control research and implementation science at the SRNT 2024 Annual Meeting to be held in
Edinburgh, Scotland. This location will allow participation of researchers from regions that typically have less
presence at the annual conference. We will form a GRN Steering Committee to pursue the following specific
aims: 1) Organize a pre-conference workshop and presidential symposium to promote bidirectional learning in
global tobacco control and implementation science; 2) Increase abstract submissions in global tobacco control
science to highlight advances in the area, foster scientific discussion and debate, and stimulate collaboration
among global tobacco control researchers; 3) Offer travel scholarships for LMIC-based researchers presenting
on topics related to the NCI Center for Global Health research priorities; and 4) Support post-conference article
submissions led by LMIC investigators to Nicotine & Tobacco Research (SRNT’s journal) that focus on
implementation science in global tobacco control. Meeting the proposed aims will bolster how the SRNT
annual meeting facilitates bidirectional learning opportunities among LMIC and high-income country (HIC)
investigators working in global tobacco control, building capacity to conduct implementation research that is
relevant and impactful in low resource contexts.