Stempel College is home to two emerging preeminent programs: Brain, Behavior and the Environment and Health Inequities and Disparities. These programs drive research, spark creativity, and encourage innovation, helping the researchers and students of Stempel College better serve our community here in the U.S. and abroad.
The Brain, Behavior and the Environment Program is a transdisciplinary initiative that unites the dynamic and diverse neuroscience community at FIU in the pursuit of three goals: to create and empower research programs focused on environmental causes of neurological disease; to devise strategies and develop treatments for neurological disorders using novel neuroscience and engineering tools as well as pharmacological approaches; and to establish a rich educational resource in South Florida to educate students, faculty, clinicians, the public, and health officials on the role that environmental factors play on neurological disease.
The Health Inequities and Disparities Program is a multidisciplinary group of faculty and students who are dedicated to advancing research efforts by conducting community-based participatory research; determining the impact of HIV, substance abuse and ethnicity on health outcomes and barriers in access to healthcare; and developing and testing culturally appropriate substance abuse and HIV prevention and treatment programs.
The Center for Research on U.S. Latino HIV/AIDS and Drug Abuse (CRUSADA) at FIU was established in 2003 in order to address the escalating twin epidemics of substance abuse and HIV/AIDS affecting Latino communities throughout South Florida. This pioneering nationally and internationally recognized Center currently houses grant awards from several of the prestigious institutes within the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
The Community-Based Research Institute (CBRI) at FIU is a multidisciplinary research center devoted to reducing risk behaviors and promoting health and wellness across the lifespan. With more than $50 million in extramural support from the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), Health Resources & Services Administration (HRSA) and other private foundations, the CBRI team is devoted to partnering with underserved communities in order to ensure the developmental, cultural, and linguistic appropriateness of our clinical and evaluation research.
Mario De La Rosa, Ph.D.
Director, Center for Research on U.S. Latino HIV/AIDS and Drug Abuse
Tomás R. Guilarte, Ph.D.
Dean, Robert Stempel College of Public Health and Social Work;Director, Brain Behavior & the Environment
Eric F. Wagner, Ph.D.
Director, Community-Based Research Institute, Principal Investigator, FIU-RCMI &
FIU BHWET-Pro
