SPH News May 11, 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
The new H1N1 influenza virus now circling the globe reminds us just how fast things can change in the world of public health, and how important planning is to protect the people's health.
In Minnesota, we have been engaged in a robust preparedness effort since 2005. In the face of uncertainty surrounding this new virus, I think it paid off. Although our preparations haven't been fully tested yet (that could come later), I felt that the plan underwent a useful "stress test" of our thoroughness and integration in the state and national public health system.
We learned about our strengths but also found some challenges that we will need to address as a University and as part of the state's response system. We will be reviewing these as we move toward Fall and the next flu season.
The University is especially indebted to Jill DeBoer, Elizabeth McClure and the staff of the Office of Emergency Preparedness for their tireless efforts during the past month to assure that our planning was appropriately implemented. My thanks to them and all University staff and administrators engaged in this ongoing effort.
—John R. Finnegan, Jr., Ph.D.
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Media News
April media coverage featured the following SPH faculty and staff:
- Kristin Anderson
- Lisa Brosseau
- Michael Davern
- John Finnegan
- Ajay Israni
- Leslie Lytle
- James Neaton
- Dianne Neumark-Sztainer
- John Nyman
- Michael Osterholm
- Mark Pereira
- Frank Rhame
- Jian-Min Yuan
Coverage was featured in local media as well as in the Associated Press, Dallas Morning News, Wall Street Journal, L.A. Times, USA Today, New York Times, Philadelphia Inquirer, New York Daily News, Reuters, National Public Radio, CNN.com, Sydney Morning Herald, Britain’s Daily Mirror, Canada’s CBC News, ModernMedicine.com and the Times of India. Visit SPH in the News to read more about SPH faculty in the news.
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Faculty News
The SPH Annual Spring Faculty and Assembly Meeting will be held on Friday, May 15. All SPH faculty, staff and students are encouraged to attend. Parking in Washington Avenue Ramp or East River Road Garage will be validated for the meeting. Refreshments will be served at 8:15 a.m. and the meeting begins at 8:30 a.m. and will be held in 3-125 Mayo.
The Faculty Resource Fair will be held in conjunction with the SPH Faculty and Assembly Meeting from 8 to 10:30 a.m. on Friday, May 15. The purpose of the fair is to increase awareness of SPH services and programs. Representatives from the Digital Learning Group, Centers for Public Health Education and Outreach, Public Health Institute, Mentoring Program, and Student Services Center will be available to answer questions.
Bruce Alexander, Ian Greaves, Gurumurthy Ramachandran, and Jeff Mandel discussed the status of the Taconite Worker Study Group investigation to the Inter-Agency Committee on Asbestos. The committee is comprised of members from the EPA, ATSDR, U.S. Geological Survey, NIOSH and NIEHS. Some 25 members of the committee heard updates on the work in progress including occupational exposure assessment, environmental exposure characterization, and human health investigations.
• More information
Sudipto Banerjee received the Abdel El-Shaarawi Young Research’s Award from the International Environmetrics Society. He was recognized for outstanding contributions to environmetrics research.
Harry Lando will receive the John Slade Award at the annual meeting of the Society for Research on Nicotine and Tobacco to be held in Baltimore in February 2010. This award is presented annually to an individual who has made outstanding contributions to public health and tobacco control through science-based policy and advocacy.
David Radosevich was recognized by LifeSource as the Donation Advocate of the Year during the organization’s Donate Life Day celebration. LifeSource is responsible for organ and tissue donation in the Upper Midwest.
Beth Virnig was selected as an author of one of the top 10 breast cancer papers of the decade at the annual meeting of the American Society of Breast Surgeons. The paper, “Increasing use of contralateral prophylactic mastectomy for breast cancer patients: a trend toward more aggressive surgical treatment” was published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.
The Committee on Graduate Education has submitted its report regarding restructuring the Graduate School. A 30-day public comment period is underway. Send comments to gradcmte@umn.edu.
• Read the report
The Powell Center for Women’s Health is seeking letters of intent for grants on Latino Immigrant Health. The center is leading an effort to have the U of M join the Migration and Health Research Program, a research arm of the Health Initiative of the Americas headed by the University of California, Berkley. The letter of intent will determine the level of interest in bi-national research on immigrant health. The decision to join will be made by the end of May. Electronic versions of the letter of intent and any letters of support are due by 5 p.m. on Wednesday, May 20 to hangx012@umn.edu. For questions regarding the LOI contact Nancy Raymond at raymo002@umn.edu, Diane O’Connor at 6-1125, or the Powell Center at wmhealth@umn.edu.
Faculty should consider ordering textbooks for the Fall semester as soon as possible. Orders can be done online through a fast and easy process.
• Text Book Order Form
• Online Text Book Order Guide
Encourage your students to participate in the First Annual University of Minnesota Undergraduate and Graduate Student Research Expo. The event will be held in the new TCF Bank Stadium on Wednesday, Oct. 7. Current students and 2009 graduates are welcome to present.
