TADA Certificate Program

Overview: 

  • Offers TADA courses and most of the professional development activities offered by the fellowship.
  • Can be completed at any point during PhD candidacy.

Eligibility:

  • Open to PhD students – in good standing – from any Emory department or degree program.
  • Applicants must be prepared to engage in interdisciplinary collaboration and learning multiple software packages used to analyze big data.
  • Applicants demonstrate interest in learning and applying advanced data science analytics to end drug-related harms. 

Students in the TADA Certificate Program are required to participate in the following training activities:

1. Required Courses

a. Two-Semester TADA course sequence with lab (3 credits/semester) 

  • Designed to embed data science methods into the social and behavioral science (SBS) research lifecycle for substance use disorders (SUD).
  • Introduce advanced data analytics in the framework of SBS theory to both link SBS trainees to data science and also to link data science trainees to SBS research and data challenges.
  •  Structured in a series of modules, each of which will explore one SBS theory that has been used to study or intervene in SUD-Related health outcomes, and examine how a particular advanced data science method could strengthen related research or interventions.

b. Two advanced, graduate-level courses in chosen track (min. 2 credits each).

Tracks include: 

  • Geospatial Analysis
  • Harmonizing and analyzing large administrative databases
  • Machine Learning
  • Genetic and Environmental Influences and Interactions
  • Social networks

2. Individual Development Plan (IDP)

  • TADA Fellows are required to set academic and professional goals for his/her fellowship training.
  • IDP is part of the fellow’s professional responsibility to chart goals and success in the TADA program and assist with ensuring timely progress.

3. Training in Menteeship

4. Professional Development Opportunities

  • “Journal Club Unplugged” Sessions
  • Seminars
  • Research Symposium

  5. Dissertation Submission

  • At least One Aim must focus on big data science + One (or same) Aim on a drug-related outcome.

Other Opportunities Available to TADA Certificate Students:

  • Access to Mentoring from TADA Faculty
  • Certificate Students may apply for up to $5,000 to support dissertation-related research expenses.
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