With approval from The Texas A&M University System Board of Regents, the administrative responsibility for the Center for Alcohol and Drug Education Studies (CADES) was transferred to the Center for Transportation Safety (CTS) at the Texas A&M Transportation Institute (TTI) in January.
CADES — which was founded and directed by Maury Dennis, a retired Texas A&M University professor and a current CTS senior research scientist — began operating in 1997 to address problems caused by alcohol and drug abuse.
CADES has remained in Texas A&M’s Department of Health and Kinesiology in the College of Education and Human Development since Dennis’ retirement from the department in 2006. Since his employment at CTS the following year, Dennis has been successful in acquiring more than $500,000 in alcohol-related research projects for
the center.
“The transfer makes a lot of sense,” Dennis said. “I think it now has a very good chance of expansion because of individual TTI experts in alcohol- and driving-related issues. CADES seems to be a perfect fit for the Institute.”
Under Dennis’ leadership, CADES developed numerous statewide education programs including the Texas DWI Education Program, the Texas Alcohol Education Program for Minors, and the Texas Drug and Alcohol Driving Awareness Program. The CADES programs have been instrumental in teaching students, prosecutors, probation officers, expert trial witnesses and alcohol servers various aspects of alcohol-related issues.
“While the administrative responsibility of CADES has been transferred to TTI, the College of Education and Human Development will continue to be involved with center activities and research,” Dennis said.