SPH News Oct. 19, 2009
SPH News is a school-wide electronic newsletter distributed to SPH faculty and staff every other week during the school year. To submit items for the Oct. 26 edition of SPH News, please send an e-mail to sphnews@umn.edu by Wednesday, Oct. 21.
From the Dean 
Dear Colleagues,
Education of the next generation of public health professionals and scientists remains core to our three-part mission as a School. But as you are well aware, the factors and conditions surrounding our education mission are changing and often dramatically. Knowledge in our public health fields is expanding and changing continually. As faculty, you are a huge part of that because your research shapes the way we train our students. The needs of other health professions are evolving, too, as inter-professional learning accentuates the importance of public health. E-learning is reshaping the way we reach our students but also our understanding of best practices in learning. This will intensify as the generation of “digital millennials” arrives in increasing numbers. Competency-based learning is also transforming how we teach through a shift to outcomes-based performance.
This is all good news. Our stakeholders in the community of public health professionals and academics continue to look to this school for excellence, innovation and guidance toward the future of the many fields that compose public health. To ensure that we continue to provide a high-quality, innovative education program well into the future, I have asked Debra Olson, Associate Dean for Education, to assemble a Futures Committee for Teaching and Learning.
The Futures Committee is composed of the SPH’s directors of graduate studies, major chairs, and Traci Toomey, who serves as chair of the training committee for the division of epidemiology and community health. The Futures Committee will be charged with developing a set of recommendations about where the SPH should be making investments in its education program over the next three to five years.
The Futures Committee will start with a retreat next week where its primary task will be to identify the topic areas for brief white papers to be drafted regarding the future direction of public health education. The purpose of the white papers is to identify the trends and issues that should influence the vision for the SPH’s education program. You may recall that we used a similar approach to provoke a school-wide conversation about research investments a few years ago.
The Futures Committee’s work will culminate with a set of recommendations that will be delivered to the SPH by May 1, 2010 for our mutual consideration.
All faculty, staff, students and alumni are encouraged to participate in this important process. Please visit www.sph.umn.edu/strategicthinking to learn more.
—John R. Finnegan, Jr., Ph.D.
Dean and Professor
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Faculty News
A professional photographer will be on hand to take head shots of SPH faculty members on Wednesday, Oct. 21, 12:30-2:00 p.m., in the Mayo A301 conference room. No registration necessary. Photo sessions take about five minutes. Contact Karen Carmody-McIntosh with questions at carm0047@umn.edu.
Fall Semester Faculty Meeting and Faculty Voting Meeting will occur on Thursday, Dec. 17, 8-11 a.m., location to be determined.
Support of TR01 grants and Large-grant RFAs: The Clinical and Translational Science Institute (CTSI) will provide support for clinical translational research by disseminating funding opportunities (both federal and industry), serving as support teams for investigators seeking grants and contracts, and providing proactive support in the preparation of grants and contracts. Support will include biostatistical, regulatory, clinical research implementation, and financial and administrative support.
• Read the complete details of the CTSI support at the SPH website
John Adgate was co-chair for the International Society of Exposure Science (ISES) Annual Meeting on Oct. 12. Adgate will co-chair the International Society of Exposure Science (ISES) Annual Meeting “Transforming Exposure Science in the 21st Century,” Nov. 1-5.
• More about ISES
Henry Blackburn addressed an international scientific congress in Pioppi, Salerno, Italy on Sept. 24-27. He discussed SPH emeritus professor Ancel Keys and Margaret Keys’s work exploring the benefits of traditional Mediterranean diet. During the proceedings, Keys’s daughter, Carrie Keys D’Andrea dedicated a state-sponsored Hotelerie and Culinary School newly named for her father.
Lynn Eberly was awarded continuation funding of $385,879 from the Association of Schools of Public Health and the Centers for Disease Control for the project “Incidence of Epilepsy/Seizure and Outcomes in Nursing Homes.”
Julie Jacko was awarded $1.6 million from the National Institute for Nursing Research (NINR) titled, “Development of a Consumer Research Network for Studying Obesity.“
• Read more online
Michael Osterholm was an invited speaker for the Council on Foreign Relations symposium Pandemic Influenza: Science, Economics, and Foreign Policy on Oct. 16.
Jamie Stang was awarded $199,988 from the Association of Schools of Public Health and the Centers for Disease Control for the project “Prevention of Gestational Diabetes in American Indian Women.”
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School News
SPH experts weigh in on health care reform. SPH faculty members Jean Abraham and Lynn Blewett discuss different aspects of health care reform, including cost containment, the uninsured, and the political process. Blewett directs the State Health Data Assistance Center (SHADAC) and is often called by federal agencies and Congressional staff to provide information heath insurance coverage. Abraham recently worked on health care reform in Washington, D.C., as one of 10 senior economists on the President’s Council of Economic Advisers.
• Abraham: Watch and comment
• Blewett: Watch and comment
Heath Care Reform: Following Minnesota’s Lead, offers insights by SPH experts and highlights the way Minnesota has led the nation in the delivery and financing and health care.
• Read and comment on the article
The annual school visit with the Senior Vice President for Health Sciences Frank Cerra will occur on Monday, Nov. 23, 12-2 p.m., location to be determined.
SPH apparel is on sale until noon on Oct. 23. Order forms should be returned with payment to the Student Senate Office through the mail slot in the SPHere (Mayo A150). Checks should be made payable to “University of Minnesota.” Orders can be shipped. The proceeds from the apparel sale go to support PAMOJA, the Student Senate-sponsored social event for SPH, which takes place in the spring. Consider purchasing some warm SPH gear as the winter season rolls in. E-mail sphss@umn.edu with questions.
