SPH News Oct. 27, 2008
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 theme of this year's APHA meeting here in San Diego is "Public Health Without Borders." It's another way of highlighting the global nature and importance of public health. Within the Association of Schools of Public Health, we've been carrying on that discussion with an interesting twist: how do we "globalize" public health education and training?
There are lots of experiments and projects happening worldwide and lots of new ideas on how to push this idea forward. One of the more provocative ones is the idea of Open Education Resources in health professional and health sciences training. You may recall that some years ago the MIT decided to post all of its course materials online — syllabi, lectures, and all supporting material. Initially, many thought MIT was a little crazy in doing so. As it turns out, they were crazy — like a fox. Not only did the move bring huge visibility to their role in setting the global bar for technology and science education, it had the added advantage of stimulating an internal conversation among faculty about learning that was now on the same level as research. Transparency had the impact of leading to higher quality and more creative learning approaches engaging faculty, staff and students in a very different way. Learning and education itself began to assume a more visible and prominent role in its links to research and outreach, too.
Well, you are thinking this sounds like Utopia. The challenges are many, too, and they are significant. But recently the IOM and the Hewlett Foundation convened a meeting of deans and directors from health sciences world wide to begin to explore this idea in the health sciences. We'll be doing our part, too, in having this conversation at Minnesota.
Don't forget to vote Nov. 4!
—John R. Finnegan, Jr., Ph.D.
(Top)
Faculty News
Call for Faculty Award Info for SPH Annual Report. The 2008 SPH annual report will include a list of faculty awards, appointments, and honors. To be eligible for the annual report, the award, appointment, or honor must have taken place from June 2007 to July 2008.
• View the current list of faculty award information If you have an item to add, please send a sentence or two of details to Kris Stouffer at stouffer@umn.edu. Submissions are due by Wednesday, Oct. 22.
Lynn Blewett, SHADAC principal investigator, was elected to the AcademyHealth Board of Directors. Her term begins in December and runs through December 2012.
Roger Feldman wrote about how the “Financial Crisis Threatens U.S. Health Reform” for the November issue of The Lancet Oncology.
Russell Luepker was the invited speaker for the "Spang Lectureship" held in September at the Duluth Clinic. His presentation was titled: "Sudden or Unexpected Death."
Dianne Neumark-Sztainer gave a presentation as part of a congressional briefing on eating disorders in Washington, D.C. on September 10. She also received the 2008 Research Award from the Eating Disorders Coalition for outstanding contributions in research, policy, action, and service.
Robert Town gave a presentation at the University of Chicago, Department of Health Studies on "Adverse Selection, Welfare and Optimal Pricing of Employer-Sponsored Health Plans" earlier this month.
All faculty now submit final grades online at the SPH Online Grades application. Students may view their final grades at this online location.
• Go to the SPH Oline Grades application
Call for SPH Faculty Guidebook Updates. The guidebook is a printed publication of your expertise that the school distributes to prospective students, journalists, legislators, and others. (Note that the guidebook information is different than any online faculty bios or descriptions.) Please download the “Guide to SPH Faculty and Their Expertise“ PDF to review your information. Faculty are listed alphabetically and, in the index, by area of expertise. (If you are a new faculty member and not in the guidebook, you will be contacted directly for your information. If you have changes to your information, please contact Toya Stewart at stew0004@umn.edu to arrange for edits to be made. The deadline for changes is noon on Tuesday, Nov. 25.
Become an IonE Fellow or Researcher. The Institute on the Environment is accepting applications for resident fellow, which provides $75,000 in flexible funds for new projects. Also, learn morea bout applying to be an associate fellow and to submit a paper for the Discovery Grants Program. The deadline for all applications is Dec. 5.
• More about institute funds
• Applications associate fellows
• More about papers for Discovery Grants program
The Healthy Foods, Healthy Lives Institute has released two requests for proposals. The institute will award University faculty members up to three research grants of $100,000 each in the area of food policy, and seed grants of $25,000-$50,000 each in the areas of food policy, prevention of obesity and chronic disease, and food safety. Proposals will be accepted until Friday, Nov. 21.
• View the RFPs. For questions call 5-8693 or e-mail hfhl@umn.edu.
(Top)
School News
Join the SPH competition to win an on-site wellness ‘spa’ half-day retreat for your division. Indulge in seated massage, tasty (and healthy) appetizers, de-stressing techniques, tips on the proverbial work/life balance, practical nutrition advice, and more. And do it all in the name of a good cause, the Community Fund Drive.
