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SDSU-UCSD Joint Doctoral Program in Interdisciplinary Research on Substance Use, San Diego, California

JDP Ph.D. Program in San Diego, Southern California,

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SDSUUniversity of California, San Diego

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María Luisa Zúñiga

María Luisa Zúñiga
María Luisa Zúñiga

Co-Director, Joint Doctoral Program in Interdisciplinary Research on Substance Use
Professor, SDSU School of Social Work

Phone: (619) 594-6859
Office: HH 203D
Email: mlzuniga@sdsu.edu

Download CV (pdf)

Education

  • PhD (Public Health/Epidemiology), UC San Diego/SDSU, 1999
  • MA (Pacific International Affairs/Public Policy), UC San Diego, 1992
  • BA (Biology and Health Sciences), 1987

Scholarly Areas

Access to care, migration and health, substance use and mental health, HIV prevention, medication adherence, transnational research

Biography

Dr. Zúñiga is a Professor in the School of Social Work at San Diego State University (SDSU) and Associate Adjunct Professor in the Division of Global Public Health and Department of Pediatrics, UC San Diego (UCSD). She serves as the Campus Director of the SDSU-UCSD Joint Doctoral Program in Interdisciplinary Research on Substance Use.

Dr. Zúñiga is an epidemiologist who conducts transnational and Community-Based Participatory Research to study the intersection of alcohol and drug use, mental health, TB/HIV and sexual risk behaviors in order to reduce problems that contribute to poor health.  She has worked extensively with communities in the U.S.-Mexico border region as well as Mexican transnational and domestic migrants and their families in Mexico. Her ongoing research is designed to understand and improve health care engagement, patient and clinician communication, and care continuity among Latinos, including persons living with HIV and/or Tuberculosis, and persons impacted by substance abuse. Dr. Zúñiga is currently developing new interdisciplinary collaborations in HIV/TB/Substance use research with colleagues in the US and Brazil.

Dr. Zúñiga Presents at SDSU Discovery Slams, February 22, 2017

Student Testimonials

“This joint doctoral program has been an incredibly rewarding and invaluable experience for me. The mentorship I gained through the program has been incomparable and I have grown so much as a researcher. I feel so lucky to have been immersed in a variety of topics related to substance use research (e.g., pharmacology, drug policy, and theoretical approaches to substance use) and to have been trained in a wide array of research methods and techniques (e.g., qualitative research, mixed methods research, longitudinal analyses, and scale development). Ultimately, I feel like I’ve been supported at every step of this program, that I’ve gained the skills necessary for my forthcoming postdoctoral scholar position, and made connections with fellow substance use researchers that I’ll have for the rest of my career!”

– Stephanie Meyers
IRSU Graduate, 2020

“The IRSU program’s interdisciplinary and collaborative approach offered me opportunities to learn from distinguished faculty in the fields of public health, psychiatry, social work, and global health. Core courses in research methods, policy, multivariate data analysis, and pharmacology provided me with a rich understanding of how to design and conduct research on substance use. The program also enabled me to tailor my elective courses to further explore my interests in genetic epidemiology and neurodevelopment. I am incredibly thankful for the immense support from faculty mentors who supported me to develop my dissertation on the biological and social impact of maternal substance use on maternal morbidity.”

– Natasia S. Courchesne
IRSU Graduate, 2020

“The program has definitely elevated my ability to design and evaluate research and programs and significantly improved my grant writing and leadership skills. With my training I am able to understand how to select, implement and evaluate evidence informed interventions for substance use in special populations (e.g. women and youth with HIV). What has been most invaluable is the relationships and connections the program has led to.”

– Nicole Pepper
JDP IRSU( 2015 Cohort)

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NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL SUBSTANCE USE ORGANIZATION RESOURCES

World Health Organization
International Drug Policy Consortium
United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime

additional organizations >>

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international overdose awareness day

Announcements


Final Dissertation Defense of Charles Marks – 6/1/2021
TITLE OF DISSERTATION: Addressing Cigarette-Related Health Inequities Through a Trauma-Informed Lens
DATE OF DEFENSE: June 23rd, 2021
TIME OF DEFENSE: 10:00 AM Pacific
LOCATION OF DEFENSE: Zoom


The Global Public Health HIV & Substance Use Research Seminar – Garland Gerber – 6/3/2021
TOPIC: Exploring legal professionals’ understanding of substance use disorder: preliminary findings and future directions
DATE:
 June 3rd, 2021
TIME:
 2:00-3:00pm
LOCATION: Zoom Meeting


View All Announcements >>

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SDSU School of Social Work

Contact Us!

SDSU-UCSD Joint Doctoral Program in Interdisciplinary Research on Substance Use
5500 Campanile Drive
San Diego, CA 92123-4119

phdresearchsubstanceuse@sdsu.edu
Twitter: @JDP_SubsUse

UCSD Division of Global Public Health

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