iRT Researchers Utilize Their Expertise in the Facial Action Coding System
July 11, 2024, Durham, NC – Social-emotional skills are essential to the development of healthy social behavior. Being able to [...]
Promoting Safe Driving in Teens with Plan My Ride: Avoiding Distracted Driving
July 09, 2024, Durham, NC – iRT is dedicated to preventing distracted and impaired driving and helping drivers, prevention [...]
iRT’s Recent Research Examines How Sex Education Affects the Way College Students Think About Sex and Relationships
June 17, 2024, Durham, NC – Over the past few years, iRT researchers have been conducting the Community College Health [...]
Oklahoma Mentoring Programs Implement Mentoring Central’s Mentor Trainings
June 24, 2024, Durham, NC – iRT is excited to announce that it is collaborating with the Office of Juvenile [...]
Promoting Safe Driving in Teens with Plan My Ride: Signature Strategies
May 08, 2024, Durham, NC – iRT is dedicated to preventing distracted and impaired driving and helping drivers, prevention professionals, [...]
Plan My Ride Program Awarded for Innovative Design, Content, and Video Components
May 08, 2024, Durham, NC – iRT is pleased to announce that the Plan My Ride program has received a [...]
Teaching High School Students Research-Based Strategies to Cope with Stress and Reduce Risky Behaviors
May 08, 2024, Durham, NC – A recent meta-analysis found that adolescents are experiencing significantly higher levels of anxiety in [...]
iRT Researchers Discuss Sexual Health and Media Literacy Education at Fact Forward’s Adolescent Health Spring Summit
May 03, 2024, Durham, NC – iRT researchers presented at Fact Forward’s 2024 Adolescent Health Spring Summit last month to [...]
Promoting Safe Driving in Teens with Plan My Ride: Training Young Drivers on Driving Essentials
April 11, 2024, Durham, NC – April is National Distracted Driving Awareness Month, which provides an important opportunity to spread [...]
DigiKnowIt News is Expanded to Help Recruit Adolescents into Pediatric Clinical Trials
April 11, 2024, Durham, NC – iRT is pleased to announce the release of a new version of DigiKnowIt News. [...]
Recent Research Supporting STEM Mentoring for Traditionally Underrepresented Youth
March 27, 2024, Durham, NC - Recent research indicates that opportunities for students to explore their interests in science, technology, [...]
Customize Mentoring Trainings to Reflect Your Program
March 27, 2024, Durham, NC - When offering training to mentors, mentees, and parents/caregivers of mentees involved your mentoring program, [...]
New Version of Plan My Ride Available Now
March 13, 2024, Durham, NC – iRT is pleased to announce the release of a new version of the Plan [...]
The State of Substance Use Among Adolescents in the United States
March 06, 2024, Durham, NC – As decades of research has shown, trends in adolescent substance use in the [...]
iRT Research Scientist Presents on Innovative Solution to Preventing the Problem of Impaired Driving Among Young People
February 22, 2024, Durham, NC – iRT Research Scientist Dr. Rebecca Stelter presented at SAMHSA’s 20th Prevention Day gathering last [...]
Recent Research Findings on the Previous Sex Education Experiences of Community College Students
February 21, 2024, Durham, NC – Though community college students make up nearly half of all U.S. undergraduate students, they [...]
iRT President Presents at the 2024 National Mentoring Summit
February 13, 2024, Durham, NC – iRT President Dr. Janis Kupersmidt co-led a workshop at the 14th annual National Mentoring [...]
Offering Comprehensive Sex Education with Media Aware – High School
February 07, 2024, Durham, NC – To address the need for comprehensive sex education for adolescents in the United States, [...]
iRT to Present at the 2024 National Mentoring Summit
January 19, 2024, Durham, NC – iRT Research Scientists Drs. Janis Kupersmidt and Katie Stump will present at the 2024 [...]
iRT Welcomes New Research Intern
January 19, 2024, Durham, NC – iRT is pleased to welcome Abbey Collins to its team of skilled, world-renowned researchers [...]
Filling the Gaps in High School Sex Education in the United States
January 18, 2024, Durham, NC – Providing high-quality, comprehensive sex education to high school students is an important part of [...]
Addressing the Nationwide Addiction Crisis with Media Literacy Education, Mentoring, Mindfulness, and More
January 17, 2024, Durham, NC – The federal government and medical facilities across the United States have made substantial efforts [...]
iRT Research Scientist to Present at SAMHSA’s 20th Prevention Day Gathering
December 20, 2023, Durham, NC – iRT Research Scientist Dr. Rebecca Stelter will present at SAMHSA’s 20th Prevention Day gathering [...]
Use the Drugged Driving Essentials Training to Learn About and Prevent Drug-Impaired Driving
December 20, 2023, Durham, NC – Many drivers are aware of the dangers of and steps to prevent alcohol-impaired driving [...]