Check out which division is in the lead. Division numbers will be updated regularly between now and Oct. 31. Get your pledge in now (in any amount) to be counted with your division.
The SPH was awarded more than $1.5 million by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to establish a Preparedness and Emergency Response Research Center. The University was one of seven schools nationwide to be awarded a grant, which will allocate $8.2 million to the SPH over five years. The University project, “University of Minnesota: Simulations and Exercises for Educational Effectiveness,” will focus its research on how to enhance the usefulness and facilitation of emergency response training. Debra Olson, associate dean for public health practice education, will serve as and principal investigator of the project.
Calling all SPH cyclists. The Wellness Committee of the Student Senate is organizing a bike outing on Saturday, Nov. 1, at 2 p.m. Riders will meet on campus and traverse into St. Paul and down to Fort Snelling on either a 10 or 25 mile loop (depending on preferences). Riders of all levels are welcome but, as this is public health, the only requirement is a helmet. Please send an e-mail if interested to grad0049@umn.edu. Meet at WBOB parking lot (uncovered one).
The Office of Student Affairs is seeking student, faculty, and staff participation in decorating a new “Display of Diversity in Public Health,” a glass display case in the student SPHere. The goal is to make the SPHere more meaningful and representative of the students, faculty, and staff that use it. Those interested may loan artifacts, personal memorabilia, and artwork for display. For more information, contact Dinah Dafeamekpor at dafea001@umn.edu. Items can be dropped off in the student services office in Mayo D305 by Dec. 1. Suggested items include: pottery, glass wear, traditional cloth, relevant pictures to public health or multiculturalism, coin collections, stamp collections, and other items collected through public health experiences. Selected individuals will receive a SPH logo USB drive. The unveiling of the Display of Diversity in Public
Health is scheduled for Jan. 17.
The SPH Minnesota Technical Assistance Program (MnTAP) was recently awarded three grants totalling more than $250,000 to support energy efficiency and pollution prevention work. The funding will help MnTAP develop relationships with Minnesota's utility providers, the Minnesota Army National Guard, and a variety of manufacturers.
MnTAP Interns Focus on Pollution Prevention and Energy Efficiency during their summer internship program. The team of SPH students completed internships at a variety of companies throughout the Twin Cities. If these companies implement the interns' recommendations, they will realize annual reductions totaling 200,000 pounds of solid waste; 310,000 tons of air emissions; 12 million kWh in electricity; 7.8 million gallons of water; 10,000 pounds of hazardous waste; and 47,000 therms in natural gas. These reductions could total more than $1.3 million annually in cost savings.
• Learn more about the intern program
Party Planners Wanted. The SPH All-School Winter Reception scheduled for Thursday, Dec. 11, needs to be exciting, fun, and memorable; therefore, your help is needed. We are seeking volunteers to assist in the planning of this event. We ask that you attend three, one-hour meetings (dates and times to be determined) to discuss, plan, and execute tasks. Because the events team appreciates your creativity and service, they will reward volunteers with a special treat. To volunteer for the SPH All-School Winter Reception planning committee, please contact Nichole Marthaler by phone 6-9303 or e-mail mart1047@umn.edu by Friday, Oct. 31.
The Safety of Our Food Supply will be the topic of discussion on Friday, Nov. 21, during a forum sponsored by the Minnesota Public Health Association. This is the second forum in a series entitled "Food and Public Health: A Sampler" and will be held from 7:30 to 9 a.m. at the Minnesota Department of Education, 1500 Highway 36 East, room CC15, in Roseville. Join MPHA colleagues and guests in a discussion with Mike Osterholm, director of the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy, and Kirk Smith, supervisor of the Foodborne Disease Unit at the Minnesota Department of Health, regarding the safety of our food supply and the technologies and regulations available to insure the health of Minnesotans. Maureen Reed will moderate this forum. Seating is limited and registration is encouraged. A breakfast of locally produced and organic foods will begin at 7 a.m.
The suggested donation is $8 for MPHA members, $15 for non-members and $5 for students. Free parking is available.
• Register online
“PUBLIC HEALTH is YOUR HEALTH!” is an national awareness campaign that runs Nov. 1 to Nov. 30. Organized by the Association of Schools of Public Health, the campaign provides provides a fun and easy way to raise awareness of public health and demonstrate how it impacts our daily lives. Students, faculty, and students may pick up campaign stickers in English and Spanish in the Dean’s office, Student Services Office, and SPHere Student Lounge. Please place stickers where appropriate to illustrate public health and take a picture. Post your pictures on the This is Public Health Flickr Group or send to Thuy Doan at doanx034@umn.edu.
