BGU Prof. Richard Isralowitz Awarded for Substance Abuse Work
BGU Prof. Richard Isralowitz Awarded for Substance Abuse Work
October 18, 2011
Medical Research, Press Releases
NEW YORK, NY October 18, 2011 — Prof. Richard Isralowitz, of Israel’s Ben-Gurion University of the Negev (BGU), recently received the U.S. National Distinguished International Scientist Award for his work as director of the Regional Alcohol and Drug Abuse Resources (RADAR) Center.
This award is presented by the International Program of the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), which works with colleagues from around the world to find evidence-based solutions to the public health problems of drug abuse, addiction and drug-related HIV/AIDS.
Established in 1995, RADAR’s research focuses on substance use and related problems among Israeli and former Soviet Union-origin youth and adults. The Center is part of an international network of experts and organizations addressing substance abuse prevention, treatment and policy issues through education, training workshops, research, and publications.
RADAR has sponsored five international substance abuse experts at BGU for research and training purposes under the Fulbright Scholar Exchange Program – U.S.-Israel Educational Program. It is monitoring substance use in the Middle East, improving clinical treatment needs of addicted persons, and developing an evidence-based model of smoking cessation among high-risk youth in the Negev.
“Social outreach to communities in the Negev is a major component of BGU’s mission,” said Doron Krakow, executive vice president of American Associates, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev based in New York City. “I congratulate Prof. Isralowitz on this well-deserved honor and for his critical efforts on behalf of underserved populations.”
Collaborators with RADAR include the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime; the U.S. National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA); and the U.S. Substance Abuse Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). Major participating universities include the University of California, Los Angeles; University of Southern California; New York University; Rutgers University in New Jersey; and others. RADAR receives funding from the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID).
ABOUT AMERICANS FOR BEN-GURION UNIVERSITY
By supporting a world-class academic institution that not only nurtures the Negev, but also shares its expertise locally and globally, Americans for Ben-Gurion University engages a community of Americans who are committed to improving the world. David Ben-Gurion envisioned that Israel’s future would be forged in the Negev. The cutting-edge research carried out at Ben-Gurion University drives that vision by sustaining a desert Silicon Valley, with the “Stanford of the Negev” at its center. The Americans for Ben-Gurion University movement supports a 21st century unifying vision for Israel by rallying around BGU’s remarkable work and role as an apolitical beacon of light in the Negev desert.
About Ben-Gurion University of the Negev
Ben-Gurion University of the Negev embraces the endless potential we have as individuals and as a commonality to adapt and to thrive in changing environments. Inspired by our location in the desert, we aim to discover, to create, and to develop solutions to dynamic challenges, to pose questions that have yet to be asked, and to push beyond the boundaries of the commonly accepted and possible.
We are proud to be a central force for inclusion, diversity and innovation in Israel, and we strive to extend the Negev’s potential and our entrepreneurial spirit throughout the world. For example, the multi-disciplinary School for Sustainability and Climate Change at BGU leverages over 50 years of expertise on living and thriving in the desert into scalable solutions for people everywhere.
BGU at a glance:
20,000 students | 800 senior faculty | 3 campuses | 6 faculties: humanities & social sciences, health sciences, engineering sciences, natural sciences, business & management, and desert research.
For all press inquiries, please contact:
James Fattal, J Cubed Communications
516.289.1496
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