A Rogers State University senior was one of four college students from Oklahoma to
be honored for their research projects at the annual Research Day at the State Capitol.
Johnny Kirk, an RSU student from Tulsa majoring in social and behavioral sciences, received fourth place for his research project titled “Towards a Biopsychosocial Approach in Substance Abuse Treatment.”
Kirk competed against students from colleges and universities across the state, including the University of Oklahoma and Oklahoma State University.
Research Day is an annual event sponsored by the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education, the Oklahoma Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research and the National Science Foundation.
Gov. Brad Henry and Oklahoma Higher Education Chancellor Paul Risser presented the awards at a recent ceremony at the Capitol.
Other award recipients were Christopher White, OSU, first place; James Patterson, Langston University, second place; and Jesse Bahm, Southeastern Oklahoma State University, third place.
In his study, Kirk outlined an integrated approach to substance abuse treatment that addressed biological, psychological and social issues facing the patient. The three-pronged approach was more comprehensive, and more effective than traditional approaches when implemented and compared to control groups, Kirk said.
Kirk is vice president of the Psi Chi psychology honor society at RSU and a member of the American Psychological Association. He is employed at Tulsa Rightway Medical and completed an internship at Lakeside Juvenile Home. He is a graduate of Bishop Kelley High School in Tulsa, and is the son of John Kirk of Tulsa and Rita Kirk of Chicago.