Online Training to Help Prevention Professionals Plan Drugged Driving Intervention Strategies
December 20, 2023, Durham, NC – Prevention professionals have vital responsibilities to plan and implement interventions to combat the risks [...]
Plan My Ride Receives a LearnX Award for Best Accessibility
December 20, 2023, Durham, NC – iRT is pleased to announce that it received the 2023 Diamond Award from LearnX® [...]
iRT Researchers Present Findings from iRT’s Sexual Health and Media Literacy Education Research
December 19, 2023, Durham, NC – iRT Research Scientists Drs. Christina Dodson and Reina Evans-Paulson presented at The Society for [...]
iRT Researcher Contributes to the Development of a Guide for Youth Seeking Mentoring Relationships
November 29, 2023, Durham, NC - iRT Research Scientist Dr. Rebecca Stelter joined a working group with other researchers from [...]
A Guide to Finding Evidence-Based and Research-Informed Training Programs for Mentoring
November 28, 2023, Durham, NC – Implementing high quality training is an integral step in the process of building and [...]
iRT Publishes Chapter in Media Literacy and Media Education Research Methods: A Handbook
November 17, 2023, Durham, NC – In an increasingly digital world, youth and adults are consistently exposed to a barrage [...]
A Guide to Finding Evidence-Based Programs for Substance Use Prevention
November 17, 2023, Durham, NC – Substance misuse can have many harmful effects on the health and daily lives of [...]
iRT to Present at The Society for the Scientific Study of Sexuality’s Annual Conference
October 31, 2023, Durham, NC – iRT Research Scientists Drs. Christina Dodson and Reina Evans-Paulson will present at the 2023 [...]
iRT Releases New Asset-Based, Goal-Oriented Activity Guide for Youth Mentors
October 25, 2023, Durham, NC – iRT is pleased to announce the release of Building Assets Together: A Guide [...]
iRT Design Services Helps Clients Bring Their Ideas to Life
October 23, 2023, Durham, NC – iRT Design Services, a division of iRT, is dedicated to helping others bring their [...]
Teaching High School Students to Build Networks of Support with the Connected Scholars Program
October 16, 2023, Durham, NC – Social capital, which is defined as the connections, relationships, and resources available to individuals, [...]
iRT Awarded Grant to Identify Characteristics of Effective Mentors of Children of Incarcerated Parents
October 10, 2023, Durham, NC – iRT is pleased to announce that it has received a grant from the National [...]
iRT Researchers Present on the Importance of Media Literacy Education-Based Sex Education Programs for the ECHO@edu Program
September 25, 2023, Durham, NC – Research has shown that comprehensive, inclusive, medically-accurate sex education can positively impact youth and [...]
iRT to Develop Virtual Reality Training for Law Enforcement to Detect Impaired Drivers
September 20, 2023, Durham, NC – Motor vehicle crashes are a leading cause of preventable death for both children and [...]
iRT Reflects on the 2023 National Prevention Network Conference
August 31, 2023, Durham, NC – iRT President Dr. Janis Kupersmidt and Research Scientist Dr. Rebecca Stelter represented Prevention Central, [...]
New Research Published on the Protective Influence of Critical Media Attitudes on Adolescent Sexual and Relationship Health
August 30, 2023, Durham, NC – As online pornography platforms become more accessible, adolescents are more regularly exposed to sexually [...]
The American Educational Research Journal Publishes the Results of an Evaluation of the Connected Scholars Program
August 24, 2023, Durham, NC – The college years are often a time of great change and new responsibilities, and [...]
New System Administrator Joins iRT’s Team
August 24, 2023, Durham, NC – iRT is pleased to welcome Dereka McNair to our team of passionate and skilled [...]
Interactive, Web-Based Training Course for STEM Mentors: Now Available!
August 24, 2023, Durham, NC – iRT is proud to announce the release of a new, multimedia, interactive, web-based training [...]
Trials Journal Publishes Study Protocol for an Evaluation of DigiKnowIt News: Teen
August 22, 2023, Durham, NC –Recruiting youth to participate in pediatric clinical trials can pose challenges for researchers. Many teens [...]
iRT Researchers to Present for the ECHO@edu: Campus Violence Prevention Program
July 19, 2023, Durham, NC – iRT Research Scientists Drs. Reina Evans-Paulson and Christina Dodson will lead an interactive Zoom [...]
iRT Research Scientist Contributes to the Development of a Guide for Youth Seeking Mentoring Relationships
July 17, 2023, Durham, NC – iRT Research Scientist Dr. Rebecca Stelter is a member of a working group with [...]
iRT to Lead Media Literacy Education Workshop at the National Prevention Network Conference
July 17, 2023, Durham, NC – iRT Senior Research Scientist Dr. Janis Kupersmidt will lead an interactive workshop at the [...]
iRT Seeks STEM Mentoring Programs for Participation in Study of Online STEM Mentor Training Program
June 23, 2023, Durham, NC – Researchers from Mentoring Central, a division of iRT, are seeking STEM mentoring programs to [...]
