The Center for Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia University (CASA)
Research Assistant, Division of Policy and Research Analysis
Division of Policy and Research Analysis
The National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse (CASA) at Columbia University offers internship opportunities to students interested in public policy, law, medicine, public health, social work, and the social sciences who would like to learn more about research and public policy in the area of risky substance use and addiction.
CASA is a pro-active think tank whose missions are to inform the American people of the enormous economic and social costs of substance abuse and its impact on their lives; to find out and share what works in prevention and treatment; and to foster a sense of shared responsibility to prevent substance abuse and assure quality treatment.
CASA is seeking an individual to assist in the collection of new data; the review, analysis and documentation of existing literature pertaining to the impact of substance abuse and addiction on American institutions and populations; the identification of policy options; and the drafting of policy reports.
This position offers a student the opportunity to learn research skills from an experienced professional staff, to learn about the enormous public health problem of substance abuse and addiction; and to gain an understanding of the national, state and local policy making process through the lens of addiction policy.
Current CASA projects include: an examination of treatment for addictive disorders in the U.S.; an analysis of the culture of substance use among America's high school students; and, an examination of the addiction and cooccuring mental health problems of members of the military returning from the Iraq and Afghanistan fields of conflict.
Scope of Responsibilities: The student will be responsible for assisting the project research staff with various tasks related to policy research, including:
- Participate in developing literature reviews by researching, reading, summarizing and synthesizing relevant literature;
- Participate in researching strategies regarding prevention and recovery;
- Participate in designing surveys and interpreting the data;
- Assist in revising and updating project materials and other related tasks as needed;
- Assist in drafting sections of reports; and
- Participate in developing methods and mechanisms for translating CASA's research into practice.
Location: New York, NY
Qualifications: Class of 2011. You must be admitted to the Summer Internship Program to apply for this internship.
The candidate should have strong research and analytical capabilities, organizational skills, knowledge of Microsoft Office programs, excellent writing and communication skills, and an interest in substance abuse policies.
To Apply: Please submit a cover letter and a resume through Crusader Connections
Deadline: Wednesday, December 9, 2009 at 11:59 pm EST
Prior Interns:
Chelsea Hinchey '09
Melissa Rubes '08
Emily Toto '07
Elisabeth Henry '06
Beth Provencher '05
Christopher Edmonds '04
Lauren Evangelista '03
Marie Golden '02
Stipend: This internship carries a stipend from the Holy Cross Leadership Council of New York.
For more information, please visit http://www.casacolumbia.org/