Dr. Schoener formally began work in this field in 1979, upon receipt of an NIAAA Career Teacher Award, which enabled him to expand his knowledge and expertise as a neuropharmacologist to that of a broadly-versed substance abuse specialist. As a result of his own academic development, he was able to create a substance abuse curriculum at WSUSOM that increased undergraduate medical coverage of the subject several fold. Concurrently, he was establishing strong and lasting bonds with the substance abuse prevention and treatment communities of Detroit. This led to increasing community involvement, both professional and personal, and active participation on Boards, Committees and Task Forces of various organization. His curricular development efforts were assisted in 1982 with federal support to enhance substance abuse training in Family Practice. This provided him with an entree to students in their clinical as well as pre-clinical training. A supportive administration and personal motivation permitted him to grow these efforts over the years, while pursuing a research program in the neuropharmacology of abused drugs and founding the Addiction Research Institute to further knowledge, training and service in prevention for Detroit. His interest in promoting academic progress in this feild drew Dr. Schoener into active role at the national level. Serving as an officer of the Association for Medial Education and Research in Substance Abuse (AMERSA) for six years, he has been a prominent voice for multidisciplinary expansion and inclusion. In 1989, Dr. Schoener was among the first recipients of the initial Faculty Development Program Awards from CSAP (then OSAP). Under the aegis of this demonstration grant, he facilitated the very successful professional development of five clinical faculty. Some of Dr. Schoener's additional career experiences and current activity
*Member of a state Editorial Review Board and co-author/editor of a text on Fundamentals of Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse for professionals seeking certification in the field
*Executive Director of the Metropolitan Detroit Substance ABuse Prevention Information Center funded by the Skillman Foundation through the year 2000
*Executive Director of the Detroit Prevention Project sponsored by the Detroit Health Departments Bureau of Substance Abuse form 1985-95
*Member of the Alcohol Research Group of the Michigan Public Health Institute which promoted active collaboration between the major universities in Michigan from 1994-97
*Member of the Board of the Michigan affilate of the NCADD and formerly President of the local Detroit affiliate
*President of the Michigan Coalition on Substance abuse, an aggregate organization of twelve professional and grass roots organizations in the field encompassing prevention, training and treatment from 1989-92
*Member of the New Detroit Committee on Human Needs
*Member of the Johnson Institute Foundation Board of Advisors from 1992-97
*Member of the WSUSOM Curriculum Committee; Chair, Substance Abuse Subcommittee; Member, Ethics and Human Values Subcommittees
*Founder and Director of the WSU interdisciplinary graduate Certificate in Alcohol and Drug Abuse Studies (CADAS) Program
*Director of a WSUSOM prevention program for medical students funded by FIPSE of the USDOE, and creator of a national network in prevention for medical students through the American Medical Student Association
*Coordinator of training for the NIAAA-funded Fetal Alcohol Research Center at WSU
*Curriculum Coordinator for the NIMH-funded COR Program (formely ADAMHA MARC)
*Co-author of the Substance Abuse Services Resource Directory for Health and Human Service Providers in Southeastern Michigan (with Dr. Sharon Popp)
*Member of the Executive Board of the Detroit prevention Partnership and Co-Chair of the Evaluation Committee
*Recipient of the 1997 McGovern Award for Excellence in Medical Education from AMERSA