New Administrative Assistant Joins iRT’s Team
June 23, 2023, Durham, NC – iRT is pleased to announce that Jamila Howard has joined our team as an [...]
iRT to Develop Toolkit to Educate Parents About Pediatric Clinical Trials
June 15, 2023, Durham, NC – iRT is pleased to announce that it has been awarded a grant from the [...]
iRT Welcomes 2023 Summer Public Health Interns
May 24, 2023, Durham, NC – iRT welcomes two new public health summer interns to iRT’s team of world-renowned scientists [...]
iRT Researchers Lead a Session on Substance Misuse for Youth at the Teaming with Teens Event
May 22, 2023, Durham, NC – iRT Research Scientists Drs. Alison Parker, Allison Schmidt, and Rebecca Stelter presented at [...]
iRT Releases New Plan My Ride Base Package with Innocorp, ltd.
May 10, 2023, Durham, NC – iRT has released a new Base Package of Plan My Ride, currently being sold [...]
iRT Expands Its Team of Professionals
April 24, 2023, Durham, NC – iRT is pleased to announce the addition of Ellen Frost, Yulee Leon, Elizabeth Porter, [...]
iRT President to Present at the National Institute of Justice National Research Conference
April 24, 2023, Durham, NC – iRT President and Senior Research Scientist Dr. Janis Kupersmidt will be presenting at the [...]
iRT to Create New Mentor Training Course for STEM Mentoring Programs
April 03, 2023, Durham, NC – There are fewer and fewer youth pursuing careers in science, technology, engineering, and math [...]
iRT Publishes Research on Mentoring Program Practices to Support Children of Incarcerated Caregivers
April 03, 2023, Durham, NC – As rates of incarceration in the United States have steadily climbed for the past [...]
Unleash Your Mentoring Program’s Full Potential with the Mentoring Central Annual Membership
April 03, 2023, Durham, NC – Are you looking for training programs and evaluation resources to take your mentoring program [...]
Setting Mentees Up for Success: New Building the Foundation for Mentees Instructor-Led Workshop
April 03, 2023, Durham, NC – Building the Foundation for Mentees, iRT’s interactive, research-informed, highly positively reviewed eLearning course for [...]
Latest Edition of Media Ready Spanish Incorporates New Substance Misuse Prevention Content
March 16, 2023, Durham, NC – The fourth and newest edition of iRT’s evidence-based, instructor-led media literacy and substance misuse [...]
Mentoring Central Attends the 13th Annual National Mentoring Summit
February 23, 2023, Durham, NC – Dr. Janis Kupersmidt, Dr. Rebecca Stelter, and Elizabeth Porter represented Mentoring Central, a division [...]
iRT Contributes to the Development of a Disability Inclusion Guide for Mentoring Programs
February 7, 2023, Durham, NC – Youth with disabilities account for a significant portion of the mentees enrolled in mentoring [...]
Journal of Health Communication Publishes iRT’s New Research on Media Aware Parent
January 31, 2023, Durham, NC – Media Aware Parent, one of iRT’s self-paced, online prevention programs, is designed to equip [...]
New product! Building the Foundation for Mentees Virtual Toolkit: Demystifying Mentoring for Youth While Building Their Motivation and Skills to Safely and Fully Participate in a Mentoring Relationship
January 31, 2023, Durham, NC – Most mentees participating in a youth mentoring program are signed up to participate [...]
iRT Creates Virtual Reality Scenarios for Plan My Ride to Prevent Impaired and Distracted Driving
January 31, 2023, Durham, NC – iRT is dedicated to developing high quality, evidence-based programs for children, teens, and families [...]
iRT Collaborates on a Cultural Adaptation of a Parent-Child Communication Program
December 30, 2022, Durham, NC – Literature suggests that Latino parents, like other communities, lack confidence in their knowledge and [...]
iRT Researcher Contributes to Meta-Analysis of Studies on Adolescent Sexual Health
December 30, 2022, Durham, NC – iRT Research Scientist Dr. Reina Evans-Paulson is consulting on a grant awarded to North [...]
iRT Enhances Media Literacy Education and Substance Use Prevention Program for Children
December 30, 2022, Durham, NC – iRT is pleased to announce the third and newest edition of Media Detective Spanish, [...]
iRT Receives Grant for Development of a Parent Training Program to Improve Tween Health
November 30, 2022, Durham, NC – innovation Research & Training (iRT) is pleased to announce that it has been awarded [...]
iRT Scientists Present at the Society for the Scientific Study of Sexuality Conference
iRT scientists, Drs. Tracy Scull, Christina Dodson, and Reina Evans-Paulson, presented a symposium entitled, Promoting Adolescent Sexual Health In The [...]
iRT Awarded Grant for Development of a Parent-Focused Media Literacy Education Program for Adolescent Substance Use Prevention
September 2021, Durham, NC - innovation Research & Training (iRT) is honored to share that it has received a grant [...]
