Paula M. Trief, PhD, SUNY Distinguished Service Professor, has received the Richard R. Rubin Award from the American Diabetes Association. The award recognizes outstanding scientific achievement in the understanding of behavioral aspects of diabetes. The award presentation will take place in June at the ADA’s 84th Scientific Sessions.

Trief, a member of the Upstate faculty since 1993, is a prolific researcher in the field of diabetes with nearly 100 peer-reviewed papers, dozens of worldwide presentations, in addition to serving as principal investigator or co-investigator for numerous research trials. These studies address the psychological (e.g. depression) and behavioral (e.g. taking one’s medications as prescribed) aspects of diabetes, which affects more than 12 percent of the U.S. population.

Trief is currently co-investigator of a study investigating ways to improve the quality of life in families of youth and adults with Type 1 diabetes.

Trief has had a particular interest in how diabetes affects partner relationships and how relationships affect diabetes. In a 2016 study in Diabetes Care (coauthored by Upstate’s Ruth Weinstock, MD, PhD, and Donald A Cibula, PhD), Trief found that a collaborative couples intervention resulted in significant, lasting improvement in blood sugar control, obesity measures and some psychosocial outcomes.

Her recent work focuses on medication adherence in young adults with youth-onset type 2 diabetes, a group at very high risk for early, and serious, diabetes-related complications.

Trief’s previous honors include the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Central New York Psychological Association, SUNY Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Faculty Service, SUNY President’s Award for Excellence in Faculty Service.