Recent News
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ORAU awarded NACCHO contract to create video series on infection control and prevention best practices
ORAU has been awarded a contract to provide communications and videography support for the development of a video series on best…
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ORAU awarded contract to build workforce capacity for rural and frontier health departments in response to COVID-19
ORAU was awarded a contract to provide tailored training and technical assistance in public health communication to rural and frontier…
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ORAU members elected to National Academy of Sciences
Forty-two scholars, representing 25 ORAU member institutions, have been elected to the National Academy of Sciences 2021 class. Only the…
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ORAU receives new work from CDC Office of Minority Health and Health Equity to support COVID-19 communications efforts
ORAU recently was awarded a contract by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Office of Minority Health and Health Equity…
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ORAU’s Kristy Kistner appointed to ISO 9004 international group
Kristy Kistner, ORAU director of performance excellence, is one of three quality management and quality assurance experts appointed to an…
Videos
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Going Further. Together.
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Pop Culture in the Atomic Age
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ORAU hosting summer events for students, teachers
ORAU in the News
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Q&A: Communication Strategist Breaks Down How to Talk About Addiction and COVID-19’s Impact on Appalachia’s Opioid Crisis
The Opioid Effect
The stigma associated with addiction and drug use in Appalachia and across the country has created a problem for people who are seeking access to care, says researcher Jennifer Reynolds.
Reynolds is a communication strategist for the ORAU, Oak Ridge Associated Universities, and has spent 15 years researching how to communicate about drug addiction and opioid use with the public.
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COVID-19 and Stigma: How Access to Care Has Become Harder in Appalachia
The Opioid Effect
Data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention indicates that drug overdose mortality rates are rising around the country and that “anecdotally, partners in Appalachia attribute those most recent trends to the impact of COVID-19,” according to a December article for the Journal of Appalachian Health.
Additional research by Well Being Trust and the Robert Graham Center for Policy Studies in Family Medicine and Primary Care reports that more than 150,000 lives could be lost to drug and alcohol use and suicide throughout the pandemic, with an additional 75,000 being directly related to pandemic isolation and the mental health impacts brought by COVID-19.
Social Media
Connect with us! You can find ORAU on several social networks so you can stay up-to-date on the latest news about our work and our people.
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All comments posted to ORAU social media sites are solely the responsibility of the commenter and do not reflect views or opinions of ORAU. User comments are not edited for accuracy.
Further Together, the ORAU podcast
Join your hosts Michael Holtz and Jenna Harpenau as they discuss all things ORAU, through interviews with our experts who provide innovative scientific and technical solutions for our customers. They’ll talk about ORAU’s storied history, how we’re impacting an ever-changing world, as well as our commitment to our community.
ORAU Story
Our annual report, ORAU Story, is a great way to learn more about us. Visit the link below to get an inside look at stories about our employees, customers and partners that create ORAU's story as it unfolds each day. See our proudest moments and featured thought leaders from a year full of accomplishments.
Contact us
Pam Bonee
Director, Communications
Work: 865.576.3146
Cell: 865.603.5142
Pam.Bonee@orau.org
Wendy West
Manager, Communications
Work: 865.576.0028
Cell: 865.207.7953
Wendy.West@orau.org