Building the Foundation for e-Mentoring Release
September 13, 2021, Durham, NC – After co-authoring “the book” on mentoring and committing themselves to empowering youth, researchers at [...]
iRT Publishes New Research on Parent-Gender Differences in Sexual Health Communication
July 14, 2021, Durham, NC- Decades of research point to parents having a major influence on their child’s sexual health. [...]
Calling North Carolina Teens Who Participated in Clinical Trials
Calling NC teens who have participated in clinical trials! Share your experiences with other teens to help them learn more [...]
Welcome Summer 2021 Graduate Student Interns
May 26, 2021, Durham, NC - innovation Research & Training welcomes two new graduate student interns this summer. The interns [...]
DigiKnowIt News for Increasing Youth Knowledge about and Confidence in Participating in a Clinical Trial
May 17, 2021, Durham, NC - Youth participation in clinical trials is a vital step to ensuring the safety of [...]
New Study from iRT Finds Web-Based Media Literacy Program an Effective Vehicle for High School Sex Ed
May 14, 2021, Durham, NC - Web-based media literacy education was found to be an effective way to promote sexual [...]
Dr. Stelter Appointed to the MENTOR NC Board of Directors
May 5, 2021, Durham, NC - innovation Research & Training is pleased to announce Dr. Rebecca Stelter’s appointment to the [...]
Dr. Scull Appointed to Center for Scientific Review Study Section
Durham, NC, May 2, 2021 – The National Institutes of Health (NIH) Center for Scientific Review (CSR) has selected Dr. [...]
Dr. Parker Appointed to NCFASD Informed Board of Directors
Durham, NC, March 25, 2021 - innovation Research & Training is ecstatic to announce Dr. Alison Parker’s appointment to the [...]
iRT’s New Online Youth Safety Programs for Remote Learning
Durham, NC, March 24, 2021 - The vast majority of colleges (96%) offer some portion of their education online [1] [...]
2021 Redesigned iRT Website Release
Durham, NC, March 17, 2021 - innovation, Research & Training (iRT) launched a new website for clients, prospects, and partners [...]
Dr. Stelter Presents at the 2021 Virtual National Mentoring Summit
Dr. Rebecca Stelter, a Research Scientist II at iRT, will be co-presenting at the virtual 2021 National Mentoring Summit https://www.mentoring.org/national-mentoring-summit/ [...]
iRT Awarded NIDILRR Grant to Expand Research on Novel, Web-based Intervention for Teens with 22q11.2 Deletion Syndrome
iRT is expanding research on adolescents with an intellectual and developmental disability (I/DD) with funding from the Administration for Community [...]
New iRT Parent-Child Communication Program Proven Effective
Media Aware Parent – iRT’s new program to help parents talk with their pre-teens and teens about sex, relationships, and media – is an effective way to bolster communication and healthy attitudes in teens, according to an article that was published in the Journal of Youth and Adolescence. Media Aware Parent is the latest program in iRT’s Media Aware series, which...
iRT’s Prevention Central Team Publishes Chapter on Sexual Socialization in the International Encyclopedia of Media Literacy
Media literacy education (MLE) is one of the primary strategies used by Prevention Central research teams at iRT to develop innovative, evidence-based programs. Prevention Central scientists are on the forefront of researching the influence of media on adolescents’ sexual attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors, and have found that MLE is an effective way to promote adolescent sexual health.
iRT Scientist Contributes to Chapter on Media Literacy and Smoking in the International Encyclopedia of Media Literacy
For more than a decade, scientists at iRT have conducted groundbreaking research on the impact of media literacy education for substance abuse prevention. Recently, Dr. Janis Kupersmidt, an expert on this topic, co-authored a chapter entitled “Media Literacy and Smoking” in the newly-published International Encyclopedia of Media Literacy. The encyclopedia – which is available...
iRT Partners with College Access for All
iRT has partnered with College Access for All, an initiative developed by NYC Schools and Mayor Bill de Blasio to ensure all students are engaged in a “college-ready” culture. Hundreds of schools participate in this initiative, which was designed to help students form a career and college plan upon graduation from high school. College Access for All provides several support services...
iRT Researchers Will Present At North Carolina Sexual Health Conference
Dr. Christina Malik, Elyse Keefe, and Abigail Morrison from Prevention Central (a division of innovation Research & Training) will be presenting at the SHIFT NC annual conference, Diving Below the Surface: Exploring the Depths of Adolescent Sexual Health, next week on Thursday, May 16, 2:00-3:15 p.m., in Greensboro, North Carolina. Sexual Health Initiatives for Teens (SHIFT) is a...
