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Postdoctoral Fellowship in Tobacco Regulatory Science Research at the University of Oklahoma

News Date: Tuesday, May 21, 2019 - 11:45

The Oklahoma Tobacco Research Center (OTRC) of the Stephenson Cancer Center at the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center in Oklahoma City announces a post-doctoral fellowship opportunity (1-3 year appointments) for a fellow who aspires to become an independent academic researcher in the areas of tobacco regulatory science research, tobacco health communication, tobacco use/cessation, and/or health disparities and comorbidities research. The fellow will be encouraged to develop new research in related areas and will have the opportunity to be involved in ongoing NIH/FDA-funded clinical trials on tobacco use, as well as secondary analysis of completed NIH/FDA studies.
 
The fellow will work primarily with Dr. Amy Cohn and her team to conduct laboratory, experimental, and/or epidemiological research in areas relevant to tobacco regulatory science and tobacco prevention in at-risk and vulnerable populations, including youth, young adults, and smokers with mental health and substance use comorbidities. Dr. Cohn’s current NIH-funded research focuses on understanding young adult appeal for flavored tobacco products, including menthol cigarettes, as well as the co-use of tobacco with alcohol and marijuana. This research aims to inform FDA tobacco product regulation and policies, as well as identify targets for modification in prevention and intervention efforts. Dr. Cohn’s research uses a variety of methodological approaches, including ecological momentary assessment, secondary analysis of large population-based surveys, laboratory smoking topography studies, behavioral economic paradigms, and computer-based experimental tasks. Other ongoing research will develop and evaluate tobacco and marijuana use health risk messages, and improving smoking cessation programs for smokers with mental health and substance use comorbidities. The fellow will have access to training and research opportunities as part of the OU PRIME (Psychological Research on Information and Media Effects) Lab in the Center for Applied Social Research at the University of Oklahoma Gaylord College of Journalism and Mass Communication, and the Tobacco Treatment Research Program (TTRP) at OTRC. The OU Prime Lab is specifically designed to conduct cutting-edge research on how individuals cognitively and emotionally process media and health communication messages, including anti-tobacco messaging (https://ou-primelab.oucreate.com/lab/). The TTRP offers free tobacco cessation counseling and pharmacotherapy to adults from campus and the community. For more information, please visit the OTRC website: (http://otrc.stephensoncancercenter.org/home.aspx).
 
The fellow will be highly involved in manuscript preparation using data from completed and ongoing studies, as well as existing population-based datasets. Fellows will also take part in the formal OTRC training program, which includes coursework and seminars that provide training in grant writing and preparation, conducting laboratory research, tobacco-related research methods, and advanced statistical techniques.
 
Qualifications include a doctoral degree in social/behavioral sciences, public health, psychology, or other relevant area. Excellent writing and analytic skills required. Experience with tobacco research, experimental methods, and quantitative methods are preferred. Applicants with interest in health disparities (including co-occurring substance use), health communication, and/or tobacco product marketing (i.e., advertising, labeling, and/or packaging characteristics) encouraged to apply. Salary and benefits are excellent. In addition, fellows will have access to funds to conduct research, and attend external trainings and conferences.
 
Interested candidates should send a cover letter, curriculum vitae, statement of research interests, and 3 letters of reference to: Dr. Amy Cohn c/o Mr. Derek Matthesen at Derek-Matthesen@ouhsc.edu and include “Cohn” in the subject line.
 
Oklahoma City is the anchor of a rapidly growing, multicultural metropolitan area with a population of 1.3 million, over 300 days of sunshine annually, very affordable cost of living, excellent schools and a wide array of cultural amenities. Applications will be reviewed as they are received. The University of Oklahoma is an EO/AA Institution http://www.ou.edu/eoo/. Individuals with disabilities and protected veterans are encouraged to apply.

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