Kerstin Stenius, a past-president of ISAJE and editor of Nordic Studies on Alcohol and Drugs, passed away on August 26, 2025.
Kerstin was a great friend to many. Matilda Hellman writes: "Kerstin was a brilliant scholar with a strong moral compass. She was an extraordinarily kind, warm and humorous person."
Click here to read Tom Babor's obituary for Kerstin, published in the November 2025 issue of the Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs.
Professor Kerstin Stenius was an incredibly important person to ISAJE. Her energy, enthusiasm, and leadership were essential for many years of development of our organization. Her comments, critical points, and direct communication style made our meetings different. She initiated many activities, like our Terminology group, Ethical issues group with Tom
Babor etc. Without Kerstin, ISAJE would be very different, and it is possible to identify her “handwriting” on many ISAJE activities and rules, including our highly visible “product” like Publishing Addiction Science monograph. She liked the history of addictions and old, original terminology; she supported a qualitative approach and methods – btw it was she who pushed on supportive activities and pushing on editors to accept manuscripts based on qualitative analyses. I miss you Kerstin, you were a very important person (not only) to me.
- Michal Miovský, ISAJE president 2016-2018
I first met Kerstin when we were still relatively young, a good thirty-forty years ago. Throughout all these years, Kerstin has remained ever-young, spiritually and intellectually courageous and honest. I acutely will miss her.
- Jacek Moskalewicz
The addiction publishing community has lost one of its stars. Kerstin was a long time friend of the African Journal of Drug and Alcohol Studies; she did whatever she could to promote the journal and encourage international research on the addictions in Africa. Her contributions to the growth of ISAJE, ICARA and KBS will not be forgotten.
May her soul rest in peace.
- Isidore S. Obot
Kerstin was a very intelligent, kind, creative wonderful person. I have very fond memories of her from our ISAJE meeting in Greece and elsewhere and from our first founding meeting in Krakow. She was also there to help colleagues including myself from non English speaking journals to publish internationally and to raise language barriers and women issues. I remember fondly dancing with Kerstin, laughing and sharing our common concerns in a great conference years ago in Crete. My deepest condolences to her loved ones and family.
- Anna Tsiboukli
Two articles published about Kerstin when she retired as editor of NAD:
"Kerstin Stenius looks back at developments in Nordic research and publishing."
An article in Swedish on the Nordic Welfare website includes some lovely photos.
Kerstin was a great friend to many. Matilda Hellman writes: "Kerstin was a brilliant scholar with a strong moral compass. She was an extraordinarily kind, warm and humorous person."
Click here to read Tom Babor's obituary for Kerstin, published in the November 2025 issue of the Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs.
Professor Kerstin Stenius was an incredibly important person to ISAJE. Her energy, enthusiasm, and leadership were essential for many years of development of our organization. Her comments, critical points, and direct communication style made our meetings different. She initiated many activities, like our Terminology group, Ethical issues group with Tom
Babor etc. Without Kerstin, ISAJE would be very different, and it is possible to identify her “handwriting” on many ISAJE activities and rules, including our highly visible “product” like Publishing Addiction Science monograph. She liked the history of addictions and old, original terminology; she supported a qualitative approach and methods – btw it was she who pushed on supportive activities and pushing on editors to accept manuscripts based on qualitative analyses. I miss you Kerstin, you were a very important person (not only) to me.
- Michal Miovský, ISAJE president 2016-2018
I first met Kerstin when we were still relatively young, a good thirty-forty years ago. Throughout all these years, Kerstin has remained ever-young, spiritually and intellectually courageous and honest. I acutely will miss her.
- Jacek Moskalewicz
The addiction publishing community has lost one of its stars. Kerstin was a long time friend of the African Journal of Drug and Alcohol Studies; she did whatever she could to promote the journal and encourage international research on the addictions in Africa. Her contributions to the growth of ISAJE, ICARA and KBS will not be forgotten.
May her soul rest in peace.
- Isidore S. Obot
Kerstin was a very intelligent, kind, creative wonderful person. I have very fond memories of her from our ISAJE meeting in Greece and elsewhere and from our first founding meeting in Krakow. She was also there to help colleagues including myself from non English speaking journals to publish internationally and to raise language barriers and women issues. I remember fondly dancing with Kerstin, laughing and sharing our common concerns in a great conference years ago in Crete. My deepest condolences to her loved ones and family.
- Anna Tsiboukli
Two articles published about Kerstin when she retired as editor of NAD:
"Kerstin Stenius looks back at developments in Nordic research and publishing."
An article in Swedish on the Nordic Welfare website includes some lovely photos.
Gerassimos Notaras, a longstanding President of KETHEA, who supported EXARTISEIS journal for more than 20 years, always on a voluntary basis, passed away on July 2, 2022.