Prevention Central Shares Media Literacy Education Strategies In Public Webinar
Prevention Central –a division of innovation Research & Training—is committed to sharing its groundbreaking research and development work with the prevention field through conducting monthly webinars led by leading scientists in the field. In the first of these webinars, held in February of 2019, Senior Research Scientist Dr. Tracy Scull presented “Analyzing Media: A...
iRT Represents Prevention Central Suite At National Anti-Drug Forum
Representing a suite of prevention products hosted on the Prevention Central website (www.PreventionCentral.net), researchers from innovation Research & Training (iRT) attended the Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America (CADCA) National Leadership Forum in National Harbor, MD, from February 4th to 7th, 2019. Representing a suite of prevention products hosted on the Prevention Central...
IRT Study on Community College Sexual Health Published in Journal of American College Health
The Journal of American College Health has published a paper from researchers at iRT on the status of sexual health among community college students. The paper, “The Understudied Half of Undergraduates,” takes a look at the behaviors, attitudes, and experiences of more than 250 older adolescents attending community colleges from eight different campuses. Despite being considerably...
Journal of Health Communication Publishes iRT Study
iRT is pleased to announce that an evaluation of the Media Aware program has been published in the Journal of Health Communication. Media Aware (Sexual Health for Middle School) is a teacher-led program that uses media literacy education to help adolescents learn about a wide range of sexual and relationship health topics. In the published research study, Media Aware was compared to traditional...
iRT To Develop New Mindfulness Program For Youth With 22q11.2 Deletion Syndrome
iRT was awarded a grant from the National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research (NIDILRR) to develop an online mindfulness training program, specifically developed for use by adolescents with 22q11.2 deletion syndrome (22q11DS). iRT was awarded a grant from the National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research (NIDILRR) to develop...
iRT Awarded Grant for Further Development of a High School Media Literacy Education Program for Sexual Health Promotion
innovation Research & Training (iRT) is honored to announce that it has received a grant from the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health & Human Development (NICHD) to further develop and evaluate the Media Aware program. Media Aware is a comprehensive sexual health education program for high school students that uses a media literacy education...
iRT Senior Research Scientist to Conduct Training in Berlin on EEPM
Dr. Janis Kupersmidt, Senior Research Scientist, will be conducting a 2-day, in-person workshop in Berlin, Germany, on June 25 and 26, 2018, for the Netzwerk Berliner Kinderpatenschaften e.V. The purpose of the network is to provide training on how mentoring programs can assess and improve their youth mentoring program quality. Participants will learn about the program practice standards for...
iRT Researchers and Collaborators Share Research Findings at the Biennial Meeting of the Society for Research on Adolescence
Research Scientists at innovation Research and Training are continuously working on advancements in research pertaining to improving outcomes for children and adolescents. Some of iRT’s recent findings in the field of adolescent development were presented at the Society for Research on Adolescents (SRA) Biennial Meeting by Senior Research Scientist Dr. Janis Kupersmidt, along with iRT...
iRT Researchers to Present at the Society for Prevention Research (SPR) Annual Meeting 2018
Dr. Rebecca Stelter, Dr. Janis Kupersmidt, and Dr. Allison Schmidt from innovation Research & Training (iRT) travelled to Washington DC to attend the 2018 Annual Meeting of the Society for Prevention Research (SPR) and to present a poster titled, “Using the Strategic Prevention Framework to Prevent Drugged Driving.” SPR is an international organization of researchers dedicated to a...
Janis Kupersmidt, innovation Research & Training, innovation Research & Training Receives a William T. Grant Research Award
December 18, 2017 New York, NY--The William T. Grant Foundation is pleased to announce that Janis Kupersmidt, innovation Research & Training, Jean E. Rhodes, Dept. of Psychology, University of Massachusetts Boston, Sarah Schwartz, Dept. of Psychology, Suffolk University, and Renee Spencer, Dept. of Human Behavior, School of Social Work, Boston University, received a Research Award under the...
Dr. Kupersmidt to Meet with Enrollment and Match Support Specialists at Big Brothers Big Sisters of Moscow
November 14, 2017 - Dr. Janis Kupersmidt, President and Senior Research Scientist at iRT and Mentoring Central, met with mentoring program staff in Moscow at the office of Big Brothers Big Sisters. Dr. Kupersmidt presented findings from iRT’s research on their online mentee training program, Building the Foundation for Mentees, and online parent/guardian training, Building the Foundation for...
