The Tri-Ethnic Center for Prevention Research (TEC) has more than a five-decade history, dating back to the late 1960’s.  During this period of time, the Center, as part of the Department of Psychology at Colorado State University, has investigated various issues of social importance, always with a view to understanding how they impact disadvantaged populations. Utilizing broad-based, multidisciplinary and multifaceted research methods, Center faculty and staff have investigated community dynamics and the social, psychological and cultural factors that contribute to social problems such as substance use, delinquency, dropout, intimate partner violence, HIV/AIDS, anger and anger management, school violence, and environmental and other social problems. Since 1974, our work has focused on substance use among youth, with continuing support from the National Institute on Drug Abuse and the National Institute on Alcoholism and Alcohol Abuse.  Our special emphasis is to track substance use epidemiology among American Indian youth, to understand the etiology of use, and to develop effective substance use prevention interventions for Indigenous youth.