Our Research ApproachDr. Ivanich's research focuses on improving behavioral health and reducing substance-related disparities among American Indian and Alaska Native communities through three interconnected areas of work. A primary focus examines how social networks, including family, peers, schools, and communities, and how they shape substance use, suicide risk, and resilience among Indigenous youth. Dr. Ivanich also develops and tests culturally grounded substance use prevention interventions, with a particular focus on Native men, and works to strengthen the pipeline of American Indian and Alaska Native researchers through training, mentorship, and research capacity building. Across these areas, the Ivanich Lab partners closely with Tribal communities and organizations to conduct research that is scientifically rigorous, culturally grounded, and responsive to community priorities.
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Research Program Highlights
Main Questions
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ApproachMy research combines rigorous quantitative and qualitative methods, including longitudinal designs, social network analysis, and randomized controlled trials, with deeply community-engaged approaches. Across our work with American Indian and Alaska Native communities throughout the country, we prioritize long-term partnerships, respect for Tribal sovereignty and data governance, and meaningful community involvement throughout the research process. We approach communities not simply as research settings, but as partners whose knowledge, priorities, and strengths shape the questions we ask, the methods we use, and how findings are interpreted and shared.
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Future DirectionsOur long-term goal is to translate knowledge about relationships, culture, and community strengths into effective and sustainable approaches to improving behavioral health in American Indian and Alaska Native communities. This includes leveraging social networks to strengthen prevention, advancing and scaling culturally grounded substance use interventions, and expanding this work across diverse Tribal communities and settings. We also aim to strengthen the field itself by developing the next generation of American Indian and Alaska Native researchers and building sustainable research capacity within Native communities and organizations.
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Scientific Background
Dr. Ivanich is an enrolled member of the Metlakatla Indian Community (Tsimshian). He received his B.S. in Criminal Justice from Weber State University and M.S. in Criminal Justice from Georgia State University before completing his Ph.D. in Sociology at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. During his doctoral training, he developed expertise in quantitative methods and began focusing his research on substance use, suicide, and behavioral health among American Indian and Alaska Native populations.
Dr. Ivanich subsequently completed postdoctoral training at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health’s Center for American Indian Health, where he expanded his work in social network analysis, substance use and suicide prevention, and community-based research with Tribal communities. He then joined the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, where he developed an independent NIH-funded research program and eventually became an Associate Professor with tenure. In 2026, he joined the Laureate Institute for Brain Research as a Principal Investigator.
Dr. Ivanich subsequently completed postdoctoral training at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health’s Center for American Indian Health, where he expanded his work in social network analysis, substance use and suicide prevention, and community-based research with Tribal communities. He then joined the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, where he developed an independent NIH-funded research program and eventually became an Associate Professor with tenure. In 2026, he joined the Laureate Institute for Brain Research as a Principal Investigator.
Meet Our Team
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Research Specialist |
Research Collaborators
Our research is inherently collaborative and brings together investigators, Tribal communities and organizations, community-based researchers, and trainees from multiple disciplines and institutions.
Key collaborators include researchers at the University of Michigan, University of Illinois Chicago, Johns Hopkins University, University of Colorado Anschutz, and other academic and community-based research organizations. Our work also depends on longstanding partnerships with Tribal communities and Tribal and Native-serving organizations.
Key collaborators include researchers at the University of Michigan, University of Illinois Chicago, Johns Hopkins University, University of Colorado Anschutz, and other academic and community-based research organizations. Our work also depends on longstanding partnerships with Tribal communities and Tribal and Native-serving organizations.
