Orpinas receives 2007 Creative Research Medal

Congratulations to Dr. Pamela Orpinas , Professor in the Department of Health Promotion and Behavior, as a recipient of a 2007 Creative Research Medal.  She received the award at the Annual Research Awards Banquet at the Classic Center in Athens .  UGA faculty are nominated for the Creative Research Medal by their colleagues and chosen by a committee of distinguished faculty representing both the humanities and sciences.  Each year individuals who have carried out a research project or creative endeavor of truly outstanding quality are honored.  The award consists of a bronze medallion and a monetary gift.

Dr. Orpinas was nominated for her project “Prevention of Bullying and Violence in Schools.”  Her research on bullying and violence prevention has been recognized nationally and internationally. She has been a consultant for national agencies such as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the National Institute of Health, as well as for international agencies such as the World Health Organization, the United Nations, and the Inter-American Development Bank.  Dr. Orpinas has been the principal and co-principal investigator of several research projects funded by federal agencies, foundations and other health agencies, for a total of almost $7 million. She was the co- Principal Investigator (PI) for the largest clinical trial on school violence prevention in the United States , and she is currently the PI for a 6-year longitudinal study on predictors of single and combined violence-related behaviors. She uses this information to train teachers and students, and to help schools implement state-of-the-art prevention programs.