Alison Cerezo of UC Santa Barbara’s Gevirtz School has been accepted to the Addiction Scientists Strengthened through Education and Training (ASSET) Program at San Diego State University for Summer 2021. ASSET is a new NIH program funded by the National Institute on Drug Abuse that supports Black/Latinx junior faculty members who are interested in substance use research. The fellowship promotes fellows transitioning to independent research by offering fellows seed and travel grants, allowing them professional, hands-on experience on conducting a successful research study. The fellowship follows a structured instruction pattern for 12 weeks, followed by 12 months of ongoing mentorship.
ASSET is led by Maria Luisa Zúñiga and Eileen V. Pitpitan of San Diego State University’s School of Social Work. 2021 is the first year this fellowship is available. This program is designed to improve long-term engagement of a diverse addiction scientist workforce to meet the growing U.S. need for effective prevention and treatment of substance use disorders.
Alison Cerezo is an Assistant Professor of Counseling Psychology in the Department of Counseling, Clinical, and School Psychology. She received her B.A. in Psychology and Women & Gender Studies (double majors) from UC Los Angeles; M.A. degree in Psychology, Research Emphasis from CSU Los Angeles; and Ph.D. in Counseling Psychology from the University of Oregon. Dr. Cerezo’s primary line of research centers on reducing social and health disparities for sexual and gender diverse communities. Most recently, her work has focused on the links between stigma, discrimination and alcohol misuse and alcohol risk behaviors in sexual minority women. She is also interested in reducing barriers to mental health treatment for this community.