"Although this brilliant young woman developed a tool with many universal applications, our judges recognized a provocative strategy that could one day help us better understand how the built environment relates to patterns of drug abuse," said Dr. Volkow. "This approach nicely mirrors the multidimensionality of the many factors known to influence the risk and consequences of drug abuse in our communities."

The non-profit organization, Friends of NIDA, partnered with NIDA to sponsor the award as part of its ongoing support of NIDA research into the causes, consequences, and treatment of drug abuse and addiction. "We are thrilled to be a part of this incredible scientific competition," said Dr. William Dewey, professor and interim chairman, Virginia Commonwealth University and founder and president of the Friends of NIDA. "We are hoping this year's winners will seriously consider a career in the growing field of addiction science, and become an active part of the solution to the societal and individual devastation of drug abuse and addiction."

This year, nearly 1,500 students from more than 50 countries participated in the ISEF competition at the Reno Sparks Convention Center, which is coordinated by the Society for Science and the Public. Winners of the Addiction Science Award received cash awards provided by Friends of NIDA in a ceremony Thursday night, with a $2,500 scholarship for the first-place honoree.

The nonprofit organization Society for Science and the Public partners with Intel - along with dozens of other corporate, academic, government and science-focused sponsors - to provide support and awards for the Intel ISEF each year. NIDA has developed a special section on its Web site, which includes other resources on addiction science, to help science fair entrants understand the criteria for the awards: nida.nih/sciencefair.

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