Dr. Kupersmidt to be a Keynote Speaker at Russia’s First International Mentoring Conference
November 13, 2017 - Dr. Janis Kupersmidt, President and Senior Research Scientist at iRT and Mentoring Central, will be the keynote speaker at Global Mentori , Russia's First International Mentoring Conference. The conference will take place November 13th-14th in Moscow. The theme of the... November 13, 2017 - Dr. Janis Kupersmidt, President and Senior Research Scientist at iRT and Mentoring...
Dr. Kupersmidt to Speak in the Netherlands about Latest Research News about Youth Mentoring
November 9, 2017 - Dr. Janis Kupersmidt, iRT’s and Mentoring Central’s President and Senior Research Scientist, and Eline Heppe, doctoral student at the Vrije Universiteit in Amsterdam, presented at the Center of Expertise Social Innovation, Rotterdam University of Applied Sciences, on “Increasing the Effectiveness of Mentoring by Enhancing Mentoring Program Practices...
Dr. Kupersmidt Meeting with Research Collaborators at the Vrije Universiteit in Amsterdam
November 8, 2017 – Dr. Janis Kupersmidt, President and Senior Research Scientist at iRT and Mentoring Central, met with her protégé and collaborator, Eline Heppe, doctoral student at the Vrije Universiteit (VU) in Amsterdam, to work on research projects related to mentoring adolescents and youth adults with visual impairment. Dr. Kupersmidt also had the honor of working with...
EEPM Adherence and High Quality Mentor Training Increase Match Length
Mentoring programs vary greatly in their adherence to the high quality safety- and research-based benchmark practices described in the Elements of Effective Practice for Mentoring (EEPM; published by MENTOR/National Mentoring Partnership). These benchmark program practices are designed as guidelines that enable mentoring programs to better prepare and support mentors, mentees, and mentee’s...
Innovation Research & Training (iRT) Participates in International Short Course on Mentoring
On October 4th and 5th, iRT Senior Research Scientist, Dr. Janis Kupersmidt, participated in the Short Course on Strengthening Mentoring Program Quality to Broaden Impact sponsored by The University of Massachusetts-Boston, MENTOR, the European Centers for Evidence-Based Mentoring, and Mass Mentoring. Dr. Kupersmidt gave a presentation entitled, “Increasing Youth Outcomes by Enhancing...
Innovation Research & Training Receives Funding From NICHD to Help Parents Have “The Talk” With Their Young Teens
Dr. Tracy Scull at Innovation Research & Training (IRT) was recently awarded a Phase II Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) award from the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) of the National Institutes of Health (NIH). The grant will fund the continued development of an interactive program for parents called Media Aware Parent. The goal...
Innovation Research & Training receives funding from NHLBI To Develop A Web-Based Resource about Participating in Pediatric Clinical Trials Designed for Youth
Dr. Alison Parker and Dr. Tracy Scull (Co-Principal Investigators) at Innovation Research & Training (IRT) were recently awarded a Phase II Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) contract from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) to develop an interactive, web application for youth, called DigiKnowit News, with the goal of increasing the rates of youth participation in...
Innovation Research & Training Awarded Grant To Develop A Web-Based Program to Promote Sexual Health in Teens
innovation Research & Training (iRT), a behavioral sciences research company, today announced its receipt of a Phase I Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) award from the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD). iRT researchers will use the grant to develop the Media Aware program, a web-based course for high school students designed to...
Providing Pre-Match Training to Mentees Leads to More Realistic Expectations
Mentoring programs understand that effectively training their mentors before they enter into a mentoring relationship is vital to producing positive outcomes for both the mentee and their mentoring relationship. Pre-match mentor training helps to establish higher quality and more enduring matches. However, mentoring programs might be overlooking an important opportunity to prevent possible...
How does someone decide to be aggressive? Findings reported at SRCD special topics conference from two studies on new multimedia, Web-based assessment software.
Drs. Janis Kupersmidt Rebecca Stelter, and Alison Parker from innovation Research & Training (iRT), presented a poster entitled, “SIP-AP: Web-based Assessment of Social information Processing in Children and Adolescents,” at the Society for Research in Child Development Special Topic Meeting: Technology and Media in Children’s Development on October 29, 2016...
Two IRT Scientists Presented at the Society for Research in Child Development (SRCD) Special Topic Meeting in Irvine, California
Durham, NC (October 28, 2016) - Drs. Rebecca Stelter and Janis Kupersmidt presented a poster, entitled “Addressing the Connectivity Challenge in Data Collection with Children and Families,” at the Society for Research in Child Development (SRCD) Special Topic Meeting: Technology and Media in Children’s Development in Irvine, California on October 28, 2016. The conference...