His revolutionary and fearless nature, his brilliant mind and endless love for life made him a fervent supporter of any initiative that was going to bring about change and contribute to the greater good, up until the very end. He had an excellent ability to communicate and stand up for what he believed was right, fighting with all his might against injustice and all kinds of discriminations.
With a tall and noble posture always made an impression when entering a room, while at the same time caring and supportive of those around him. A charismatic leader, a friend and a colleague, who will be missed greatly.
- Genie Christofili and Remos Armaos
His revolutionary and fearless nature, his brilliant mind and endless love for life made him a fervent supporter of any initiative that was going to bring about change and contribute to the greater good, up until the very end. He had an excellent ability to communicate and stand up for what he believed was right, fighting with all his might against injustice and all kinds of discriminations.
With a tall and noble posture always made an impression when entering a room, while at the same time caring and supportive of those around him. A charismatic leader, a friend and a colleague, who will be missed greatly.
- Genie Christofili and Remos Armaos
We lost Tom McGovern on 21 March 2022. Tom was a founding member of ISAJE, an outstanding editor, and a kind and gentle person. He is dearly missed.
Tom was a friend to everyone who came to him, and has helped so many people in treatment and recovery. As a mentor and colleague, you could not ask for anyone better. He was always supportive, magnanimous and appreciative of even the little things. He can speak on a great many subjects: substance use, recovery, publishing, spirituality, literature, Celtic history and lore to name a few. But I will remember most his kindness and how lucky for me that he was my friend.
- Regina Baronia
A forthcoming obituary in JSAD will be linked here. In it, past-president Tom Babor shares:
"For more than a decade, [Tom] closed the Texas Tech School of Medicine commencement ceremony with the following Irish prayer:
May the road rise up to meet you.
May the wind always be at your back.
May the sun shine warm on your face,
The rain fall soft upon your fields,
and until we meet again
May God hold you in the palm of his hand."
Tom was a friend to everyone who came to him, and has helped so many people in treatment and recovery. As a mentor and colleague, you could not ask for anyone better. He was always supportive, magnanimous and appreciative of even the little things. He can speak on a great many subjects: substance use, recovery, publishing, spirituality, literature, Celtic history and lore to name a few. But I will remember most his kindness and how lucky for me that he was my friend.
- Regina Baronia
A forthcoming obituary in JSAD will be linked here. In it, past-president Tom Babor shares:
"For more than a decade, [Tom] closed the Texas Tech School of Medicine commencement ceremony with the following Irish prayer:
May the road rise up to meet you.
May the wind always be at your back.
May the sun shine warm on your face,
The rain fall soft upon your fields,
and until we meet again
May God hold you in the palm of his hand."
Our friend and colleague Rich Saitz passed away from pancreatic cancer on 15 January 2022. As the president of ISAJE from 2018-2020, he was an influential and beloved member of our community.
Below are some messages and photos from ISAJE members:
Below are some messages and photos from ISAJE members:
Everybody knew Rich as a great and successful scientist, perfect and hard worker, loving father, always smiling, joking and friendly behaving gentleman. Until our Boston conference in 2017 I did not know, how sensitive man he is. It was a conference, where Jean O’Reilly was leaving her position in ISAJE and we prepared with Rich small ceremony. He probably expected quite formal saying good bay but I spent a lot of time to figur out what can be the best gift - and found really nice neckless with some symbols related to Jean and her work for us. After the speech Richard had tears in his eyes and just told me: "good boy, I love the links..." and we had a wonderful time that evening. I found photo, what Rich sent from NIDA Forum :-)) as a proud speaker representing our newly published book Publishing Addiction Science (2017). I miss you Rich with all your jokes and kind words. Loosing so many close friends within last year is pretty hard...
- Michal Miovsky
- Michal Miovsky
Although I didn't have the privilege of meeting Dr. Saitz in person, I did connect with him virtually through the ISAJE 2020 meeting. Through this collaboration, I was able to reach out to Dr. Saitz for some research support, and we were able to work on a paper that was recently accepted for publication. I will always treasure his empathic, measured approach to not only research but life in general. His presence will be greatly missed, but his memory and impact on the addiction field will be long-lasting.
- Anees Bahji
- Anees Bahji
I ran some workshops with Rich and he was a great colleague to work with. At a workshop in Prague a few years ago his big message to the attendees was - make sure you read guidance for authors as we often get papers that do not fit with journals requirements on length or referencing style etc. His take away message was "Don't annoy the editor!' which sounds blunt but was useful advice if you want to maximise your chances of getting published.
- Richard Pates
- Richard Pates
Rich was a mentor, colleague, and friend. I worked as managing editor on a newsletter for which he was EIC, served as TA for his course in public health for two years, and joined ISAJE as Executive Officer because of him. I am grateful for his guidance on editorial matters, addiction science, and finding humor in almost everything. Rich leaves a great void. I am proud to count myself among the many people who hope to carry on his good work.
- Casy Calver
- Casy Calver