SPH News Sept. 5, 2006
Jump to:
SPH News is a School-wide electronic newsletter distributed every other Monday during the school year. Please send news items to SPHNews@umn.edu. Whenever possible, please use SPH News in place of School-wide e-mails.
The submission deadline for the September 18 issue is noon on Wednesday, September 13.
From the Dean
Welcome to our students, faculty, and staff! Welcome all to another exciting academic year at the SPH. The coming year promises growth, learning, and challenges. I hope you look forward to it as much as I.
The rhythm of the University is something to behold in the fall. One of the largest university campuses in North America, it positively seethes with activity as students and faculty arrive in droves. As the trees and vegetation turn gold and red, and the air becomes crisp and cool, new adventures and friendships in learning, research, and outreach unfold. It has been this way on the banks of the Mississippi river for generations since 1851. Feel the rhythm and enjoy your time here to the fullest.
This fall also marks a couple of important anniversaries. September 11 will be the five-year anniversary of the terrible events of 2001. We remember and reflect on the loss of life and how things might have been different. In the midst of this reflection, September 11 marks the centennial anniversary of one of the most successful nonviolent movements of all time: Mahatma Gandhi's Satyagraha campaign in South Africa. I am deeply indebted to Donna Anderson, SPH alumna and adjunct faculty member for making the connection. Here is what she writes:
"Mohandas Gandhi, a 37-year-old lawyer from India who had been in South Africa for 13 years, began the movement that would transform him into the Great Soul-the Mahatma. On that day he dedicated himself to the service of humanity by convening a meeting at the Empire Theatre in Johannesburg that gave birth to Satyagraha.
"In opposition to proposed new legislation imposing pass laws on Indians in South Africa, Gandhi and his colleagues mobilized their community. Those present declared in the name of God never to submit to the degrading legislation, despite the consequences. They also pledged to practice ahimsa, or the absence of violence, in this resistance. Later, the term Satyagraha was coined meaning truth (satya), which implies love and firmness (agraha), which in turn engenders or serves as a synonym for force. The way of getting to truth is unwavering non-violence. Embedded in these concepts is the belief that there is goodness in every individual.
"On September 11, 2006, pledge to join with others to resolve conflicts nonviolently in your life and community. These two anniversaries prompt us to reflect on our world now and as it was 100 years ago-and how far we have come and how far we have yet to go."
--John R. Finnegan, Jr., Ph.D.
(top)
Faculty news
James Begun was elected to a three-year term on the board of directors, Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Management Education (CAHME). CAHME is the accrediting agency for graduate health administration programs in the United States and Canada. About 70 health administration programs, including the SPH's MHA program, are accredited by CAHME.
Aaron Folsom has been named a 2006 inductee to the AHC Academy of Excellence in Health Research. This honor serves as the highest recognition of excellence in AHC faculty research. Each inductee is recognized for contributing to the quality of the University through sustained nationally and internationally recognized health-related research. Folsom will be honored at a University event on Sept. 20.
Marguerite Pappaioanou has received the Karl F. Meyer-James H. Steele Gold Head Cane Award for achievements that significantly advance human health through the practice of veterinary epidemiology and public health. The award is considered among the highest honors in veterinary medicine.
Gurumurthy Ramachandran has received a National Science Foundation (NSF) grant from the University's Consortium on Law and Values in Health, Environment, and the Life Sciences. Ramachandran is a co-principal investigator on the project, "NIRT: Evaluating Oversight Models for Active Nanostructures and Nanosystems: Learning from Past Technologies in a Societal Context." Under the grant, a University team of researchers will receive $1.22 million over four years.
RSVPs for the school's annual Community Partners event are due September 18. Community Partners recognizes individuals and organizations for their contribution to the education, training, and guidance of the next generation of public health leaders. SPH faculty are invited to the October 3 event, to take place 5-7 p.m. at McNamara Alumni Center. Atum Azzahir, executive director, Powerhorn/Phillips Cultural Wellness Center, is the keynote speaker. RSVP online at www.sph.umn.edu/communitypartners, call 4-6669, or send a message to sphdo@umn.edu.
