Rally for Medical Research in Washington, D.C.

Courtesy of Ashley Knapp

Left to right: Roman Roark, Casey Roark, Ryder Roark, Senator John Boozman, Rowe Roark, Ashley Knapp, Dr. Aime Franco

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – Ashley Knapp, a graduate student researcher and current National Institute of Mental Health Fellow in the Department of Psychological Science, was recently invited by the American Psychological Association to attend the Rally for Medical Research in Washington, D.C., as an advocate for increased government funding for the National Institutes of Health.

More than 300 individuals from 300 different organizations across the United States gathered in Washington to support the rally and meet with members of Congress and their staff last Thursday, Sept. 15.

The Arkansas team, with which Knapp was affiliated, included the Roarks, a family from Fayetteville volunteering for the American Heart Association and the team leader, and Dr. Aime Franco, an early career cancer researcher at University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences in Little Rock. The team had four meetings scheduled with the offices of Sens. John Boozman and Tom Cotton and Reps. Steve Womack and French Hill. They were able to meet with each of the Congressmen and members of staff to describe their research and the benefits of research funded by NIH, encouraging robust, sustainable, and predictable funding increases for NIH in the fiscal year 2016 and beyond. Knapp was excited and incredibly honored to be able to advocate for psychological science on Capitol Hill last week.