Duties: The intern’s primary responsibilities will be to assist with a variety of
projects, including substance abuse focused research and a public service
website project. Students can participate in one or more of the following
projects depending on the amount of time committed. No prior research
experience is required.
Public Service
Maryland Community Services Locator (MDCSL): Funded by the Governor’s Office of
Crime Control and Prevention, CESAR is working to develop and maintain its free online
service locator tool (www.mdcsl.org) that houses information for almost 9,000 social service,
health service and criminal justice programs statewide. Students can participate in conducting
telephone surveys with community providers, data maintenance and updates using Microsoft
Excel, and community outreach at resource fairs.
Research Projects
Community Drug Early Warning System (CDEWS): With funding from the Executive
Office of the President, Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP), CESAR is
conducting ongoing studies to assess trends in drug use in the United States. Expanded drug
testing panels are being used to screen existing urine specimens from individuals under drug
monitoring as part of the criminal justice system. Expanded drug testing of urine specimens
collected from individuals that have experienced a synthetic cannabinoid overdose and seek
care in emergency departments is also being conducted. Students can participate in analysis
and report preparation as part of this study.
National Drug Early Warning System (NDEWS): Funded by the National Institute on
Drug Abuse (NIDA), the NDEWS project is an innovative public health surveillance system
designed to identify new drugs and drug trends as they emerge. The project will focus on new
drugs, such as new psychoactive substances, synthetic cannabinoids, and changes in the use
of other more traditional drugs such as fentanyl and heroin. Students may be involved with
NDEWS in several ways, including assisting with news scans, website updates, analysis of
social media scans and data collection and analysis.
Spread the Word Not the Virus Project: With funding from the Substance Abuse and
Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), CESAR works in collaboration with
Bowie State University (BSU) to increase the awareness of HIV and Hepatitis C among high
risk populations in Bowie, Maryland. Trained peer educators conduct HIV and Hepatitis C
education and prevention workshops on the BSU campus and in the greater Bowie
community. CESAR is responsible for data analysis of surveys administered at workshops
and conducting a 30-day follow-up study to assess participant behavior change. Students may
be involved with the project in various ways, including data entry, checking, and analysis,
and follow-up study administration.
The Intersection of HIV Risk Behavior and Violent Victimization among Black Male
Victims of Violent Injury: This study involves ethnographic interviews with African
American males who have sustained violent injury (gunshot wound, stabbing, or violent
assault) to examine the hypothesis that those who experience violent victimization may
engage in HIV risk behaviors. Students can participate by transcribing and coding
ethnographic qualitative interviews with African-American male victims of violent injury.
Qualifications: GPA Requirement: 3.0 minimum. No prior research experience is required. This
candidate must have strong attention to detail, as well as excellent written and verbal
communication skills.
Preferred skills (not required): interest in epidemiology/public health research, substance abuse,
knowledge of Microsoft Excel/Access, SPSS, experience working with community service
providers.
Hours: 10 hours/week minimum. Ability to commit a greater number of hours is a plus!
Preference will be given to candidates that are interested in working with CESAR for more than
one semester.
Compensation: Internship open to undergraduate and graduate students. May be used to earn
BSOS, HLTH, or CRIM internship credit (3-6 credits). These credits may be
used to fulfill elective credit requirements. Paid opportunities may also be
available.
To Apply: Please submit by email a cover letter, resume, and unofficial transcript to:
Amy Billing
Center for Substance Abuse Research (CESAR)
University of Maryland, College Park
301-405-9796
billing@umd.edu
Please indicate the approximate number of hours per week you are interested in working. If you
are applying as part of a formal internship program on campus, please indicate this as well.
Application Deadline: Open until filled. We encourage applicants to submit applications by
COB Friday, 7/7/17.
