Many story ideas will result from participation in the institute, Friedman predicted. Participants will be able to spend individual time with top scientists in the field from Wake Forest and other institutions. Core faculty includes internationally known researchers and authors on the science of drug action and drug abuse, and award-winning journalists. Wake Forest's research programs include the Center for the Neurobiological Investigation of Drug Abuse, the Center for Neurobehavioral Study of Alcohol and the Robert Wood Johnson Substance Abuse Policy Research Program. One thing we hope to achieve through such a collaboration is to jointly establish a set of standards for publishing scientifically accurate information about drugs on the Internet that parallels the high standards set by newspapers and broadcasters.
Many web sites have no editors.
Anyone can be a 'reporter' and can publish anything, accurate or not. We are very excited about having scientists and journalists work together to develop such standards, which we plan to model on the Institute's web site. The program will offer an intensive introduction to the scientific bases of the many issues related to addiction, including topics ranging from molecular biology and neurobiology to epidemiology and policy research. Journalists will participate in case studies and a problem-based approach designed to meet the needs of adult learners. The program will include visits to labs and demonstrations of scientific processes and equipment used in drug research, such as sophisticated brain imaging equipment and a human-performance center.