The Weekly SPHere Sept. 10, 2007

The Weekly SPHere is a weekly electronic publication for students in the University of Minnesota School of Public Health. To submit items for the Weekly SPHere, please send an e-mail to sphere@umn.edu.
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Student News
SPH student listserv - Apologies to students who received numerous e-mails last week from the student listserv. The listserv has been changed now so you can reply to a message without replying to the entire list. To post messages to the listserv, send an e-mail to
sph-students@lists.umn.edu.
Volunteer opportunity - The Phillips Neighborhood Clinic is an entirely student-run, interdisciplinary, free clinic in the Phillips Neighborhood of South Minneapolis. PNC is searching for first-year volunteers from all disciplines interested in serving the needs of this unique community. If you are interested in volunteering, contact Therese Swan at swan0766@umn.edu for an application. Applications are due Sept. 14.
• Learn more online
Student Applications for the Mentor Program are due Sept. 17 for all SPH students interested in participating in the program for the 2007-08 academic year. The program provides students with an opportunity to prepare for a career in public health with advice and experience of professionals. Fun and educational events are scheduled for mentors and students throughout the year.
• Learn more online
• Access the application
Congratulations to Malini DeSilva, MPH in Public Health Practice/Executive Program student, who was first to submit an application to the mentor program this year and is the winner of an SPH gear package.
And another winner of an SPH gear package was Sarah Klawitter, who participated in the SPH Resource Fair during orientation week. Sarah submitted fantastic ideas for upcoming mentor/student events along with many other great ideas from other SPH students.
Summit of Sages scholarships available. The Densford Center at the School of Nursing will host the Summit of Sages, Oct. 14-16, an international conference of leaders to examine and advance social justice in society. Maya Angelou will launch the conference. Other speakers over the next day and a half include John Howe, president and CEO of Project Hope, and Jean Watson, a professor and scholar in caregiving. A major component of the conference is a dialogue with five exceptional individuals who have advanced social justice. The regular registration fee for this conference is $495, but the Academic Health Center is providing funds to fully sponsor student attendance. To register, send a request for the form to densford@umn.edu.
• Learn more online or contact Arlene Birnbaum at birnb023@umn.edu
Tuition assistance for health care students - $250,000 in scholarships! Apply by Sept. 30 to receive one of 20 $5,000 grants or other grants being offered to undergrad and graduate students in health-related fields of study.
Go to www.Tylenol.com/scholarship for applications and information.
Experience the public engagement process and earn some money. Students are needed to serve as table recorders at one or more of the upcoming University of Minnesota’s UMore Park Listening Sessions in Rosemount, MN on September 17, 19, 20, 25, 26, and 27. A $40 stipend and dinner will be provided for each session. Locations, directions and more information are at: www.umorepark.umn.edu.
TASK:
- Arrive in Rosemount at 4:30 p.m. sharp the day of meeting – the meeting ends at 7:15 p.m.
- Provide your own transportation (30 miles south of campus – during rush hour traffic, please allow 1 hour for travel from campus.)
- Serve as table recorder: take hand written notes (no computer) of conversation between 6 participants at a table.
- Within 72 hours send by email a legible copy of your table notes (PDF or retyped into a Word document) and your summary of the conversation (in a Word document.)
- Students can sign up to be a recorder for up to three sessions.
HOW TO SIGN UP:
Complete the following brief information and email to Deb Slipek at slipekc@aol.com by Friday, Sept. 14 at noon. (Applications may still be accepted until Thursday, Sept. 20 at Noon for the sessions Sept 25/26/27 - if needed.)
Email subject line should read: UMORE PARK RECORDER APP
Name:
College/Department:
Graduate or Undergraduate Student:
Address:
Phone:
Email:
Date(s) that you are available (up to 3) - Sept. 17, 19, 20, 25, 26, and 27
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SPH Events
Taking an online course or considering it? Want to add some learning to your iPod playlist? Then make plans to attend the School of Public Health's Digital Learning Summit on Friday, Sept. 14. The open house-style event will give students an opportunity to meet instructors who teach online courses, learn what courses are available online, sample our downloadable lectures, and discover whether online learning is for you. The Digital Learning Summit will take place from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. in Mayo 3-125 (The foyer and large classrooms on the street level under the Mayo Auditorium). Free box lunches will be provided at noon.
Join Career Conversations - The first Career Conversations will take place Sept. 19, 3:30–4:30 p.m., in Mayo D330. The topic is resume and cover writing basics. To learn more about these career development workshops, contact Barb Laporte, SPH Career Services, at blaporte@umn.edu.
• View the entire 2007-2008 Schedule
• Learn more about the Career Services Center
The Elephants in the Room: Social Justice, Public Health, and Health Inequities will be presented by Nancy Krieger, Harvard School of Public Health, on Friday, September 28 at Coffman Union Theater, reception at 9 a.m., lecture at 9:30-10:30 a.m. Krieger will discuss three questions researchers must confront: what are health disparities?; what are their causes?; and who is responsible for health inequities? And she will draw attention to the "elephants" must we confront if our work is to make a dent in eliminating health inequities. This event is part of the Carl J. Martinson, MD, Lectureship in Preventive Medicine, presented by the SPH's Division of Epidemiology and Community Health.
Xenobiotics and Human Health Seminar Series: The Divisions of Epidemiology and Community Health and Environmental Health Sciences are holding a series of joint seminars. The goal is to exchange information and ideas about persistent organic pollutants and health, seen from several perspectives. Place and Time: Mayo 1155, Mondays, 10:30-noon. This schedule is subject to change. Please call Carol Raichert at 5-1836 to confirm.
- Sept. 10: Duk-Hee Lee, Kyungpook University, and David Jacobs
Can background exposure to persistent organic pollutants explain the current epidemic of type 2 diabetes?
- Sept.24: Jose Suarez (PhD student) and Bruce Alexander
- Exposure to pesticides on farms and flower plantations
- Oct. 8: Jeff Mandel and Bruce Alexander
Persistent fluorochemicals, worker health, and mortality
- Oct. 22: Deborah Swackhamer and Matt Simcik
Fate and transport of emerging chemical pollutants
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Other Events
Creating a Global Partnership in Public Health Informatics will take place Sept. 17-18 at the Bell Harbor International Conference Center in Seattle, Washington.
• Learn more online
Minnesota Public Health Association's Centennial Celebration Gala - Join the MPHA as it celebrates 100 years as a contributor to the health of Minnesotans. Will Steger, polar explorer, will be the keynote speaker. October 25, 5:30 - 9:00 p.m. at McNamara Alumni Center.
• Learn more online
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The Weekly SPHere is sent by the University of Minnesota School of Public Health, 420 Delaware Street, S.E., Minneapolis, MN 55455. www.sph.umn.edu.