Psychology professor Onarae Rice receives Role Model Award

Furman University Associate Professor of Neuroscience Onarae Rice was  honored as a Minority Access National Role Model at the 19th National Role Models Conference held Sept. 28-30 in National Harbor, Maryland.

Minority Access, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, assists individuals, academic institutions, federal, state and local government agencies, and corporations in diversifying their campuses and work sites. The group aims to identify inspirational role models in various categories to inspire others to emulate them, and thereby increase the pool of scholars and professionals who will find cures for illnesses or solve technological problems or address social disparities in society.

Rice joined the Furman Department of Psychology in 2006. A Spartanburg, South Carolina native, he graduated from Wofford College with a bachelor’s in psychology.

While attending Wofford, he interned at Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL) on Long Island, New York. Rice accepted a position in the medical department at BNL and later pursued a master’s in biopsychology at Stony Brook University.

While working at BNL, Rice completed his doctorate in biopsychology from Stony Brook University where he studied the brain’s endogenous cannabinoid system and its potential role in mediating or modulating the rewarding properties of various classes of abusive drugs.

At Furman, Rice examines the role of the brain’s dopamine D3 receptor in blocking the rewarding properties of drugs of abuse; blocking the expression of PTSD; and blocking the self-medication with abusive drugs in those with PTSD.

He is a recipient of the Alester G. Furman, Jr., and Janie Earle Furman Meritorious Advising Award.

For more information, contact the Furman News and Media Relations office at 864-294-3107.

About Minority Access, Inc.
Minority Access, Inc., a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, assists individuals, academic institutions, federal, state and local government agencies, and corporations of all kinds in diversifying their campuses and work sites. With the support of public and private entities and the cooperation of 170 colleges and universities, Minority Access implements and administers programs and services that advance the recruitment, retention and enhancement of underrepresented populations to improve diversity in research, technology, education and employment.