Dr. Ijeoma Opara is an Associate Professor in the Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences at Yale University School of Public Health and directs The Substances and Sexual Health (SASH) Lab. Her work focuses on strengths-based approaches and community-based participatory research in urban youth substance use and HIV prevention. Renowned for highlighting the strengths of Black girls in prevention research, Dr. Opara has received numerous accolades, including the John D. Slade, MD Memorial Advocacy Award and the Woman of Impact Award. She has secured prestigious research grants from the National Institutes of Health, including the 2023 National Institute of Drug Abuse Racial Equity Initiative Visionary Award. Dr. Opara integrates data science with community-based research to predict and prevent substance use disorders in urban areas. Dedicated to training the next generation of researchers, she offers lab tours and internships to high school and college students from urban communities.