The SPH faculty development program is available for download at www.sph.umn.edu/resourcesforfaculty.html under the "Teaching and Learning Resources" heading. Click here to download the document directly.
The deadline for 2006-07 documentation for promotion or tenure is Monday, Sept. 18. Please forward the original plus 20 copies to the Appointment, Promotion and Tenure Committee, c/o Judy Peterson, Dean's Office, SPH, room A308 Mayo. If you have any questions, please contact Judy Peterson (peter042@umn.edu, 4-7196) or Marsha Reinking (reink001@umn.edu, 6-1428).
The annual meeting of SPH tenured for review and vote on the continuation of tenure-track appointments has been scheduled for Thursday, Sept. 14, beginning at 9:15 a.m., in Room 2-520 Moos Tower. Documentation will be available for review from Sept. 8-14 at WBOB and in A302 Mayo. All tenured SPH faculty are urged to attend, but if you have a conflict please write to reink001@umn.edu for absentee ballots.
Abstracts for the Joint Symposium on Veterinary Public Health are due Oct. 31. The Association of American Veterinary Medical Colleges and the Association of Schools of Public Health are planning an April 22-24 joint symposium. It will focus on research and education in veterinary public health to increase the strong connection between public health and veterinary medicine, which includes issues such as population health, zoonotic diseases, food safety, and food security. For more information, go to www.asph.org/vetpubhealth.
(top)
Media news
August 2006 media coverage featured the following SPH faculty:
- Lynn Blewett
- Roger Feldman
- Alan Hirsch
- David Jacobs
- Robert Kane
- Dianne Neumark-Sztainer
- Michael Osterholm
- Marguerite Pappaioanou
- Simon Rosser
- Deborah Swackhamer
Coverage was featured in local media as well as in the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Associated Press and on CNN Live Today, MedPage Today, and Voice of America News. Visit the SPH Web site at to read more about SPH faculty in the news and find links to the complete stories, or e-mail SPHNews@umn.edu to request hard copies of the stories.
(top)
Research News
| Investigators(s) |
Project Title |
Award Amount |
Funding Agency |
Jon Christianson (PI) |
Regional Market Pilot Initiative |
$106,830 |
RWJ |
Melissa Constantine (PI) |
The Effect of the Institutionalization of Medical Care on Quality of Patient's Informed Consent |
$25,000 |
Foundation for Informed Medical Decision Making. |
Susan Gerberich (PI)
Bruce Alexander, Tim Church, Bryan Dowd, Ann Masten, Pat McGovern |
Consequences of Agricultural Injuries |
$1,867,572 |
NIOSH |
John Himes (PI) |
A Study to Characterize the Change in Body Composition
Following Treatment with Megestrol Acetate Concentrated Suspension |
$142,548 |
CE3, Inc. |
William Toscano (PI)
Cindy McComas |
Brainerd/Baxter Publicly Owned Treatment Works Phosphorus
Reduction Project |
$25,052 |
MN Pollution Control Agency |
Beth Virnig (PI) |
Patterns of Cancer Care in the Disabled |
$$85,507 |
St. Michael's Hospital |
(top)
Student news
Join the public health mentor program. This joint program between the SPH and Minnesota Public Health Association gives students the opportunity to: network with public health professionals; discover career opportunities available in public health; share ideas about linking academic work to career objectives; and, explore the challenges and rewards of working in public health. Students who wish to be matched with a mentor for 2006-07 should apply by September 18. For more information, go to
www.sph.umn.edu/mentor or contact Michelle Lian-Anderson at 6-5536.
Context Journal is looking for three volunteer editors: an associate editor, a submissions editor, and a managing editor for the Policy and Practice section. All interested students must complete a survey using this link: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.asp?u=347462416194. Applicants will be pre-screened for minimum qualifications, availability, and level of experience before a request of resumes or curriculum vitae. Please feel free to contact Dana Lee, publisher via e-mail (dana@contextjournal.org) or phone (678-637-6923) if you have any additional questions.
(top)
School news
SPH day at the Minnesota State Fair drew hundreds of people for activities about environmental health, nutrition, exercise, and more. About 80 people participated in a video public health quiz. See videos from University of Minnesota President Bob Bruininks, Minnesota Commissioner of Health Dianne Mandernach, and others at www.sph.umn.edu.
