NSU Horizons Spring 2017

F or Steven P. Kurtz, Ph.D., the road to science wasn’t paved in a straight line. Before Kurtz became director at NSU’s Center for Applied Research on Substance Use and Health Disparities (ARSH), he spent 15 years as a banking executive, working in commercial lending and taking charge of an ailing title insurance company. That was followed by a post as the director of commerce at the city of Philadelphia, where he was hired by former mayor (and former Pennsylvania governor) Ed Rendell. Then, seeking a change, he went back to school—and everything changed. Today, he is internationally recog- nized for his research in sociology and public health, tackling issues such as substance abuse and HIV risk behaviors. His work at NSU has secured millions of dollars in federal and state funding, and he sits by invita- tion on a grant review board at the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Instead of rubbing shoulders in the corporate financial world, Kurtz manages a staff of nine at the ARSH office north of downtown Miami near Biscayne Boulevard. There, the goal of studies and clinical trials is to reduce health disparities, including substance abuse and the spread of HIV in communities where people are at the most risk. A professor at NSU’s College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences, “this is my third career,” Kurtz said. “A lot of it had to do with South Florida,” he said. “I’d hit a point in my finance career when I wasn’t so interested. I went back to school at Florida International University (FIU), where I took a lot of courses about immigration, the social structure, and diverse population in Miami, and the changes over time. And I just became fascinated by it.” Six years later, in 1999, he completed a master’s degree and a doctoral degree in sociology at FIU after switching from economics. (He has a bachelor’s degree from William and Mary College in Williamsburg, Virginia.) As a student at FIU, “I got a very deep understanding of infectious disease sociology” from William Darrow, Ph.D., public health professor whose research played a promi- nent role in the discovery of the HIV virus, Kurtz said. Inspired to help, Kurtz’s own work has been instru- mental in developing interventions to reduce substance abuse and the number of new HIV infections. His studies seek out “vulnerable populations”—young, drug-using club patrons, gay and bisexual men who use drugs, and female sex workers. Those who participated in Kurtz’s studies were provided with better access to health and social services. “At ARSH, we’ve had a diversity of studies with a common theme; generally, the studies are designed for out-of-treatment people who use drugs. We’ve always targeted the most vulnerable and needy populations,” Kurtz said. “We approach people with a very accepting attitude toward who they are and where they are, and we focus on consciousness raising, resilient behaviors, and coping skills. The goal is to help them to reduce or stop using drugs, and provide both the motivation and the resources to go out and make a better life,’’ he added. “To do that, you have to understand people and the problems, and look at what might be an acceptable way Professor’s ‘Third Career’ Tackles Substance Abuse BY KATHLEEN KERNICKY FACULTY PROFILE 40 NSU HORIZONS Steven P. Kurtz is internationally recognized for his sociology and public health research.