For details on the Minnesota statute that allows employees to take time off from work to vote please visit this University Human Resources Web page. Administrators are reminded that the policy could affect morning coverage on Nov. 4 so they may need to readjust scheduling to cover employee absences during the morning hours.
(Top)
SPH Events
The SPH Student Senate invites faculty and staff to the Annual Halloween Event at Goldy’s Game Room on Thursday, Oct. 30. The Halloween Bowlarama will be held from 5 to 7 p.m. at the bowling alley in Goldy’s Game Room in the basement of Coffman Union. The event includes bowling, pizza, and Halloween candy. Mixed events present the opportunity for students to learn more about faculty expertise and develop a well-rounded picture of public health in practice. Faculty and staff may also gain assistance from students eager to work and learn beyond the classroom. Prizes will be awarded in many costume categories including, but not limited to: 'Most Eco-Friendly Costume,' 'Best Original Costume,' and for those who are coordinating with colleagues 'Best Theme.' Costumes are encouraged but are not required.
The SPH Public Health & Cultures Monthly Series, “Celebrating American Indian Heritage Month,” will be held Wednesday Nov. 12, from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. in 3-125 Mayo. All SPH faculty, staff and students are invited to view presentations by SPH students Genelle Lamont and Yvonne Ortiz on public health issues and challenges in American Indian Health. Food will be served! For questions contact Thuy Doan at doanx034@umn.edu.
• Download the poster
Hua He’s Plan B Presentation, “Power of Multifactor Dimensionality Reduction, Pair-wise Multifactor Dimensionality Reduction and Penalized Logistic Regression for Detecting Gene-Gene Interaction in a Case-Control Study,” will be held Friday, Oct. 31, at 10 a.m., in A434 Mayo. Refreshments will be served prior to the presentation.
“Case-parent Triad Analyses of Genes Related to Bone Growth in Osteosarcoma,” is the topic of the biostatistics seminar on Wednesday, Nov. 5. Logan Spector, an adjunct professor for the SPH, will lead the discussion that begins at 3:30 p.m. in 5-125 Moos T. Osteosarcoma (OS) is the most common bone cancer of children under 20 years of age in the United States and Canada, with about 430 cases diagnosed annually. A social tea will be held at 3 p.m. in A434 Mayo. All are welcome to attend.
• More online or call 4-4655.
For more events, go to the SPH Online Calendar
CPHEO Announcements
Upcoming Courses
Introduction to Epidemiology: Online Module
This online training provides an overview of epidemiology, key terms, and examines the role of epidemiologists in public health practice.
• Access the module
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
Public Health Policy and Advocacy – Online Module
In this online module, learners will examine how policy becomes law and the "nuts and bolts" of advocacy that influence legislators.
Access Module
8-Hour Site Worker Refresher
Nov. 6
Access Module
Homeland Security
Nov. 12-13
Access Module
Advances in Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) Issues
Nov. 13
Access Module
Confined Space
Nov. 14
Access Module
Health Equality: Honoring Culture While Closing the Gap
Nov. 12-14
Access Module
8-Hour Emergency Response Refresher
Dec. 4
• View course description
(Top)
Other Events
Oct. 29, 12:30 to 1:30 p.m.
The Built Environment and Physical Activity: Models of Urban Trail Use
Oct. 31, 8 p.m.
Big Hair Mania: A Halloween Runway Hair Show benefiting the Minnesota AIDS Project
• Learn more online
Nov. 4, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m
The Paradigm Shift of Synthetic Biology: Tensions Between Innovation and Security
Nov. 6, 8:30 to 4 p.m.
Children in Nature: Healthy Development by Design conference or contact Arboretum Education at 952-443-1422.
Nov. 10, 10 to 11 a.m.
The Backyard Initiative Working Together to Improve Health in our Communities
Nov. 11, 11:30 to 1 p.m.
Regents Professor Lecture Series featuring Steven Ruggles discussion of the Decline of the Extended Family
Nov. 20, 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
The Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota Foundation's 3rd Annual
Upstream Health Leadership Award and Policy Program
For more events, go to the SPH Online Calendar
Subscribe to SPH calendar updates by e-mail
(Top)
Events on the AHC Web Site
Events on the SPH Web Site
(Top)
To sign up to receive SPH News, send your name and e-mail address to SPHNews@umn.edu.
Read past issues of SPH News
SPHNews is sent by the University of Minnesota School of Public Health, 420 Delaware Street, S.E., Minneapolis, MN 55455.
Last modified on Monday Oct 27, 2008