Interdisciplinary Research Collaborative

About the Collaborative

The Eberly College of Arts and Sciences' Interdisciplinary Research Collaborative for a Safe and Healthy Society has a mission to advance the land grant mission of West Virginia University and the Eberly College by addressing challenging conditions faced by society in the state and region. Its aims are:

1. Fully utilize the resources and expertise of the faculty, students and staff across WVU who have worked in communities in the state and region to address three substantive areas:
1. Substance use prevention and treatment, drug policy and national trends of drug use and distribution.
2. Social determinants of health, health/health care policy and medical sociology.
3. Crime and its effects on communities and families, crime prevention and policy.
2. Bring together an initial group of faculty associates who are committed to collaboration.
3. Build an infrastructure which can support and sustain ongoing research efforts to:
1. Establish a team of Eberly College faculty who have relevant substantive and methodological expertise to address the need for an evidence base for interventions and strategies to address societal needs relative to safety and health.
2. Engage graduate and undergraduate students in all Eberly College departments, schools and programs in this research with aims of developing interdisciplinary research competencies.
3. Build a broad base of research evidence to be disseminated locally and nationally.
4. Provide data and research findings that are accessible and relevant to the needs of local communities and state and federal agencies.