Dr. Danelle Stevens-Watkins

Dr. Danelle Stevens-Watkins-MPI is a Professor, Acting Dean and Associate Vice President for Research at the University of Kentucky. Dr. Stevens-Watkins is a licensed health service psychologist, and her research is focused on the epidemiology and treatment of drug use disorders and HIV risk among African American adults across the lifespan. She has served as PI on a diversity supplement (R01-DA-022967-S1) from 2010 through 2012, PI on a career development award (K08-DA-032296) from 2012 through 2018. She currently serves as PI on a study focused on the opioid crisis among underserved African Americans (R01-DA-049333) and as co-I on the Kentucky CAN HEAL (Communities and Networks Helping End Addiction Long-term) $87 million multi-site grant (UM1-DA-049406-PI: Walsh). She is also the principal investigator for the NIDA funded REI Coordinating Center (U24-DA058961). In addition, Dr. Stevens-Watkins served as MPI on an NIMHD administrative supplement focused on a multi-level community-based approach to PrEP uptake for African American women (U54-MD-007602-34S2). Dr. Stevens-Watkins multiple leadership roles compliment her role as MPI from the University of Kentucky on the Faculty ACCESS program. Further, over the past seventeen years, Dr. Stevens-Watkins has taught a variety of all graduate level courses, served as the primary mentor and dissertation chair for eighteen doctoral students, five post-doctoral trainees, and several junior faculty members. In recognition for this service, she has earned several awards for teaching and mentoring. Over the past eight years, she has served as a training faculty for (T32-DA-035200-PI: Rush) an award titled “Research Training in Drug Abuse Behavior” and she served as a co-mentor for a junior faculty completing a KL2 award funded by the National Center for Advancing Translational Science (CTSA-UL1TR000117-PI: Kern).

Both MPIs are highly successful African American/Black female scholars that have earned competitive NIH awards focused on biomedical research. It is expected at the start of the Faculty ACCESS program that both Drs. Robinson and Stevens-Watkins will be at the rank of full professor. Dr. Robinson and Dr. Stevens-Watkins will bring lived experience to this IPERT program focused on research training, tools for overcoming challenges from multiple marginalized backgrounds, and navigating career transition points as URM scientists. Further, the MPIs have served as peer supports for one another through academic and career success for nearly three decades. Unlike Dr. Robinson, Dr. Stevens-Watkins was trained as a clinician and transitioned to a career in biomedical research after completing her doctoral degree and clinical internship. These similarities and differences compliment the Faculty ACCESS Program and increase the program reach for URM trainees.