Benjamin Montemayor, PhD

Montemayor is a health behavior social scientist with a background in alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs (ATOD) research as well as quantitative research methodology. His research focuses primarily on prevention and intervention of substance use among young adults and at-risk populations, with a growing emphasis on the utility of tailored programming to address mental health and substance use on college campuses, as well as on how high-risk adult drinkers perceive their alcohol-related cancer risk. His work spans assessments of substance-using behaviors, including polysubstance use and associated risk factors like cultural and social norms, motives, and perceived risks. Dr. Montemayor has experience in leading both individual and group focused ATOD intervention programs, including Brief Alcohol Screening and Intervention for College Students (BASICS), a harm-reduction, preventive intervention evidence-based approach to reducing alcohol use among college students who are active alcohol drinkers and who are at risk for alcohol-related problems. Dr. Montemayor has also developed a deep appreciation for the ethical challenges of conducting research with high-risk substance users, who present unique research conduct challenges. He has led institute-funded research projects exploring ethical issues in drug use research.

In addition to examining behavioral risk factors and related health outcomes, Dr. Montemayor integrates theory and implementation science into his work to explore how interventions can be effectively tailored, adopted, and sustained in real-world settings to reduce substance use. Overall, his research aims to characterize the social-ecological determinants of substance use, misuse and substance use disorder (SUD); shape intervention efforts and legislative policies for individuals with SUD or behavioral health disorders; and apply implementation science to ensure that interventions are evidence-based and scalable. He is experienced in all stages of ATOD programming, including developing and implementing individual and group interventions. His scholarly work has been published in journals such as International Journal of Mental Health and Addiction, Prevention Science, Child Abuse and Neglect, and Journal of American College Health. He was recognized as a 2021 ADVANCE Diversity Champion at Texas A&M for his contributions to diversity and inclusion.