The School of Public Health has issued new wordmarks to be used on all school communications. To access the new wordmarks, go to www.sph.umn.edu/news/publications.
The latest issue of the SPH magazine, Advances, is available online at www.sph.umn.edu/advances/. The issue features the international field work of SPH students. To request hard copies of the magazine, send a message to SPHNews@umn.edu. Advances is a quarterly publication for friends of the SPH.
This fall, the School of Public Health will offer a Master of Healthcare Administration degree program at the University of Minnesota-Rochester. UMR is on track to become a "destination campus" with focused academic programs in health sciences, biotechnology, and technology. Five new programs are available at UMR this fall, and five more are planned for fall 2007. Click here to learn more about U of M programs in Rochester.
A team from the Division of Biostatistics placed fourth among all the teams registered for the 2006 Minnesota AIDS Walk. The team raised $11,427 of personal funds for the walk. Representatives from the Minnesota AIDS Project presented the team with an award on Aug. 30.
The State Health Access Data Assistance Center (SHADAC) has prepared a report, "The State of Kids' Coverage," showing that the percentage of uninsured kids in the United States has decreased since the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) was approved by Congress in 1997. Download the report in PDF from SHADAC.
New required data security training for all University employees will be offered online in a few weeks. "Public Jobs: Private Data" is a University developed online data security and management training program. The new training highlights key University policies, as well as helps learners understand best practices to securely use and share University data. More information about the Public Jobs: Private Data training program can be found at www.privacysecurity.umn.edu. Or, if you have questions, please contact Mary Hourigan at houri003@umn.edu.
The fall schedule for the EpiCH Shuttle began Sept. 5. It will be available from 7:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through
Friday. The first round trip originates from WBOB at 7:30 a.m. with departures on the hour and half hour to SPH/Mayo turn-around until
5:30pm each day. Return trips from SPH/Mayo will start at 7:45am with return trips scheduled at a quarter to and a quarter after each hour until 5:45pm each
day. The only interruption of this schedule will occur twice daily and should be noted as follows:
- The shuttle will make two daily trips to the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) in St. Paul, leaving Mayo at 9:15 a.m. and arriving at MDH at 9:30 a.m., before returning to Mayo to pick up passengers for the 9:45 a.m. run to WBOB.
- At 1:45 p.m., the shuttle will leave Mayo, arrive at MDH about 2 p.m., and return to Mayo where it will resume the 2:15 shuttle to WBOB
New Training Resources from CPHEO
The following items are now available:
To order these guides or CD-versions of the online modules, contact CPHEO at umncphp@umn.edu.
Take part in a Chinese herbal extract research study. Have you been looking for an alternative to hormone replacement therapy to treat hot flashes? If so, you may qualify for a study examining an herbal medication that may be effective in reducing menopausal symptoms.
Who's eligible? Women aged 40-60 years who:
- experience an average of 7 hot flashes a day
- are not taking hormone replacement therapy
- have not had a period in the last 6 months
- are not pregnant or breast-feedingFor more information call 5-8022.
If you have a role in meeting or event planning, please note the following:
The McNamara Alumni Center will be increasing its prices as of Oct. 1. Any rooms booked prior to that date will receive the old pricing. If you are planning ahead for a meeting or event this academic year, and need space at the McNamara, considering booking your room in the next three weeks.
Call for proposals due Oct. 6: Community-Campus Partnerships for Health 10th Anniversary Conference. Community-Campus Partnerships for Health (CCPH) is convening a conference, April 11-14, in Toronto, to nurture a growing network of community-campus partnerships that are striving to achieve the systems and policy changes needed to address the root causes of health, social, and economic inequalities. Details at: www.ccph.info.
New CPHEO course: Emergency Readiness Rounds for academic and CEU credit. Are you prepared to take the lead in your hospital, public health agency, or health service organization during a disaster? How would you make decisions about allocating scarce resources? What is the role of the emergency incident command system in a health service delivery system? Learn more and/or register.