• Order forms and photos of available apparel are on the SPHSS website
Overcoming Racial Disparities in Healthcare: The Role of Patient-Centeredness will occur on Wednesday, Oct. 21, 12:15-1:15 p.m., Mayo Memorial Auditorium. Lisa Cooper, Pfizer Visiting Professor in Health Literacy and a nationally renowned expert on patient-provider communication issues and overcoming barriers to equitable health care in diverse populations, will present. Email phdr@umn.edu with questions.
• Additional information
Join SPH colleagues at the school’s alumni and friends reception at APHA. The reception will be held in conjunction with the American Public Health Association’s annual meeting in Philadelphia, on Monday, Nov. 9. The event will be held at the Field House, located inside the Pennsylvania Convention Center, location of the APHA annual meeting, from 6:30-8 p.m. Light refreshments will be served. Registration is not required. If you have questions, contact Nichole Axtman at mart1047@umn.edu.
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SPH Events
Epigenetic Alterations in Lung Cancer Development, an environmental health toxicology seminar, will occur on Monday, Oct. 19, 3:35-4:25 p.m., 1155 Mayo. Presenter Heather Nelson is an associate professor in Epidemiology and Community Health.
• Additional Information
The Health Disparities Working Group will meet Tuesday, Oct.20, 12:30-1:30 p.m., Mayo A301. Lisa Cooper, professor at the Johns Hopkins School of Public Health, will discuss reducing racial and ethnic disparities in healthcare.
• Additional Information
Separated at Birth: Statisticians, Social Scientists, and Causality in Health Services Research is the topic of SPH Professor Bryan Dowd’s presentation scheduled for Wednesday, Oct. 21, 3:30 p.m., Weaver-Densford Hall 2-120. Note: There will not be a social tea prior to this seminar.
• Additional Information
Media Production for Public Health will hold a seminar on Wednesday, Oct. 21, 10 a.m., in 2-110 Weaver-Densford. SPH media producer Paul Bernhardt will lead a discussion designed for SPH students on using basic media production tools to craft and communicate effective public health messages and conduct cutting-edge research. Students, faculty, and staff are welcome.
• Read about the program and register online
Simple Health Behaviors and their Impact on Business: Health, Cost, and Productivity will occur on Monday, Oct. 26, 2:30-4 p.m., 3-125 Mayo. Nico Pronk, vice president and health science officer at JourneyWell and senior research investigator at HealthPartners Research Foundation, will present.
• Additional Information
Urban Design and the Quest for a Sustainable Quality-of-Life, an ERUPT: Emerging Research Underlying Public Health Trends lecture, will occur on Tuesday, Oct. 27, 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m., Weaver-Densford Hall 2-110. Ignacio San Martin, professor at the School of Architecture and School of Design, will speak. Lunch will be served.
• Additional Information
Boosting Course Evaluation Response Rates Electronically Utilizing CourseEval and U of M Grading Systems will occur on Tuesday, Oct. 27, 1-2 p.m. This webinar will be presented by Carol Francis from SPH Student Services, Barbara Smith from AHC Information Systems, and Kristina Pearson from SPH Student Services.
• Read more and register online
Breakfast Briefing: Ethics in the Practice of Industrial Hygiene will occur on Tuesday, Oct. 27, 7:30-9:30 a.m., University Office Plaza (2221 University Ave SE). This presentation will assist industrial hygienists in complying with the new ABIH ethics training requirement and be of interest to safety professionals or others working closely with the industrial hygiene community.
• Read more and register online
Join a Peace Corps recruiter and SPH returned Peace Corps volunteers to share stories, learn more about the myriad of Peace Corps opportunities, and enjoy complimentary appetizers. This information session will occur on Wednesday, Oct. 28, 4:30-6:30 p.m., Campus Club Bar, Fourth Floor, Coffman Union. RSVP to Eunice Abiemo at abiem001@umn.edu or 5-6463 by Friday, Oct. 23.
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Student News
Kelvin Choi, Katarina Maria Grande, and Jessie Pintor are recipients of the SPH American Public Health Association (APHA) travel scholarship to attend the APHA’s annual meeting this November in Philadelphia.
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Other Events
HIV Treatment as HIV Prevention: Is there more to HIV prevention than condom promotion? will occur Tuesday, Oct. 20, 7 p.m., Minnesota AIDS Project, 1400 Park Avenue, Minneapolis.
• Read more and sign up online
The U’s Student Unions and Activities is hosting a lecture by “PostSecret” author, Frank Warren, on Friday, Oct. 23, 7 p.m. in Coffman Memorial Union, Great Hall.
• Additional Information
The U of M Social Justice Film Festival will occur on Saturday, Oct. 24, Tate Physics Building. Showings will be at 10 a.m., 1 p.m., and 3 p.m.
• Read more online
The Minnesota Water Resources Conference will occur on Oct. 26-27 at the Saint Paul RiverCentre, 175 West Kellogg Boulevard.
• Additional Information
Making Insurers Accountable: The Case for a Public Option in Health Reform will occur on Wednesday, Oct. 28, 11:15-12:30 p.m., Cowles Auditorium, Humphrey Center.
• Directions for parking
A Taste of Tropical Medicine: A Global Health Volunteerism Short Prep Course will take place Nov. 6, 6:30-9:30 p.m. and Nov. 7, 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m., Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. Contact Dawn Bauer at bauer.dawn@mayo.edu or 507-284-4584 for more information or to register.
SPEAK OUT to End Breast Cancer will occur on Saturday, Nov. 14., noon-3:30 p.m., Hotel Sofitel Minneapolis.
• Read more and register online
The Minnesota Cancer Alliance presents the sixth annual Cancer Summit 2009: Partners in Progress on Tuesday, Nov. 17, Hotel Sofitel, Bloomington.
• Read more and register online
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 Sunday Jun 07, 2009