ABSTRACT The Research Society on Alcoholism (RSA) Annual Meeting is the premier annual scientific meeting involving all areas of alcohol research. In addition to biological/preclinical aspects, it also covers medical/clinical, and psychosocial research. The RSA meeting is held annually, and previous meetings (42) have been held mostly in the continental US, although some meetings have also been held in Hawaii and Canada (Vancouver, Montreal). RSA had been planning to hold the 43rd meeting in 2020 in New Orleans, LA (June 20-24, 2020). However, this meeting had to be cancelled due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The 44th meeting in 2021 will be in San Antonio, TX. Also, please note that this meeting is being planned as a joint meeting between RSA and the International Society for Biomedical Research on Alcoholism. The location of these meetings will provide an attractive opportunity for scientists from around the U.S.A. along with others around the world to present and discuss their research. The meetings will have a large impact on alcohol research in the U.S., and the outcome of the research presentations and discussion will advance the field. The program for each meeting will feature topics that are highly relevant to the alcohol research community and provide opportunities for discussion of existing and new collaborative research. The research presentations will be in the form of symposia, roundtables, and workshops that will be proposed by the membership of RSA. The RSA Program Committee will select the proposals with the highest scientific merit and innovation. In addition, numerous poster sessions will be held. The RSA has made an effort to recruit and retain new investigators in the field by highlighting their work as well as providing professional development activities, and this will continue for the 2021 and 2022-2025 meetings. Since RSA is a stable, established organization with annual meetings, this application is for 5 years of funding (support for the 2021-2025 meetings). Planning for the next three meetings is well underway, but we expect similar planning for years 4-5 of this application to begin soon. This application specifically requests funds to offset expenses for young scientists (predoctoral and postdoctoral trainees within 4 years of their terminal degree) to attend these important meetings. Funds are requested for travel and registration fees. An effort will be made to specifically target underrepresented groups. Some administrative costs are also requested. The specific aim of this grant is to provide travel and registration assistance for students and young investigators to attend the annual RSA meeting. The overall goal is to provide information to those individuals who are interested in learning more about current research in the alcohol field with the possibility of pursuing alcohol research as a career.

PROJECT NARRATIVE Alcohol use disorders are major public health problems in most parts of the world including the United States. This request is for funding to allow young scientists to attend the 44th through 48th Annual Meeting of the Research Society on Alcoholism (RSA). The meeting outcome will greatly advance the treatment, prevention, and understanding of alcoholism in the U.S. and throughout the world, and it will also help to retain trainees and young investigators in the field.