Madison Reporter

Roberto Abadie has joined the University of Wisconsin-Madison as an assistant professor in the Department of Kinesiology within the School of Education. Originally from Montevideo, Uruguay, Abadie brings a diverse educational background with degrees in sociology and anthropology from institutions in Uruguay, Canada, and the United States.

Abadie's research is centered on anthropology, public health, and bioethics. He explores how factors such as colonialism, poverty, dispossession, and racism impact the lives of people who inject drugs (PWID), focusing on their injection behaviors and related health risks like HIV/HCV and overdose. Additionally, he examines the exploitation of human volunteers in Phase I clinical trials. His interest in this area began during his time as a student participating in clinical trials. He noted a gap in understanding participants' motivations for involvement and their perceptions of risk. Abadie conducted what he describes as "the first empirical study of human volunteers anywhere in the world," later expanding his work to include Puerto Rican PWID.

Abadie expressed his attraction to UW-Madison due to its stimulating environment for teaching and research, noting the excellent facilities and supportive colleagues. He also mentioned that Madison's beauty was a factor that appealed to him.

In discussing his connection to the Wisconsin Idea, Abadie highlighted two main aspects: reducing stigma while increasing healthcare access for opioid use disorders in Puerto Rico and addressing needs among recent Puerto Rican migrants to Wisconsin affected by opioid use disorder or HIV.

On addiction's societal context, Abadie shared that it is not solely explained by biology but also by social factors. He emphasized that a more caring society could lead to fewer issues related to illicit drug use.

Outside academia, Abadie enjoys fishing and watching soccer matches when possible.