ADAI News

Alan Marlatt Remembered by Family, Colleagues, Students

Family, colleagues, and students gathered on Sunday, May 15 to remember and celebrate the life of Alan Marlatt, who passed away on March 14, 2011. The memorial service was held at the UW Center for Urban Horticulture, and brought together family, friends, colleagues, and former students from all over the country.

A recording of the memorial service may be viewed online.

Adding to the numerous obituaries already published are these by two of Alan's long-time colleagues, recently published in major addiction journals:

• From Dennis Donovan (UW Alcohol & Drug Abuse Institute) in Drug and Alcohol Dependence.
• From Roger Roffman (UW Innovative Programs Research Group) in Addiction.

This blog has collected comments from many colleagues and former students; you may wish to re-read the collection of articles and tributes that followed the announcement of Alan's death, or add your own note of remembrance in the comment section of the post linked here.

The Marlatt family has suggested that donations may be made to the G. Alan Marlatt Memorial Fund on behalf of ABRC.

SDRG's Seattle Social Development Project 30 Year Milestone

The UW's Social Development Research Group and SDRG director Richard Catalano, PhD were featured in Prevention Action, an online news publication reporting internationally on innovation and effectiveness among programs for improving children's health and development.

"While families, schools, communities and children’s service agencies are concerned about consequences of delinquency and drug abuse of young people, the Seattle Social Development Project (SSDP) is one of handful of longitudinal studies which has sought specifically to understand the influences and development of these problems." [read more...]

A profile of Dr. Catalano acknowledges his lifetime of work as "the man who is making a difference." [read more...]

Congratulations to Dr. Catalano and SDRG for thirty years of contribution to the well-being of families, schools, and communities!

New York Times Obituary for Alan Marlatt, 1941-2011

The New York Times published an obituary about Alan Marlatt on March 21, focusing on the themes of his research and his approach to treating addiction, including the controversies that his work sometimes stirred.

"G. Alan Marlatt, a psychologist who challenged the longstanding belief that substance addiction is incurable and that it can be controlled only by abstinence..."  continue reading

* We are collecting memories of Alan from those whose lives he touched. If you would like to leave a personal remembrance, go here and click on the comments link at the bottom.

Acknowledging G. Alan Marlatt, 1941 - 2011 (continuing tributes)

As the news of Alan Marlatt's death moves through the addiction community and the public media, we'll post links to new articles and tributes here. The original post is here.

"Remembering Alan Marlatt," by Erin Durst, Think of Now.

"We have lost a valued friend and pioneer," UCSD Center for Mindfulness.

The Vancouver Sun (BC) reprinted Jim Brunner's Seattle Times obituary, noting that Alan was born in Vancouver, Canada.  He had many friends and colleagues there.

* We are collecting memories of Alan from those whose lives he touched. If you would like to leave a personal remembrance, go here and click on the comments link at the bottom.

Acknowledging G. Alan Marlatt, 1941 - 2011 (continuing tributes)

As the news of Alan Marlatt's death moves through the addiction community and the public media, we'll post links to new articles and tributes here. The original post is here.

"Professor Marlatt’s Research Led to Increased Understanding of Addictive Behaviors", news release from the UW College of Arts & Sciences, 3/15/11

“Alan Marlatt, Harm Reduction Pioneer, Dies at 69”, Rachel Hassinger’s piece for Join Together, 3/18/11

* We are collecting memories of Alan from those whose lives he touched. If you would like to leave a personal remembrance, go here and click on the comments link at the bottom.

Seattle Times Notes Passing of Alan Marlatt

"For years, the prevailing approach to confronting addiction in the U.S. could be summed up as "just say no." Abstinence was the only goal; addicts had to agree to quit drugs or booze entirely as a precondition for treatment.

The pioneering work of Alan Marlatt, a professor of psychology at the University of Washington, profoundly changed that attitude in recent decades."

Jim Brunner's profile in The Seattle Times, 3/17/11 captures Alan's warm spirit and willingness to challenge convention wisdom -- qualities he employed as a teacher and advocate for better understanding of addiction.   Continue reading ...

* We are collecting memories of Alan from those whose lives he touched. If you would like to leave a personal remembrance, go here and click on the comments link at the bottom.

