About the Workshops

Every day scientists are making remarkable new discoveries about the ways addictive drugs affect the brain. Every day substance abuse and drug addiction pervade the news. Journalists need the latest scientific knowledge to write their best stories.

The Addiction Studies Program for Journalists is designed to give journalists the latest scientific information about addiction. The program conducts workshops not only to transmit this information but also to build relationships between journalists and addiction scientists.

The two-day workshops employ an interactive, problem-based format that engages the skills and knowledge of working journalists. Participants will have ample time to interact with program faculty -- internationally known scientists, teachers of journalism, award-winning journalists from the print and broadcast media, and others who have made important contributions to the drug-abuse field. Faculty are drawn from Wake Forest University, Harvard University, Emory University, Columbia University, Duke University, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and other research institutions.

Who Should Attend?

• Journalists who want to give an extra edge to their stories and set themselves apart from competitors
  
• Journalists who want to understand why addicts can't stop using drugs
  
• Journalists looking for new approaches to stories
  
• Journalists seeking information about how drugs change the brain and change behavior

What Will the Workshop Offer?

• An intensive introduction to the scientific basis of addiction, including neurobiology, neuropharmacology, genetics, and drug treatment
  
• Information about the latest advances in the field of drug-abuse research
  
• Story ideas -- both short-term and long-term
  
• Ways to deal with the constant flow of information -- and misinformation -- about drug abuse and addiction
  
• Ways to better convey accurate information so readers or viewers can make better decisions about drug policy
  
• A bank of resources for future reference via the Program's Internet resource center. The center will include reviews of important scientific papers, demographic and epidemiological data, and valuable links to other reliable sources of information. It also includes a password?accessible area that contains a list of scientists who can serve as expert sources, as well as a discussion forum for journalists and scientists