The 12th Annual NIDA International Poster Session opened the 2019 annual conference of the Society for Prevention Research (SPR), held in San Francisco, California, May 28–31. SPR President Leslie D. Leve, Ph.D., University of Oregon, and NIDA International Program Director Steven W. Gust, Ph.D., welcomed presenters and participants. The posters highlighted drug and alcohol abuse prevention research conducted in international settings by international researchers, U.S. researchers, or binational research teams. NIDA provided travel awards to seven researchers: Maria Luisa Correa, Diego Barcia-Huidobro, and Viviana Muñoz of Chile; Marjo Flykt of Finland; former NIDA Humphrey fellow Rosie Myint of Burma (Myanmar); Carmen Orte of Spain; and former NIDA Humphrey fellow Rogers Kasirye of Uganda.
Before the poster session, researchers convened during the International Networking Forum chaired by SPR International Committee Chair John Toumbourou of Australia. Participants heard progress reports from committee workgroups focusing on communications, research collaboration, and outreach coordination. Small group discussions suggested action items focused on strategic planning to promote international collaboration and address emerging topics and challenges, cross-national translation of prevention interventions, mentoring and expanding the prevention science network, and disseminating ideas for public policy, practice, and research advancement. Dr. Gust briefed participants on NIDA’s research priorities and funding activities, including the newly expanded NIDA INVEST Prevention Drug Abuse Research Fellowship for postdoctoral researchers from any country. Speakers from other international organizations and governmental agencies represented the International Society of Substance Use Professionals, the United Nations Office of Drug Control, the U.S. Department of State, and the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism.