SPH News March 30, 2009
SPH News is a school-wide electronic newsletter distributed to SPH faculty and staff every other week during the school year. Please send news items to SPHNews@umn.edu.
From the Dean
In 2002 the school launched the Public Health Practice (PHP) major. Tailored to the needs of working professionals, PHP offers M.P.H. degrees in three areas: the Executive Program in Public Health Practice, Public Health Medicine (M.P.H./M.D.), and Veterinary Public Health (M.P.H./D.V.M.). PHP also offers Regents certificate programs that provide post-baccalaureate training in specific areas but short of a master’s degree.
In just a few years PHP has grown to be the school’s largest major, with 291 students currently enrolled. The distance learning component of PHP means students come to us from throughout the country and world. PHP is reaching an audience who may not otherwise know about our school or field of public health. Many of these students go on to high profile posts in government and the private sector.
Leading PHP since its inception is Debra Olson, who, as you know, recently expanded her responsibilities as Associate Dean for Education. Many thanks to Debra who as PHP major chair, was a key player in creating and growing the major.
I’d like to invite faculty members to apply to become the next PHP major chair. The chair will maintain and enhance PHP programs, as well as lead partnerships with University colleagues and community partners. The chair offers a great opportunity for leadership development and a chance to shape the future of this growing major. Unlike other majors, PHP does not reside administratively in a division, but crosses over the entire school. Hence, this unusual request to faculty to consider applying for the leadership of the major.
This is an exciting time to be involved with PHP. The major will play a vital role in the school’s mission, as we continue to look to new educational models, the latest in e-learning technologies, and ways to increase our global partnerships.
Applications are due by April 30. The job description can be accessed at www.php.umn.edu. As always, I welcome your questions and feedback.
—John R. Finnegan, Jr., Ph.D.
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Media News
March media coverage featured the following SPH faculty and staff:
R.K. Anderson
Lynn Blewett
Walter Bockting
Timothy Church
Bryan Dowd
Roger Feldman
Mary Ford
Susan Foote
Bernard Harlow
Michael Osterholm
Pamela Schreiner
Coverage was featured in local media as well as in the Associated Press, Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Boston Globe, USA Today, EScienceNews.com, U.S. News and World Report. Visit SPH in the News to read more about SPH faculty in the news.
Subscribe to Public Health Scene to get regular e-mail updates on SPH in the news.
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Faculty News
SPH faculty Kathleen Call, Donna McAlpine, and Timothy Beebe, and HPM studentTiti Adeniyi participated in a March 13 community forum for the project, “Disparities and Barriers to Utilization among Minnesota Health Care Program (MHCP) Enrollees.” This was a five-year follow-up survey funded by the Minnesota Department of Human Services (DHS) and conducted in partnership with the Cultural Wellness Center, the U of M and DHS.
Aaron Folsom was the recipient of the EPI Mentoring Award during the annual meeting of theAmerican Heart Association Council on Epidemiology and Prevention in Palm Harbor, Florida on March 12.
Michael Osterholm has been reappointed by the Minnesota House of Representatives to the Legislative Coordinating Commission Working Group on Preparedness for Terrorism and Disasters. The working group was established in 2007 to advise the Minnesota Legislature on issues relating to homeland security, emergency management, man-made and natural disasters, terrorism, bioterrorism, public health emergencies, and vulnerabilities in public and private infrastructures. Osterholm's term runs until January 2011.
May and Summer Session textbook orders should be requested as soon as possible.For assistance or questions contact Shirley Hellem, textbook manager, U of M Bookstore 5-4556 or Jill Magliato, textbook office, 6-9484.
Dianne Neumark-Sztainer is the recipient of the Distinguished Women Scholars Award in Humanities Social Sciences and Arts for 2009. She will be given an award at the Celebrating University Women Awards Program on April 20, 2:30-4:30 p.m. in the McNamara Alumni Center Memorial Hall. (Register to women@umn.edu.) Neumark-Sztainer was recognized for her work in adolescent health and nutrition and obesity and eating disorder prevention.
As part of the federal stimulus fundingthe National Institutes of Health (NIH) will allocate at least $200 million to support NIH Challenge Grants in Health and Science Research. The NIH has identified 15 areas to encourage research in high priority areas.The challenge grants are part of the $10.4 billion of temporary funds added to the NIH budget. The money must be allocated by September 2010. To stay current on new funding opportunities provided by the stimulus bill, join the Office of the Vice President for Research listserv.
• More on challenge grants
The Children, Youth, and Family Consortium (CYFC) Scholars program supports U of M faculty, research staff and graduate students from diverse disciplines to conduct research focused on the intersection of educational and health disparities. This program is open to all faculty and professional and administrative staff across the university system. The request for applications for individuals to serve as either CYFC "scholars" or "fellows" is available at the CYFC website. Applications are due Friday, April 3.
• Request an application
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School News
The 2009 SPH Commencement speaker will be Dr. Eric Whitaker, M.D., M.P.H., a nationally recognized public health leader. Whitaker is the executive vice president of strategic affiliations and associate dean of community-based research at the University of Chicago Medical Center. He leads the center’s Urban Health Initiative, which is working to reduce health disparities in Chicago. Until 2007, he served as the director of the Illinois Department of Public Health. Prior to that appointment, he was an attending physician at Cook County Hospital, where his research interests included HIV/AIDS prevention and minority health. Whitaker gained national attention as founder and director of Project Brotherhood: A Black Men’s Clinic. In 1998, he developed a new clinical model for African American males that combined health care and disease prevention with vocational and spiritual guidance, all in the setting of a barbershop. Whitaker is also an advisor and friend to Barack Obama.Commencement will take place on Monday, May 18 at 5 p.m. at Northrop Memorial Auditorium. The event is free and open to the public.
“How Safe is our Food Supply? Expectations, Technology, and Regulation” will be held Wednesday, April 1, 1:30 to 5 p.m., in the Great Hall, Coffman Memorial Union. The presentation is part of the Food Industry Center’s 3rd annual spring conference and networking event. SPH professor Craig Hedberg will discuss Public Health Surveillance: A Prerequisite for a Safe Food Supply and there will be a panel discussion on food safety issues and recalls. Students can attend for free, though registration is required.
•Register online
Dean John Finnegan will be one of the speakers who discuss, “Public Health Collaboration: Partnerships for Impact,” at a National Public Health Week reception on Thursday, April 9. The event will be held at the University of Minnesota, Rochester.
New SPH Faculty Guidebooks available. If you would like copies of the 2009-2010 SPH Faculty Guidebook, please contact Karen Carmody-McIntosh at carm0047@umn.edu. There are no limits on the quantity you may request.The guidebooks outline the research expertise of SPH faculty members.
•Access a PDF of the guide
The Minnesota Technical Assistance Program worked with Minnesota companies to maximize resource efficiency, increase energy efficiency, reduce costs, and prevent pollution. Through the organization’s assistance, companies in Minnesota saved $3 million in 2008. Additionally, companies reduced 1,263,300 pounds of waste, conserved over 75 million gallons of water, and reduced their energy use by 13.4 million kWh and 684,000 therms.
•View the full MnTAP’s report
SHADAC has collaborated with the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) to develop model-based, state-level estimates of the wireless-only population. NCHS released the estimates March 11 with a detailed explanation of the modeling process. SHADAC also released a new issue brief, “The Impact of Wireless-only Households on State Surveys of Health Insurance Coverage.” It examines the issues related to the increasing prevalence of wireless-only households as it relates to conducting telephone-based household surveys of health insurance coverage.
• Download NCHS Brief (PDF)
• Download SHADAC's Issue Brief (PDF)
Over the last 15 years, nearly every state has seen increased numbers of uninsured residents, greater costs for workers relative to income, and significant erosion of private coverage. That’s according to a new report, "At the Brink: Trends in America’s Uninsured 1994-2007." The report, prepared using SHADAC research, was released in conjunction with the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation’s (RWJF) Cover the Uninsured Week, March 22-28. The 7th annual campaign has become the largest nonpartisan mobilization in history seeking solutions for the 45.7 million Americans who are uninsured.
• View the Report
The Healthcare Reform and Health Equity forum will be held from 8:45 a.m. to 12 p.m., Friday, April 17, in Coffman Memorial Union Theatre. The forum will focus on models for reforming our health care system and implications of these models for reducing health disparities. Speakers include U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar; Jeffery Korsmo, executive director of the Mayo Clinic Health Policy Center; and SPH alumnus Michael Trujillo, health research director for the Inter-Tribal Council of Arizona, Inc. (formerly director of the Indian Health Service and Assistant Surgeon General).
• Information and Registration
The Bell Museum and Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy (IATP) presents an Earth Day free screening of the film, A Sense of Wonder. The film will be screened at 7 p.m. Wednesday, April 22 at the Bell Museum Auditorium. Based on the life of environmentalist Rachel Carson, the documentary-style film examines Carson’s final year of life, during which she battled cancer, an unexpectedly high public profile and backlash from her critics. A panel discussion featuring SPH professor William Toscano and experts from the Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy’s Healthy Legacy campaign will follow.
Jooyeon Hwang, a doctoral student in the Division of Environmental Health Sciences, will have her abstract, "Historical and Exposure Reconstruction in the Taconite Mining Industry – Study Design," showcased in the poster presentation during the 12th World Congress on Public Health in Istanbul in April. She is one of 100 students attending.
The SPH Student Senate is hosting a school-wide art competition, which is open to students, faculty, and staff. Artwork may be submitted from Monday March 30, through 5 p.m., Monday April 20, to the SPH Student Services office. Prizes will be awarded to the winner and runner-up in the two following categories: Faculty/Staff artwork and Student artwork. An overall “viewer’s choice” prize will also be given. A kickoff event will be held 2:30-4:30 p.m., Wednesday April 22, in Mayo A301. Refreshments will be served.
The SPH Student Senate volunteer committee wants you to join the fight against cancer by participating in the American Cancer Society’s Relay for Life beginning Friday, April 17. Last year the SPH relay team raised $5,000. This year’s goal is $7,000. Participate at the event, donate, or both. Donation jars are located in the following areas: Student Services Center (Mayo D305), Dean’s Office (Mayo A3rd floor), WBOB (3rd floor, reception). Please stop by and make a contribution. For more information, contact Erika Vetta at vett0066@umn.edu.
• Join or donate to the SPH Cares about Cures team
Photos from Pamoja 2009 can be viewed online. If you have photos from Pamoja you would like to share, please e-mail them to sphss@umn.edu.
• See the photos
Call for Nominations for SPH Faculty and P&A Awards. The SPH Recognition, Awards, and Honors (RAH) Committee now welcomes nominations for the following awards: the Leonard M. Shuman Award for Excellence in Teaching, The SPH Community Services Award, the Charles N. Hewitt Creative Teaching Award, the SPH Award for Excellence in Advising, and the SPH P&A Excellence Award. Nominations and supporting documentation are due Friday, April 10, and should be sent to Recognition, Awards and Honors Committee, c/o Stefannie Anderson (stef@umn.edu), MMC 197, A302 Mayo. Go to the SPH awards page for details about each award.
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SPH Events
The Division of Health Policy and Management is offering a work in progress seminar series that begins with forums on causality in the health sciences, “Part 1: Overview/Philosophy and Background." Bryan Dowd, George Maldonado, and Robert Kane are the presenters at the session to be held from 12:15 to 1:15 p.m. on Wednesday, April 1, in D-199 Mayo. Attendees are encouraged to read a draft paper by Bryan Dowd entitled "Separated at Birth: Statisticians, Social Scientists and Causality in Health Services Research" before the Forum. Contact Ann Reilly at areilly@umn.edu to request a copy. Light snacks and soft drinks will be provided.
Save the Date for the second annual SPH Research Day: Monday, April 6. Academic Health Center students, faculty, and staff are invited to check out SPH student research posters in Coffman Memorial Union’s Mississippi Room between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. Lunch will be provided from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
• More information
Attend the fifth annual SPH film festival the week of April 6-11. Hosted in celebration of National Public Health Week this year’s selection of films promises to be educational, intriguing, and thought-provoking. A new addition to this year’s festival is a Family Fun Film Day on Saturday, which includes short films for kids, crafts, and pictures with Goldy Gopher. Winners of the "It’s Global" Public Service Announcement (PSA) contest will be screened Monday evening and Saturday beginning at 1:30 p.m. The evenings begin at 5:30 p.m. in the Mayo Memorial Auditorium. The film festival is free and open to the public.
• More information, including film selections, dates and times
A series on “Causality in the Health Sciences” will take place on five Wednesdays in April, 12:15 -1:15 p.m. The sessions will likely be taped by the AcademyHealth as a webinar. Each session, except for the first, will have a paper that the audience will be encouraged to read before the session. Information on how to access the papers will be sent later. The first session will be held in D199 Mayo. The sessions are organized by the Division of Health Policy and Management.
Date |
Presenter |
Title |
Discussant A |
Discussant B |
Discussant C |
|
|
|
|
|
|
April 1, 2009 |
Bryan Dowd (HPM) |
Overview/Philosophy Background |
All |
All |
All |
|
|
|
|
|
|
April 8, 2009 |
Michael Oakes (EPICH) |
Epidemiological Perspective |
Roger Feldman
(HPM) |
George Maldonado (EHS) |
Pinar Karaca-Mandic (HPM) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
April 15, 2009 |
Bryan Dowd
(HPM) |
Econometric Perspective |
Michael Oakes (EPICH) |
James Neaton (BIOSTAT) |
Melanie Wall (BIOSTAT) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
April 22, 2009 |
George Maldonado (EHS) |
Population Perspective |
Richard MacLehose (EPICH) |
Robert Kane
(HPM) |
Bryan Dowd
(HPM) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
April 29, 2009 |
Gordon Mosser/ Robert Kane (HPM) |
Implementation |
Bryan Dowd
(HPM) |
Beth Virnig
(HPM) |
Jeff McCullough
(HPM) |
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CPHEO News
Upcoming Courses
Tools for Managing Volunteers During and After a Disaster
These tools were developed for Medical Reserve Corps coordinators, public health agencies or any organization that may deploy volunteers to assist during or after an emergency or disaster and can be adapted to meet your agency needs.
Access tools online
2009 Summer Public Health Institute
May 26-June 12
This year’s Public Health Institute features 45 courses emphasizing theory to application across practice and interest areas in public health. Participants can build or expand professional knowledge and expertise; learn best practices; broaden career options; network with experts and colleagues; and explore new areas of interests. Courses are available for graduate credit or professional continuing education hours.
More information online
Occupational Health, Safety, and Worker Welfare: A Community Response
March 30 at 2:00pm, Mayo 3-125
8-Hour Site Worker Refresher
April 9
Additonal Information
Confined Space Entry and Retrieval
April 17
Additonal Information
2009 Health Disparities Work Group Forum: Health Disparities and Health Equity
April 17
Information and Registration
24-/40-Hour Emergency Response Training
April 20-24
Additional Information
Occupational Hearing Conservation Training (CAOHC Approved)
April 27-29
Additional information
NIOSH Approved Spirometry
April 30-May1
Additional information
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Other Events
March 30, 4-5:30
"I Want to do Clinical Research but the FDA Wants Me to do What?!?"
April 2, 8-9:30 a.m.
Cross Cultural Health Services: Meeting the Diverse Needs of Our Communities
April 24, 5 to 7:30 p.m.
Documentary Screening of Money-Driven Medicine
For more events, go to the SPH Online Calendar
Subscribe to SPH calendar updates by e-mail
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Events on the AHC Web Site
Events on the SPH Web Site
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Last modified on Friday Mar 27, 2009