The Stephenson Cancer Center welcomes new Oklahoma TSET Research Scholar and clinical psychologist Ted Wagener, PhD. Wagener comes to Oklahoma from the Alpert Medical School of Brown University, where he completed his predoctoral internship and postdoctoral fellowship. He received his doctorate in clinical psychology with an emphasis in behavioral medicine from Oklahoma State University.

Wagener will have an academic appointment in the OU College of Medicine's Department of Pediatrics and conduct research for the Oklahoma Tobacco Research Center. He will also hold an appointment as an Oklahoma Tobacco Settlement Endowment Trust (TSET) Research Scholar.

Wagener's research focuses on developing and evaluating behavioral interventions to address a wide variety of risk factors affecting adolescent health, including secondhand smoke exposure and substance use. He has a particular interest in using motivational interviewing -- an innovative method for prompting behavior change - as part of this intervention.

Wagener has published articles in several peer-reviewed scientific journals. He has given numerous presentations across the United States on his research findings surrounding college-age drinking behaviors and second-hand smoke exposure in American youth.

"Secondhand exposure to cigarette smoke, especially among children, is a major health issue and should be a concern for everyone in our state," said Oklahoma Tobacco Research Center co-director Dr. Robert McCaffree. "Ted's expertise in evaluating interventions to decrease tobacco use will be an asset for tobacco cessation counselors and other healthcare professionals who fight tobacco dependence on a daily basis."