News and Awards
Research Society on Alcoholism Marlatt Mentorship Award 2020
Chris Cunningham, PARC Investigator, is the recipient of the 2020 Research Society on Alcoholism (RSA) Marlatt Mentorship Award which recognizes Dr. Cunningham for outstanding career-long mentoring of young scientists in the field of alcohol research. RSA usually presents the award at the society's annual meeting. This year as the meeting was canceled due to pandemic conditions, RSA conferred the award by online announcement to the Society's membership, and the wider community.
American Association for the Advancement of Science elected Fellow 2019
John Crabbe, current Portland Alcohol Research Center (PARC) Co-Investigator and former Center Director, was elected as a 2018 and 2019 Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) in recognition of extraordinary achievements in science.
International Society for Biomedical Research on Alcoholism President 2019
Tamara Phillips, PARC Center Director, began her term as President of the International Society on Biomedical Research on Alcoholism (ISBRA) in 2018. She is the first woman to hold this position. The Society promotes research, training, and dissemination of information on alcoholism and alcohol-related biomedical phenomena, for the benefit of individuals and to inform national and international agencies on alcohol-related research and policy. ISBRA last met in Kyoto, Japan, September 9-13, 2018.
Bowles Lectureship Award 2018, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Tamara Phillips, PARC Center Director, received the Bowles Lectureship Award from the Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in recognition of her distinguished career and research on alcoholism and alcohol abuse. Her remarkable research discoveries on the genetic dissection of behavioral traits associated with risk for the development of alcoholism and drug abuse were noted at the award ceremony. Her discoveries also include brain and behavioral mechanisms of alcohol, nicotine, and methamphetamine addiction including acute and chronic effects associated with drug reward and behavioral sensitivity. Dr. Phillips presented a lecture entitled "The rough road to identification of genes that impact substance use disorders.
Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) study award
Former PARC PIs Bonnie Nagel and Damien Fair, along with Sarah Feldstein Ewing (Child and Adolescent Psychiatry), are part of a new long-term National Institutes of Health multi-site study tracking the effects of adolescent substance abuse on the developing brain. The ABCD Study begins with approximately 10,000 children at age 9-10 years old from across the the United States, and follows the children through adolescence, tracking substance use, academic achievement, mental health, brain structure and function, and other developmental elements.
American Medical Women's Association Leadership Award 2018
Mollie Marr, M.D./Ph.D. student in the Fair Lab, received the American Medical Women's Association (AMWA) Anne C. Carter Leadership Award in recognition of her outstanding student leadership in AMWA. She was one of the founding members of her school's AMWA branch and is currently one of the Executive Chairs.
Sigma Xi award 2017
The Columbia-Willamette Chapter of Sigma Xi honored Mark Rutledge-Gorman, PARC Information and Dissemination Core Director, with its Supporter of Research Award for Dr. Rutledge-Gorman's work bringing research results on alcohol and drug-related problems to the general public, and in particular to K-12 students and teachers.
Society for Neuroscience Early Career Policy Ambassador 2017
Mollie Marr, M.D./Ph.D. student in the Fair Lab, was selected as a Society for Neuroscience (SfN) Ambassador, and as such received training in advocacy for science and how to encourage the same in others. She participated in Capitol Hill Day, talking science in legislative offices, and conducting advocacy activities in Oregon.
Society for Neuroscience Patricia Goldman-Rakic Hall of Honor 2017
Mark Rutledge-Gorman, PARC Information and Dissemination Core Director, accepted on behalf of his family and in honor of his late sister Dr. Nancy Rutledge Zahniser the Society for Neuroscience's (SfN) Goldman-Rakic Award. SfN bestowed the honor during the annual Celebration of Women in Neuroscience Luncheon. The award posthumously recognizes a neuroscientist who has pursued career excellence and exhibited dedication to the advancement of women in neuroscience. Dr. Zahniser's colleagues, friends, and family also have endowed The Nancy Rutledge Zahniser Fund which helps up to five trainees per year to travel to SfN's annual meeting.
Research Society on Alcoholism Past-President 2016
Tamara Phillips, PARC Center Director, completed her three-year term as President-elect/President/Past-President of the Research Society on Alcoholism (RSA) at the Society's 2016 annual meeting in New Orleans, Louisiana. RSA is the world's largest research society devoted to study and treatment of alcohol-related problems.
64th Annual Nebraska Symposium on Motivation 2016, Impulsivity: How Time and Risk Influence Decision Making
PARC PI Suzanne Mitchell was honored at the Nebraska Symposium, presenting a talk on Impulsivity and effort-related decision-making in psychopathology. This leading symposium on motivation has been sponsored by the Department of Psychology at the University of Nebraska since 1953.
Research Society on Alcoholism Marlatt Mentorship Award 2015
John Crabbe, PARC Investigator, is the recipient of the 2015 Research Society on Alcoholism (RSA) Marlatt Mentorship Award which recognizes Dr. Crabbe for exceptional mentoring of young scientists in the field of alcohol research. RSA President Tamara Phillips presented the award at the annual meeting in San Antonio, Texas. Dr. Phillips as a postdoctoral fellow was mentored by Dr. Crabbe.
Research Society on Alcoholism O'Neill Addiction Science Education Award 2015
John Harkness, graduate student mentored by Tamara Phillips, presented the 2015 Research Society on Alcoholism (RSA) O'Neill Addiction Science Education Award talk, entitled "The Northwest Addiction and Neuroscience Education Collaboration," at the Society's annual meeting in San Antonio, Texas.
Research Society on Alcoholism Enoch Gordis Research Recognition Award 2015
Melanie Pina, graduate student mentored by PARC Investigator Chris Cunningham, received the 2015 Research Society on Alcoholism (RSA) Enoch Gordis Research Recognition Award. The award was conferred by the RSA Education Committee at the 39th annual RSA meeting in San Antonio, Texas, following a competitive talk session of award finalists. Ms. Pina's winning presentation was on "Regulation of Ethanol Conditioned Place Preference by the Bed Nucleus of the Stria Terminalis."