Rutgers Center of Alcohol and Substance Use Studies (CAS)
11th Annual Scholar Poster Session
On April 29, 2026, the Rutgers Center of Alcohol and Substance Use Studies (CAS) welcomed students, faculty, staff, and community members to its 11th Annual Scholar Poster Session. The event served as a vibrant forum for sharing new ideas, highlighting student scholarship, and fostering collaboration across disciplines focused on alcohol and substance use, recovery, prevention, and public health.
Throughout the session, attendees engaged with a diverse range of posters that reflected both scientific depth and real-world relevance. Research spanned multiple approaches—from laboratory-based studies to community-focused projects—demonstrating the breadth of work underway across the center and its partners. Poster presentations were organized into six areas: animal and basic science research, clinical research, community engagement, data science and artificial intelligence, human experimental research, and public health/epidemiology. The event began with a keynote lecture by Dr. David Lydon-Staley, titled “Rethinking Curiosity in Substance Use: Data-Driven Insights from Dynamic Systems and Intensive Longitudinal Research.” In his presentation, Dr. Lydon-Staley invited attendees to consider curiosity as an important driver of behavior change. He discussed how curiosity shapes decision-making over time and highlighted how intensive, data-driven methods can deepen our understanding of substance use patterns. His remarks emphasized the potential for these insights to inform more effective prevention and intervention strategies, particularly in relation to tobacco and alcohol use. The poster session concluded with an awards luncheon, where Dr. Denise Hien offered closing remarks recognizing the dedication, creativity, and scholarly contributions of student researchers. She also acknowledged the critical role of mentorship in supporting the next generation of scholars in addiction and public health research.
CAS was proud to honor both undergraduate and graduate students whose work reflects excellence in research and strong potential for future contributions to the field.
2026 Poster Session Award Recipients
John A. Carpenter Award (Undergraduate)
The John A. Carpenter Award recognizes an outstanding undergraduate student whose work reflects excellence in scholarship. The award is named in honor of John A. Carpenter, a former professor and director of the Center who played an important role in its early history, including its transition from Yale to Rutgers.
This year’s recipient, Max Ostroff, was recognized for his poster, “Substance Use Treatment: Histories Among Asian American Adults.” His work, mentored by Tanya Saraiya and Sonali Singal, contributes to a growing understanding of treatment experiences within diverse communities.
Joseph M. Russell Award (Undergraduate)
The undergraduate Joseph M. Russell Award honors a student project focused on alcohol use prevention, treatment, or recovery support.
Dora Engler received this year’s award for her poster, “Examining the Impact of Social Interactions on Gene Expression in the Nucleus Accumbens Leading to AUD.” Guided by mentor Lei Yu, her research explores the biological pathways associated with alcohol use disorder, highlighting the intersection of social experience and neurobiology.
Joseph M. Russell Award (Graduate)
The graduate-level Joseph M. Russell Award recognizes outstanding scholarly contribution to research in alcohol use and related areas.
This year’s recipient, Luke Poole, presented “Alcohol Cue Reactivity and Inhibitory Control in Young Adults at Risk for AUD.” Mentored by Brandon Alderman and Marsha Bates, his work examines behavioral and cognitive processes that may contribute to risk for alcohol use disorder.
Leon A. Greenberg Memorial Award (Graduate)
The Leon A. Greenberg Memorial Award honors excellence in graduate research and recognizes strong promise as a future scientific investigator. The award commemorates Leon A. Greenberg, an influential researcher known for his work on the biological effects of alcohol and for his role in the Center’s history.
This year, the award was presented to Rhea Arya and Jiawen Zhao for their poster, “Parental Remission from Alcohol Use Disorder and Offspring Risk for Alcohol Use Disorder: A Sibling Comparison Analysis.” Under the mentorship of Jessica Salvatore, their research contributes to understanding intergenerational patterns of risk and recovery.
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To learn more about the event and view student work: