Rutgers Addiction Research Center - Annual Fall Symposium During National Recovery Month

Yes, we're halfway through September, and I'm finally writing a blog about National Recovery Month. But it’s not that I forgot. I’ve been deeply immersed in symposiums and fully engaged with the recovery community, which has kept me busy and inspired.

Let me share some highlights from the past two weeks:

It all kicked off with the Rutgers Addiction Research Center's (RARC) annual fall symposium at the Rutgers Busch Campus in Piscataway, NJ. Danielle Dick, the Director of RARC, opened the event with a warm welcome to the third annual symposium. The first presentation was an eye-opener: Will Psychedelics Save Us? Thoughts From Two Psychedelic Scholars, by Caroline Dorsen, Associate Dean of Clinical Partnerships, School of Nursing, and Joanna Kempner, Associate Professor in the Department of Sociology.

Danielle Dick, Director, Rutgers Addiction Research Center Welcomes Attendees

The morning was packed with scientific research, including presentations on A Better Understanding of Youth Substance Use and Developing a Targeted Pharmacotherapy for Pain Without Abuse, a response to the Big Pharma opioid crisis. As a Rutgers alumna, I felt especially proud of my alma mater, and as someone in recovery, I was deeply moved by the cutting-edge research being done in addiction.

I've lost many friends to addiction and alcoholism, which made the work being presented hit home.

Danielle and I meeting up at lunch.

During lunch, attendees were invited to sit at breakout tables focused on various topics, ranging from Community Engaged Research to Addiction Treatment Research at Rutgers, along with discussions on Cannabis and the commercialization of research.

Having already absorbed a lot from the Addiction Treatment Researchers, I joined the group discussing Community Engaged Research. Glancing around, I noticed most tables were filled with rather conservative scientists and educators, but our table was different. It had a diverse group of people, all with one commonality—we were all addicts or alcoholics in recovery.

Once again, I had intuitively found my people!

“A lot of these researchers are in ivory towers,” someone remarked, and I noticed heads nodding around the table, including my own. Throughout the morning, I had been wondering if any of these scientists had ever been to a 12-step meeting or truly connected with the people they were researching. At our table was Dr. Peggy Swarbrick, Professor at the Rutgers Center of Alcohol and Substance Use Studies, who is deeply involved in the community. She has even authored a guidebook, Journey to Wellness, to help those dealing with chronic stress, trauma, or addiction.

Peggy Swarbrick, Professor, Rutgers Center of Alcohol and Substance Use Studies, GSAPP; Scarlet Well Director, Rutgers New Brunswick

Later that afternoon, Peggy and her team presented on community outreach—Co-Production and Community-Based Participatory Approaches in Addiction Research. Though I was tired and knew we were headed straight into New Jersey rush hour, I made sure to stay. Apparently, the concerns we discussed over lunch resonated with the broader audience. After the presentation, Danielle asked if there were any questions. Dozens of hands shot up, and one research scientist after another echoed the same inquiry: "How do we connect with the community?"

Bravo to the researchers! Engaging from the ground up, instead of from the top down, is such a crucial way to understand what people really need. It's about connecting with real people—not just theories or data points.

The ivory walls are starting to crumble.

And that’s a good thing.