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SPR 2003 AWARDS PRESENTATION
at 11th Annual Meeting, Washington, DC

International Collaborative Prevention Research Award
Don Des Jarlais, Ph.D., is a leader in research pertaining to the epidemiology and prevention of HIV/AIDS and Hepatitis C. His application of the results of his epidemiologic research to prevention strategies and to policy recommendations has made him a national leader serving as a consultant to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and to the National Institutes of Health and as Commissioner of the United States National Commission of AIDS. His expertise is widely recognized for policy and implementation under the aegis of the World Health Organization as well as other international agencies. I am pleased to announce Dr. Des Jarlais as this year’s recipient of the International Collaborative Prevention Research Award.

Science to Practice Award
Eric Schaps, Ph.D., is a pioneer in using developmental and social psychology to craft “evidenced-based” educational programs that prevent ATOD and related risk factors, and that enhance academic achievement and social bonding. Since his break-through three-volume publication in 1975 titled “Balancing Head and Heart,” Dr. Schaps has advanced this theme throughout his distinguished career to better bridge science and practice. His extraordinary scientific accomplishments include development of numerous federal, state, and community model programs, such as the Napa Project, the Child Development Project, and most recently, the Caring School Community Program. Dr. Schaps is founder and president of the Developmental Studies Center. The award for Science to Practice goes this year to Dr. Schaps.

Public Service Award
Alan Leshner, Ph.D,. has shown vigorous and sustained support for prevention research through a variety of efforts in his role as Director of the National Institute on Drug Abuse and as Deputy Director of the National Institute for Mental Health. He not only expanded the prevention research programs of these Institutes but he also highlighted the findings of the research and brought them to the community through such channels as Town Meetings and conferences and publications such as NIDA Notes. SPR proudly honors Dr. Leshner with the Public Service Award.

Presidential Award
Gerald R. Patterson and John B. Reid have each separately made a unique and significant contribution to prevention science. However, they have influenced each other to such a great extent over the course of their careers that recognizing them as a team does have significant value. Together, they made significant contributions to the development of Behavioral Parent Training in the 1960's and 1970's. They were the primary developers of Coercion Theory, the fundamental aspects of which are reflected in many current theories on the development of antisocial and other deviant behaviors. Together, they created the non-profit Oregon Social Learning Center (OSLC), which was started in 1977, and continues today with over 200 employees and 13 research scientists. Over the years, they have provided mentorship and/or support to a variety of scientists and they have influenced the work of many other top notch scientists and preventionists. Their productive partnership continues to influence prevention science. Recipients of the Presidential Award are Drs. Patterson and Reid.

Prevention Science Award
Denise Kandel, Ph.D., has made seminal contributions to the fields of substance abuse and childhood psychiatric disorders. Using epidemiological methods, the research has focused on elucidating the temporal pattern of drug use behavior during adolescence, risk factors associated with the initiation of substance use and progression to abuse and dependence and to the long-term effects of intrauterine nicotine exposure. In addition, she added greatly to our understanding of the epidemiology of childhood psychiatric disorders. These contributions have helped to guide prevention theory and practice. SPR would like to acknowledge Dr. Kandel’s achievements by presenting her with the 2003 Prevention Science Award.

Community, Culture, and Prevention Science Award
Charles Martinez, Ph.D., is a bright new star on the prevention science scene who is advancing new paradigms of research that link researchers and community leaders to shape meaningful studies that reflect direct community involvement in research planning, implementation, and utilization of research findings. Dr. Martinez has demonstrated the highest caliber of scientific scholarship in his research publications on such diverse topics as minority health, effects of divorce, parent management skill building, child adjustment problems, and the effects of sexual harassment. Under his latest NIH research grant, he is developing and testing in conjunction with community leadership, an innovative culturally specific parenting intervention for Latino families and youth at risk for drug abuse, school failure, incarceration, and poor health outcomes. With great pleasure, SPR awards the Community, Culture and Prevention Science Award to Dr. Martinez.

Friend of ECPN Award
Marion Forgatch has had a long history of working in prevention science and supporting developing scientists, especially postdoctoral fellows. She has been working with the Oregon Social Learning Center team for over 30 years, and has been engaged in prevention work since long-before it became a popular area of inquiry. Dr. Forgatch has mentored early career preventionists in many areas, including certification for intervention specialists, methodology training, publications, and grant writing. She has done so through a variety of mechanisms, not only serving over ten years as a faculty member of the Family Research Consortium post-doctoral training grants, but also through direct funding support and minority supplements on her own research grants. Her long-standing history of mentoring has resulted in dozens of co-authored publications with junior researchers. Her training efforts now span international boundaries as well. No doubt this is evidence of extreme generosity of her time and energy in efforts that have developed the careers of many junior scientists, not to mention contributions to prevention science. I am pleased to announce Dr. Forgatch as the Friend of ECPN.

ECPN Early Career Award
Kelli Komro received her PhD in Epidemiology in 1994 and has been an Assistant Professor in the Division of Epidemiology in the School of Public Health at the University of Minnesota since 1999. She has developed a highly successful research program in youth health promotion with an emphasis on community trials to prevent tobacco, alcohol, drugs, and violence among adolescents. Dr. Komro has been serving as the Principal Investigator of Project Northland Chicago, the largest alcohol use prevention trial ever funded by NIAAA. She is a co-recipient of the 11th Annual Douglas S. Leather Award for 2002 from the journal, Health Education Research: Theory & Practice. Dr. Komro has also been an active member of the Early Career Prevention Network and the Society for Prevention Research since 1998, and served as a member of the ECPN Steering Committee from 1998-2000. I am pleased to announce Dr. Komro as this year’s recipient of the ECPN Early Career Award.

Service to SPR Award
I would like to now announce the awardees of the Service to SPR Award to Dr. Denise Hallfors in recognition of her dedication and commitment to SPR during her tenure as treasurer and Mr. Ted Langevin for his contributions as financial advisor to SPR. Both Denise and Ted have been very instrumental in achieving the financial and infrastructure development of the organization over the past two years. Their guidance to the Board of Directors has been invaluable as SPR has made significant programmatic and growth advancements during this time frame and they have contributed greatly to the positive positioning of SPR for future years to come. A big thank you for all their contributions.