PROJECT SUMMARY
Rapidly evolving substance misuse crises require a diverse workforce of highly trained substance misuse
researchers. National and global solutions demand sustainable pipelines of elite investigators with a
kaleidoscope of backgrounds, perspectives, and talents. Cultural homogeneity among investigators particularly
impedes efforts to resolve challenges impacting underrepresented minority (URM) and disadvantaged
communities, which often suffer harsher consequences from substance misuse epidemics. Despite some
initiatives to promote diversity, certain groups remain grossly underrepresented in the field. Many URM and
disadvantaged students –including women, LGBTQIAP+, individuals from low-income families, first generation
college students, and persons with disabilities –face multidimensional historical and social factors that limits
their access to the early enrichment, rigorous training, effective mentoring, nourishing environments and
financial support necessary to become drug misuse scientists. Many promising students do not obtain research
experience, are not introduced to a research career, and do not pursue a graduate degree. Among those that
do pursue research careers, there is a publication and funding award disparity between traditional students
versus URM, disadvantaged or first-generation college students. These disparities are due in part to training
gaps that occur early in undergraduate matriculation. These gaps have domino effects throughout graduate
school and throughout one’s career to adversely affect employment, tenure qualifications, and other aspects of
academic life. The key to an inclusive, heterogeneous and highly skilled research community is to develop
comprehensive initiatives that recruit, train, and cultivate bourgeoning URM and disadvantaged scholars early
in their education. To enhance diversity in the next generation of substance misuse and addiction scientists,
we propose a comprehensive recruitment and research education program that builds a trans-disciplinary
substance misuse research traineeship for URM or disadvantaged undergraduates. The proposed program is
entitled the University of South Florida Substance Misuse and Addiction Research Traineeship (SMART). The
SMART specific aims are to: [SA1] Recruit gifted URM and disadvantaged undergraduates into SMART; [SA2]
Train students in mixed research methods, scientific writing, grantsmanship, and professional practices; [SA3]
Facilitate a mentored independent research experience; and [SA4] Disseminate research, best practices, and
outcomes. SMART addresses limitations in the extant diversity programs through five pillars: systematic
recruitment into research programs, early enrichment, rigorous training, effective mentoring, and nourishing
environments. SMART specifically addresses NIH NIDA’s missions to enhance the training of a workforce to
meet national and global research needs; encourage individuals from URM backgrounds to pursue careers in
research; advance science on the causes of drug use; improve the prevention and treatment of substance use
disorders; and advance the research on URM who experience disproportionate consequences.