Acknowledging G. Alan Marlatt, 1941 - 2011

As the news of Alan Marlatt's death moves through the addiction community and the public media, we will post updated links to online articles and tributes here.  The original post is here.

"One of our great addiction scientists - one of the great addiction scientists of all time -- Alan Marlatt - has died."  Stanton Peele in Psychology Today, 3/17/11. 

[Marking] the death of a great man...  WiredIn to Recovery, 3/15/11.

Remembering Alan Marlatt, by Lisa Dale Miller on Mindful Psyche, 3/14/11

Tribute by Ken Sher, PhD, University of Missouri, APA Division 28, 3/14/11.

* We are collecting memories of Alan from those whose lives he touched. If you would like to leave a personal remembrance, go here and click on the comments link at the bottom.

A Giant has Fallen: G. Alan Marlatt, 1941 - 2011

The addictions field is mourning the loss of Alan Marlatt, Professor in the University of Washington Psychology Department and Director of the Addictive Behaviors Research Center, who died on March 14, 2011 at his family retreat in Warm Beach, Washington. His son Kit and daughter-in-law Ashley Marlatt, and his wife Kitty Moore-Marlatt were with him.

The major focus of Alan's research and clinical work was the field of addictive behaviors, especially relapse prevention and harm reduction, represented in part by more than 300 articles and numerous books he published. 

In 1990, Alan was awarded the Jellinek Memorial Award for outstanding contributions to knowledge in the field of alcohol studies; in 2001, he received the Innovators in Combating Substance Abuse Award by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.  Other honors include the Distinguished Researcher Award from the Research Society on Alcoholism in 2004, and the Distinguished Scientific Contributions to Clinical Psychology Award by the American Psychological Association, in 2009.

Equally important is the legacy Alan leaves in personal and professional relationships.

Dr. Dennis Donovan, Director of the UW Alcohol and Drug Abuse Institute and Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences sent a message to the addictions community at the UW informing them of Alan's death:

"Alan has been a mentor, friend, and colleague to many of us here at the UW, and his network of associates and those whom he has touched personally and professionally is extensive and international in scope.

We have lost a true visionary and luminary in the field of addictions.

He will leave his prints in our hearts and minds, and there is a cadre of us to carry on the important work that he has championed throughout his career."

Dr. Fred Rotgers, President of the Society of Addiction Psychology (APA Division 50), had this to say about his friend and colleague:

"It is ... impossible to recount briefly how much Alan has meant to the field of addiction psychology, to addictions treatment and research, and to substance users not in treatment through his advocacy of harm reduction approaches to addressing the needs of substance users. Alan also had a direct impact on many of us through his friendship, mentorship and genuine humanity. Just looking at the list of Presidents and officers of this Society reveals the impact Alan has had on the field, and the legacy he leaves behind."

Remembrances: An Appreciation page in Time magazine has a moving tribute by Maia Szalavitz, with comments left by those who knew and loved Alan.  More personal thoughts and memories can be viewed on Facebook. Updated links to news stories and other acknowledgements will be posted on this site.

Click here for additional posts on this blog with links to obituaries and stories elsewhere.

You are invited to leave a note of remembrance using the "comments" tag at the bottom of this post.

More about Alan's work and life here: ABRC website, Alan's bio page, Wikipedia

Postdoctoral Fellowship in Alcohol Research @ Univ. of Washington

The Center for the Study of Health & Risk Behaviors (CSHRB) at the University Washington is seeking applicants for a Postdoctoral Fellowship in Alcohol Research.  The fellowship will provide training for individuals who wish to pursue a career in alcohol research, with an emphasis on the etiology and prevention of problem drinking and alcohol dependence. For more information please see the CSHRB website: depts.washington.edu/cshrb/newweb/postdoc.html

UW "Neurosciences for Kids" wins Science magazine award

Neurosciences for Kids is a free website designed to make learning about the brain fun and exciting.  The site was created over a decade ago by Eric Chudler, UW research associate professor of bioengineering and of anesthesiology and pain medicine. In June, Neuroscience for Kids won a prestigious SPORE (Science Prize for Online Resources in Education) award from Science magazine. The June 25 issue features an article by Dr. Chudler titled "Resources for Anyone Interested in the Brain,"  The Neurosciences for Kids website includes sections about drugs of abuse and their effect on the nervous system.   More from UW Medicine Online News.