Ijeoma Opara
Biography
Research & Publications
News
Appointments
Biography
Dr. Ijeoma Opara is a tenure track Assistant Professor in the Department of Social & Behavioral Sciences at the School of Public Health. She is also the founder and director of the Substance Abuse & Sexual Health Lab (www.oparalab.org). Her research interests focus on HIV/AIDS, STI, and substance use prevention for urban youth, racial and gender specific prevention interventions for Black girls, and community-based participatory research with urban youth. Dr. Opara has received many awards for her work in prevention research from the American Public Health Association, National Council on Family Relations, and AcademyHealth. Most recently, Dr. Opara was named the 2020 recipient of the NIH Director's Early Independence Award, which funds her 5-year community-based study on youth substance use, mental health outcomes, and neighborhoods in Paterson, New Jersey. The Early Independence Award is given to junior scientists through the High Risk-High Reward program, whom who have demonstrated exceptional ability to engage in independent research.
Dr. Opara's teaching experiences includes her former appointment as an Assistant Professor at Stony Brook University School of Social Welfare from 2019-2021, where she taught graduate-level child and family social work practice courses. She also worked as an adjunct professor at Columbia University School of Social Work teaching a graduate level adolescent development course and at Rutgers University Bloustein School of Planning & Social Policy where she taught an undergraduate social justice in public health course.
Dr. Opara received her PhD in Family Science & Human Development at Montclair State University, a Master of Social Work from New York University (with a specialization in Primary & Behavioral Health Integrated Care), a Master of Public Health in Epidemiology from New York Medical College, and a Bachelors of Arts in Psychology from New Jersey City University. During her doctoral studies, Dr. Opara received an external pre-doctoral fellowship from the Behavioral Sciences Training on Drug Abuse Research housed at New York University funded by the National Institute on Drug Abuse which funded her dissertation research and doctoral training.
Education & Training
- NIDA T-32 funded pre-doctoral fellowNew York University (2019)
- PhDMontclair State University, Family Science & Human Development (2019)
- MSWNew York University (2014)
- MPHNew York Medical College, Epidemiology (2011)
- BANew Jersey City University, Psychology (2009)
Honors & Recognition
Award | Awarding Organization | Date |
---|---|---|
Distinguished Student Mentoring Award | Yale School of Public Health | 2022 |
NIH Loan Repayment Program | National Institute on Drug Abuse, Health Disparities Research | 2021 |
NIH Director's Early Independence Award | National Institutes of Health, Office of the Director, Common Fund | 2020 |
John D. Slade, MD Memorial Advocacy Award | American Public Health Association (APHA), Alcohol, Tobacco, and Other Drugs (ATOD) section | 2019 |
Community Mobilizer of The Year | Paterson Coalition Against Substance Abuse, Montclair State University | 2019 |
Outstanding Student Poster Award on Drug Use Prevention | American Public Health Association (APHA), Alcohol, Tobacco, and other drugs (ATOD) section | 2018 |
John L. and Harriette P. McAdoo Dissertation Award | National Council on Family Relations | 2018 |
New Writers Initiative Fellowship | Family Process | 2017 |
Top 100 Women Ending the HIV Epidemic | POZ Magazine | 2017 |
Population Health Scholar | AcademyHealth | 2017 |