Careers Beyond Academia: Careers in Research for Humanities and Social Sciences Ph.D.’s
Alison Parker, PhD, a Research Scientist II at iRT, participated in a panel discussion at Duke University’ s Careers Beyond Academia series held for graduate students and postdoctoral fellows. Alison Parker, PhD, a Research Scientist II at iRT, participated in a panel discussion at Duke University’ s Careers Beyond Academia series held for graduate students and postdoctoral fellows...
Two IRT Scientists Attend Governors Highway Safety Association’s Risky Driving Behaviors Meeting
Durham, NC (September 1, 2015)—Two research scientists from innovation Research & Training (iRT)— a leading behavior science research organization—are attending the Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA) annual meeting, Drunk, Drugged & Distracted: Reaching High-Risk Drivers, hosted by the Tennessee Governor's Highway Safety Office...
Innovation Research & Training (iRT) Announces New Hires
(Durham, NC, July 1, 2015)—innovation Research & Training (iRT), a leading behavior science research company, today announced the addition of Jared Cooper, Maaike van Rest, and Ashley Webb to its growing team of professionals. For Immediate Release Innovation Research & Training (iRT) Announces New Hires Staff and business growth result in office expansion and...
Innovation Research & Training’s Staff Expansion and Business Growth Lead to Office Relocation
(Durham, NC, June 22, 2015)— Behavior science research organization innovation Research & Training (iRT) has relocated its Durham operation to bigger premises as part of an exciting period of expansion and development. (Durham, NC, June 22, 2015)— Behavior science research organization innovation Research & Training (iRT) has relocated its Durham operation to bigger premises as...
iRT Expands Team with Three New Hires
(Durham, NC, June 16, 2015)—innovation Research & Training (iRT), a leading behavior science research organization, today announced the addition of three new team members to its growing staff roster. Samantha Bender, Hannah McCormick, and Shiesha McNeil fill key support roles in the organization’s business and research arms. Over the coming months, iRT will look to steadily expand...
Innovation Research & Training Awarded NIDA Grant to Develop Drugged Driving Resources Website
DURHAM, NC (June 3, 2015)—innovation Research & Training (iRT), a leading behavior science research organization, today announced that it has been awarded a grant from the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) to develop a website to house resources on the growing public safety issue of drugged driving. DURHAM, NC (June 3, 2015)—innovation Research & Training ...
iRT Partners with UNC-Chapel Hill on Prestigious Internship Program
Durham, NC, April 13, 2015—innovation Research & Training (iRT), a behavioral sciences research company, today announced an alliance with the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill for a prestigious psychology internship program. Durham, NC, April 13, 2015—innovation Research & Training (iRT), a behavioral sciences research company, today announced an alliance...
iRT Develops Social Information Processing Assessment Videos for Girls
DURHAM, NC, November 18, 2014—innovation Research & Training (iRT), a behavioral sciences research company, today announced the development of 10 additional assessment videos for its Social Information Processing Application (SIP-AP). DURHAM, NC, November 18, 2014—innovation Research & Training (iRT), a behavioral sciences research company, today announced the...
iRT Scientists to Present Research Findings, Prevention Programs at National Prevention Conference
Durham, NC (September 12, 2014)—Scientists from innovation Research & Training (iRT) will be among researchers and practitioners presenting at the upcoming National Prevention Network annual research conference September 15-18 in Hartford, CT. Durham, NC (September 12, 2014)—Scientists from innovation Research & Training (IRT) will be among researchers and practitioners presenting at the...
iRT’s Media Literacy Research Makes Top 10 List of Education Journal’s Most Popular Pages
Durham, NC (September 10, 2014)—A research article written by scientists at innovation Research & Training (iRT) has been listed by The Journal of Media Literacy Education as one of the top 10 most popular pages viewed in its June issue. The Journal of Media Literacy Education is an online, open-access, peer-reviewed interdisciplinary journal that supports the development of research...
Innovation Training & Research Appoints New Research Scientist
Durham, NC (July 3, 2014)—innovation Research & Training (iRT)—a behavioral sciences research company—today announced that Dr. Susan Haws has joined the company as a research scientist to help further develop the company’s growing portfolio of prevention and treatment products and services. Susan brings a wealth of industry experience, having worked for more than...
Study Finds Media Literacy Education Effective for Teaching Adolescent Sexual Health
Durham, NC, June 12, 2014—Teaching middle-school students about sexual health using a media literacy education approach has been shown to increase adolescents’ intentions to make healthy decisions regarding their future sexual behavior. Durham, NC, June 12, 2014—Teaching middle-school students about sexual health using a media literacy education approach has been shown to...
iRT Receives NICHD Award to Develop Mindfulness Education Program
Durham, NC, June 10, 2014—innovation Research & Training (iRT), a behavioral sciences research company, today announced receipt of a Phase I Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) grant from the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) to create and evaluate a mindfulness-based coping program for high school students. iRT Receives NICHD Award to...
