Dr. Mezuk, who won the 2014 Barry Lebowitz Early Career Scientist Award from the American Association for Geriatric Psychiatry, with Dr. Lebowitz himself! Dr. Lebowitz and Dr. Mezuk were participating in the Advanced Research Institute in Geriatric Mental Health in Phoenix, Arizona in early April.

Dr. Mezuk was presented with the Barry Lebowitz Early Career Scientist Award during the opening plenary at the Annual Meeting of the American Association for Geriatric Psychiatry. The award honors the best original research paper submitted by an early career scientist. Dr. Mezuk’s award-winning paper, “Comorbidity between major depression and type 2 diabetes in mid-life: Exploring causal effects using a twin design” was also featured in the Research Awards Paper Session.

Dr. Mezuk and Matthew Lohman won the “Best Early Investigator Poster” for their poster titled, “Suicide in long-term care and assisted-living facilities from 2003-2011.”

National Public Radio’s Community Idea Stations featured Dr. Mezuk and Arden Moscati’s research on the link between religion and substance use and abuse. To listen to Dr. Mezuk’s interview with Idea Stations’ reporter, John Ogle, click here.

The VCU Center on Society and Health Blog featured Dr. Mezuk’s research on the impact of high school debate participation on academic achievement, specifically college attendance and graduation. This research on debate participation began while Dr. Mezuk was a fellow with the Robert Wood Johnson Health and Society Scholars Program at the University of Michigan. To read the full blog post by Jill Hellman, click here.

VCU’s “Across the Spectrum: Showcasing the scope of research at Virginia Commonwealth University” features Dr. Mezuk and graduate student, Arden Moscati. Their collaborative study examines the role of religious devotion in substance use and abuse. To read the story by Frances Dumenci, click here.

Dr. Mezuk and Dr. Concha will present on Diabetes and Stress at the VCU Community Health Education Center on February 5, 2014, from noon to 1 p.m. The Community Health Education Center is located on the ground floor of the Medical Center Gateway Building. Light refreshments will be provided. Space is limited and registration is required. For more information or to register, click here.

The American Association for Geriatric Psychiatry Awards review committee for the Barry Lebowitz Early Career Scientist Award has selected Dr. Mezuk’s research paper, “Comorbidity between major depression and type 2 diabetes in mid-life: Exploring causal effects using a twin design,” as the best original work submitted by an early career scientist.

Dr. Mezuk will be presented with the award at the Opening Plenary and Awards Session at the AAGP 2014 Annual Meeting in Orlando, Florida on March 14th. Dr. Mezuk has also been asked to present her paper at the Research Awards Session at the Annual Meeting.

Congratulations, Dr. Mezuk!

Newswise — The American Journal of Public Health, for the first time, will explore the link between social sciences and genetics in its October supplemental issue. Through new research, editorials and commentaries, the issue highlights the impact of investigating this field in public health. Dr. Mezuk’s twin research is featured. To read the announcement, click here. Credentialed members of APHA will have access to the full article, published in the journal.