Dr. Ijeoma Opara, PhD, MPH, associate professor of public health and director of the Substances and Sexual Health (SASH) Lab at the Yale School of Public Health, has received a Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers (PECASE). The award recognizes the impact of Dr. Opara’s work in community-based participatory research.
Dr. Opara is among 400 scientists who received the prestigious award from former President Joseph Biden in January. The PECASE is the highest honor bestowed by the U.S. government on outstanding early-career scientists and engineers who are federally funded.
The PECASE award recognizes Dr. Opara’s community-based approach to youth mental health and substance use prevention — recognition that she hopes will inspire others to co-create solutions with community members who are most impacted by the burden of substance abuse.
“I come from the same urban communities that I work with and see myself in the youth we work with,” Dr. Opara said. “I hope when people learn my story they, too, will not be afraid to follow their passions and pursue meaningful work that can change lives.”
To be among these exceptional scientists who received the PECASE is literally a dream.
Dr. Opara’s research is devoted to creating programs to prevent substance use and sexually transmitted infections, including HIV/AIDS, in urban youth of color, with a secondary focus on developing race- and gender-specific interventions for Black girls. By fostering cultural pride in their communities and families, she strives to empower urban youth, and Black girls especially, to feel like they have support and, ultimately, more control over their health outcomes. She also engages communities, like Paterson, New Jersey, where most of her community-based work is conducted, by training youth and community members in research activities to make sure the work reflects their actual needs, experiences, and ideas.
Dr. Trace Kershaw, PhD, Department Chair and Susan Dwight Bliss Professor of Public Health (Social and Behavioral Sciences) at YSPH, noted that the tremendous honor of being awarded the PECASE demonstrates the importance of Dr. Opara’s work. “Her research is so impactful because it integrates innovative ideas and methodological rigor with a real grounding in the communities that she serves,” Kershaw said.
Dr. Opara was nominated by the National Institutes of Health through the program officer of the NIH Director’s Early Independence Award, Dr. Becky Miller, PhD.
“To be among these exceptional scientists who received the PECASE is literally a dream,” said Dr. Opara. “I have so much gratitude to the NIH for believing in me and investing in me and my research, and to the White House for bestowing this incredible honor. To think that my work, which focuses on urban communities, would be recognized this way is truly one of the biggest accomplishments of my career.”
Dr. Opara was born and raised in Jersey City, New Jersey, to Nigerian immigrant parents, and credits the sacrifices of her parents, who both died at early ages, to her success. She is one of six Nigerian Americans to receive a PECASE this year. The group was lauded for their achievement by Nigerian President Bola Tinubu who noted that recognizing the talents of the awardees underscored Nigerians’ vast potential to excel both at home and on the global stage. Other Nigerian dignitaries such as former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and Former Governor and Presidential Candidate Peter Obi also congratulated Opara and the other Nigerian American PECASE winners.
“While the United States of America, particularly New Jersey, will always be seen as my home because I was born and raised there, and much of my development was formed in New Jersey, I’m honored to be recognized and to be among the six Nigerian Americans who won this award” Dr. Opara said.
The PECASE recognizes innovative and far-reaching developments in science and technology, expands awareness of careers in science and engineering, and highlights the importance of science and technology for the nation’s future. All recipients are employed or funded by 14 participating United States government agencies.