Family Media Project Seeks Elementary School Families for Program Evaluation
Durham, NC, May 22, 2014—Researchers at innovation Research & Training (iRT) are seeking families with third, fourth, and fifth grade students to take part in a study looking at media, alcohol, and tobacco. Durham, NC, May 22, 2014—Researchers at innovation Research & Training (iRT) are seeking families with third, fourth, and fifth grade students to take part in a study looking at media, alcohol...
Innovation Research & Training Awarded OJJDP Grant to Study Effects of Mentoring on At-Risk Youth
Durham, NC, May 2, 2014—innovation Research & Training (iRT)–a behavioral sciences research company, has been awarded nearly $500,000 to study factors associated with successful outcomes from mentoring of at-risk youth. Funded by the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP), the grant will allow iRT researchers to examine two main issues. iRT scientists will examine...
iRT President Presents at the Sapienza University of Rome
Dr. Janis Kupersmidt, president of innovation Research & Training (iRT), presented to the faculty and graduate students in the Department of Psychology at the Sapienza University of Rome on Thursday, April 3, 2014. Her presentation titled, “Media Literacy Education for Substance Abuse Prevention: Results of Three Efficacy Trials,” included an overview of using school-based media literacy...
iRT’s JMLE Paper on Media Aware—Sexual Health Published
In a paper published in the Journal of Media Literacy Education, innovation Research & Training (iRT) scientists Drs. Tracy Scull, Christina Malik, and Janis Kupersmidt report that a comprehensive, media literacy education program for influencing adolescents’ sexual health and media literacy outcomes has the potential for positively influencing sexual health decisions. The paper, "A Media Literacy...
iRT Partners with UMass Boston to Present Course on Mentoring Youth in the Age of Digital Media
iRT Partners with UMass Boston to Present Course on Mentoring Youth in the Age of Digital Media DURHAM, NC, January 27, 2014—Dr. Janis Kupersmidt, president of innovation Research and Training (iRT) has been selected to serve as a panelist for a short course on youth mentoring in the digital age. Developed by Dr. Jean Rhodes, director of the University of Massachusetts Boston...
4-H Substance Abuse Prevention Program Partners with Clinton City Schools Blazing Stars Program
The Sampson Weekly Week of January 17-23, 2014 Sampson County's 4-H Substance Abuse Prevention program along with Clinton City Schools Blazing Stars program have completed their first after-school education program, "Media Detectives." Sampson County's 4-H provides a 45-60 minute lesson on substance abuse prevention to 45 Butler Avenue School and Sunset Avenue School students. The Sampson...
Breaking down barriers
by Amanda Moss Richmond County Daily Journal HAMLET — Families joined their students at Fairview Heights Elementary School to work together and find the hidden meanings beneath the advertisements they see on a daily basis. The program is called Media Detective and it is a media literacy education program for students in grades three through five. The goal of the program is to prevent...
iRT seeking 3rd-5th grade teachers for research study
iRT is looking for teachers of 3rd-5th graders, their students and students’ families to study how to best engage families in educational programming. iRT is looking for teachers of 3rd-5th graders, their students and students’ families to study how to best engage families in educational programming. Teachers will receive training and materials to teach the evidence-based Media...
iRT receives a Phase II SBIR grant from the Eunice Kennedy Shriver NICHD
Dr. Tracy Scull and Dr. Janis Kupersmidt have received a Phase II SBIR grant from the Eunice Kennedy Shriver NICHD to continue the development of Media World Relationships. Dr. Tracy Scull (Principal Investigator) and Dr. Janis Kupersmidt (Co-Investigator) have received a Phase II SBIR grant from the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health & Human Development (NICHD) to...
iRT receives an R21 award from NIDA.
Dr. Tracy Scull and Dr. Janis Kupersmidt have received an R21 award from the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) to create a web-based media literacy education program to reduce risky sexual practices in community college students. Dr. Tracy Scull (Principal Investigator) and Dr. Janis Kupersmidt (Co-Investigator) have received an R21 award from the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) to...
iRT receives a Phase II SBIR contract from the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA)
Dr. Tracy Scull (Principal Investigator) and Dr. Janis Kupersmidt (Co-Investigator) have received a Phase II SBIR contract from the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) to continue the development of Media Detective Family (MDF), a web-based and tablet media literacy education program for families with elementary school-aged children. Dr. Tracy Scull (Principal Investigator) and Dr. Janis...
Dr. Scull presented to the North Carolina Collaborative for Children, Youth and Families
Dr. Tracy Scull presented a workshop on using media literacy education as a substance abuse prevention strategy at the North Carolina Collaborative for Children, Youth and Families on August 10, 2012, in Chapel Hill, NC. Dr. Tracy Scull presented a workshop on using media literacy education as a substance abuse prevention strategy at the North Carolina Collaborative for Children, Youth and...
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