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Undergraduate Research Opportunities

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SRI@FMHI

Intensive program for undergraduates interested in substance use and co-occurring disorders

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Application Deadline is March 20, 2022 at 11:59pm.

The Louis de la Parte Florida Mental Health Institute (FMHI) at the University of South Florida is dedicated to research and education related to substance use and related disorders. FMHI invites undergraduate students to apply for a highly selective Summer Research Institute that is funded by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA)

SRI@FMHI
The Summer Research Institute (SRI@FMHI) is designed for students interested in building their research skills within the context of substance use and co-occuring disorders to help them prepare for a Senior Thesis and/or graduate school.

Dates:
The SRI@FMHI is an 11-week in-person program from May 26, 2022 to August 04, 2022.

Program Structure:
The SRI@FMHI consists of four components: an independent research project conducted with guidance from a distinguished faculty mentor; research seminars; professional development seminars; and skill-building workshops. The research seminars will complement the research that students are conducting with their faculty mentors. Throughout the 11-week period, students will work intensively with faculty mentors on their research projects. In addition, students will gain experience with research ethics, IRB practices, and will participate in a community rotation to gain experience with substance use services in an area related to their research projects.

Students will be required to write a research report describing their research project, present the report at a Research Symposium and Poster Session, and submit the completed paper for consideration at an Undergraduate Research Conference or Symposium. Because of the intensity of the summer program, students must participate on a full-time basis and may not be employed or attend other classes during the 11-week program.

Student Application and Selection Process:
Applications must be received no later than March 20, 2022. Students accepted to the program should be notified by March 31, 2022.

Up to 12 students will be selected for the SRI@FMHI. Because each SRI Scholar will be matched with a faculty mentor, primary consideration will be given to those applicants whose area of interest is closely aligned with the expertise of a faculty member who is available to provide mentorship during the summer. Typically, students will be considered for the program if they have begun coursework in their academic major, completed a minimum of 60 hours of college coursework, and have an expected graduation date no earlier than December 2022. Courses in statistics and research methodology are required to be eligible. The application form may be obtained at [insert application link] or by contacting kamoore@usf.edu. An official transcript and letter of recommendation from a faculty member are required.

Student Support:
All students who are accepted for the program will receive the following benefits:

$4,400 research stipend
Up to $1,000 funding available to support the research project and other research related expenses

Students are responsible for paying for the cost of housing and food. On-campus housing is available at USF.

Potential Faculty Mentors:
George Burruss, Ph.D. (Criminology) focuses his research on criminal justice organizations, including policing, homeland security, and juvenile courts.

Linda Callejas, Ph.D. (Child & Family Studies) focuses on research and evaluation activities for behavioral health disparities and use of community-based support interventions that increase engagement in underserved communities.

Annette Christy, Ph.D. (Mental Health Law & Policy) studies the interaction of behavioral health and criminal justice and is director of the Florida Baker Act Reporting Center.

Holly Hills, Ph.D. (Mental Health Law & Policy) conduct training and consulting with service providers and systems focused on improving care for persons with serious mental illness and addictive disorders.

Chae Jaynes, Ph.D. (Criminology) focuses on offender decision-making from a rational choice perspective. Specifically, focusing on evaluating the role of employment in offender decision-making, and exploring how perceptions of legitimacy influence choice within policing and courtroom contexts.

Kim Johnson, Ph.D. (Mental Health Law and Policy) conducts research focused on quality improvement and implementation science in behavioral health.

Micah Johnson, Ph.D. (Mental Health Law and Policy) conducts research on behavioral health and health disparities: the effects of childhood psychological trauma, the epidemiology of polysubstance misuse in pediatric populations, social inequalities, and health disparities among adolescents in the juvenile justice system.

Kristin Kosyluk, Ph.D. (Mental Health Law and Policy) primarily researches issues related to on mental illness and psychiatric disability, with a special interest in social justice issues and stigma.

Maayan Lawental, Ph.D., M.S.W (School of Social Work) works in the area of substance abuse related to women’s health and mental health, and trends in club drug use.

Oliver Massey, Ph.D. (Child & Family Studies) examines substance abuse prevention and treatment, with emphasis on implementation of evidence-based practices, and behavioral health services in schools.

Kathleen Moore, Ph.D. (Mental Health Law & Policy) conducts research on co-occurring mental health and substance use disorders with emphasis on treatment drug courts.

Richard Moule, Ph.D. (Criminology) focuses his research on criminological theory, the influence of technology on social life, and the perceptual and micro-social dimensions of crime and crime control.

Ráchael Powers, Ph.D. (Criminology) work focuses on causes and consequences of violent victimization, and how victims interact with the criminal justice system.

Khary Rigg, Ph.D. (Mental Health Law & Policy) examines prescription drug and opioid misuse, and focuses on rural communities, and club drug use among young people. He also examines prevention strategies and rural-urban differences in the opioid epidemic.

Svetlana Yampolskaya, Ph.D. (Child and Family Studies) is interested in research related to prevention adverse outcomes for children in the child welfare system as well as advanced analytical and methodological approaches.