Ijeoma Opara

Ijeoma Opara is an Associate Professor of Public Health at the Yale School of Public Health, specializing in Social and Behavioral Sciences. She directs the Substances & Sexual Health (SASH) Lab and co-directs the Yale AIDS Prevention Training Program. Her research focuses on HIV/STI and substance use prevention for urban youth, particularly Black adolescent girls, through community-based participatory methods and machine learning applications.

• Education
  • PhD in Family Science & Human Development, Montclair State University (2019)
  • MSW, New York University (2014)
  • MPH in Epidemiology, New York Medical College (2011)
  • BA in Psychology, New Jersey City University (2009)

Dr. Opara’s research spans HIV/STI prevention, substance use epidemiology, machine learning in public health, and intersectional frameworks addressing gendered racism. Her lab’s work includes developing youth-led interventions like the Dreamer Girls Project and InvestiDate, a health-focused video game.

Recent publications examine spatial associations between alcohol outlets and neighborhood crime, disparities in pandemic mortality, and social media impacts on youth health. She received the Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers (PECASE), NIDA Director's Pioneer Award, and NIH Early Independence Award for her community-driven research in Paterson, New Jersey.

• Key Awards
  • Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers (2025)
  • NIDA Director's Pioneer Award (2023)
  • NIH Early Independence Award (2020)
  • Community Impact Award (2023)
  • Woman of Impact Award (2022)
  • Distinguished Student Mentoring Award (2022)

Dr. Opara’s grants include a $3.5 million NIDA DP1 grant and NIH funding for urban youth studies. She previously taught at Stony Brook University, Columbia University, and Rutgers University, focusing on child and family social work and social justice courses.