• More information, including the registration form for students
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School News
The SPH Delta Omega Pi Chapter has inducted the individuals below into the Delta Omega Honorary Society for Public Health. The induction reception was held on May 8. Launched in 1924, Delta Omega is the honorary society for graduate studies in public health. The University of Minnesota’s Pi Chapter was founded in 1985 and now has more than 600 members.
- Alumni
- Deborah L. Freeman
- Elizabeth Ralston Howe
- Andrea Leinberger-Jabari
- Jessica Buck Nerby
- Dan Sargent
- Avula Sreenath
- Jill Wilson
- Faculty
- Bruce Alexander
- Tracy Bergemann
- Jennifer Linde
- Karen Kuntz
- Honorary
- Eric E. Whitaker
- Students
- Matthew Allerson
- Marisa Bargsten
- Erica Bohan
- Emily Brown
- Jason Brown
- Majken Hall
- Sarah Klawitter
- Barbara Knust
- Meijuan Li
- Annie Mach
- Deborah Mullen
- Heather Oleson
- Ryan Otten
- Erin Roche
- Jocelyn Walton
- Shi-yi Wang
- Jason Weaver
- Jessica Zeglin
Registration for the 2009 Certified in Public Health Exam runs until May 8 and late registration runs until June 12. The exam will be offered Aug. 8-29. For more details about the exam see the exam website. The SPH’s Public Health institute is offering a review course for the exam. It includes test-taking strategies and other support tools and services to help prepare. Scholarships are available for the course.
• More on the course
• More on the Institute
Open Discussion on the Graduate School Restructuring on Wednesday, May 13, 12 to 1:30 p.m., A301 Mayo Building. Lunch will be served. Co-Facilitators: Betsy Wattenberg, member of the Committee on Graduate Education, and Judith Garrard, associate dean for academic affairs and research.
The Office of Diversity and Engagement is encouraging you to participate in the 2009 Minnesota AIDS Walk, "Every Step You Take Makes a Difference." Volunteers are needed on Saturday, May 16 in the evening to set up and for various shifts on Sunday, May 17 at Minnehaha Park.
• More information
Save the date for the 38th Annual Workshops in Clinical Hypnosis scheduled for June 4-6. The event will be held at the Radisson Hotel and Conference Center in Plymouth, Minn. The workshop is a skill-development based training for health care clinicians to enrich their therapeutic communication abilities. For more information contact the Office of Continuing Medical Education at 6-7600 or by following the link below.
• More about Clinical Hypnosis Workshops
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SPH Events
“Where are we with Occupational Safety and Health in the United States?” is the topic for the upcoming National Occupation Research Agenda Symposium on Wednesday, May 20. Christine Branche, acting director for the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health is the keynote speaker. Registration begins at 2 p.m. and the symposium begins at 2:30 p.m. followed by a reception and poster session. All activities take place in the Mississippi Room at Coffman. The symposium is free, but registration is requested.
• Register for the symposium
The SPH Roundtable, Public Health 2050: The Impact of Technology on the Field of Public Health, will be held from 8:30 a.m. to 12 p.m., on Thursday, June 4, in the Union Theater at Coffman. SPH professors Julie Jacko and B.R. Simon Rosser will serve as moderators for the event.
• More information and registration
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Student News
Geeta Naidu received a $5,000 stipend for her project, “Increasing Access to Oral Health Care: Enforcing Medicaid and CHIP Dental Provisions,” From the University’s Consortium on Law and Values in Health, Environment and the Life Sciences. Naidu, a PHAP-JD joint degree student, is now formally a “Consortium Student Scholar.”
Crystal Liu, a PHAP-JD student, received a $6,282 stipend from the Consortium on Law and Values in Health, Environment and the Life Sciences. Her project is “Donor Conceived Children and Their Fight for Knowledge: Using the Victorian Legislative Experience to Shed Light on Anonymity, Open Disclosure, and Access to Identifying Information.”
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CPHEO News
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
“Preparing Employees for Disaster in the Workplace” is a 60-minute online video featuring interviews with employers and business continuity experts. Learn how employers work with employees during emergencies, see key differences between large and small business preparedness plans, and discover ways employers can keep their employees working during a disaster. Also included is information on communication methods, emergency work kits, and transportation planning.
Access the module online
8-Hour Emergency Response Refresher
Tuesday, May 19
Additional information
Breakfast Briefing: Making Foreclosure Rehabs Work
Friday, May 22
Additional information
8-Hour Hospital Decontamination
Thursday, May 28
Additional information
8-Hour Emergency Response Refresher
Thursday, June 11
Additional Information
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Other Events
May 29-30
Exploring Medical Missions Conference
June 28-July 1
2009 Public Health Systems Research Interest Group Meeting
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 Monday May 11, 2009