Forums have been set for discussion of the Institute on the Environment. As part of the University's strategic positioning, creation of an Institute on the Environment is being discussed. Such an Institute would foster interdisciplinary work on environmental issues, and assist the public in accessing the University's considerable environmental expertise. A series of public forums will be held in early September to discuss a blueprint for establishing the institute. The forum offers participants a chance to hear about and give feedback on the blueprint before an advisory committee submits its final recommendations to the provost on Sept. 14. Learn more about the advisory committee.
The University of Minnesota Cancer Center will host the President's Cancer Panel on "Promoting Healthy Lifestyles to Reduce the Risk of Cancer" Monday, Sept. 11, 8 a.m.-4 p.m. in the University's Cancer Center, room 450. The meeting is open to the public. For more information, contact Karen Parker at klparker@mail.nih.gov or call 301-451-9462.
The third annual Women's Health Research Conference is Monday, Sept. 11 in the McNamara Alumni Center. Susan Wood, former assistant commissioner for the Office of Women's Health at the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), will give the keynote address, "Women's Health, Emergency Contraception and the FDA." Wood stepped down from her post last year because of the FDA's refusal to approve Plan B (emergency contraception) as an over-the-counter product. Learn more about this conference.
The Health Policy Management Seminar Series presents Amitabh Chandra, assistant professor of public policy, Harvard University. He will present the "Economics of Treatment Disparities in Healthcare" on Thursday, Sept. 21, 2006, 3-4:30 p.m. in room A-110 Mayo. To download the abstract, go to www.hpm.umn.edu/.
Mentoring expert Janet Bickel will lead three sessions on mentoring and career development at the Medical School, Thursday, Sept. 21. AHC faculty are welcome to attend. Bickel is a career development and executive coach and former associate vice president for medical school affairs at the Association of American Medical Colleges. Learn more about this event.
The American Red Cross annual campus-wide blood drive will be held Thursday, Sept. 28 at the McNamara Alumni Center. Volunteers are needed for various roles. The schedule is as follows: set-up: 5:45-7 a.m; first shift: 7 a.m.-noon; second shift: noon-5 p.m; take-down: 5-6 p.m. To volunteer on behalf of SPH, please contact Michelle Lian-Anderson at liana001@umn.edu.
The 22nd MHA Alumni Institute will be held Sept. 29 and 30 at the Radisson University Hotel. The theme of this year's institute is "Leadership for Linking Health Protection and Promotion to Provide Better Healthcare." Derek Yach, director of health equity, Rockefeller Foundation, will present the keynote address at 8:30 a.m. on Friday, Sept. 29. His presentation is "Where is the Political and Economic Leadership to Balance Health Gain and Health Care?" Advance registration is required and early registration is encouraged. For more information contact Dave PeKarna at pekar001@umn.edu or call 5-1321. To view the entire institute program, or to register, go to www.hpm.umn.edu/mha/alumni/inst2006/.
The Academic Health Center and Mayo Clinical Trial Services are sponsoring a conference, "Current Issues in Clinical Research: Latest Trends in Clinical Research" Oct. 4-5 at the Minneapolis Convention Center. The program will cover the latest on pharmacovigilance, genomics and proteomics, principles of good clinical practice, and teamwork in clinical research. A nationally prominent faculty has been assembled, including SPH professor Jim Neaton. More information and the registration form can be found at: www.mayocts.com/education/conferences.
The Many Faces of Community Health Conference will take place Oct. 12-13 in Minneapolis. This two-day conference will focus on depression management for chronic disease patients as well as public policy and trends that effect community health centers and programs. A discounted fee will be available for full-time students. Keynote speaker is Jack Geiger, a Nobel laureate and health care pioneer who has dedicated his career to the issues of health, poverty, and human rights. He will speak on "What the Origins of Community Health Centers Can Teach Us Now." Full description and registration materials are available at www.mnachc.org. Information on student rates can be obtained by calling 651-201-5429.
The Minnesota Water 2006 and Annual Water Resources Joint Conference will take place Oct. 24-25 at the Earle Brown Heritage Center. The conference will facilitate interactions among resource managers, researchers, state and local agency staff, and other water resources professionals, including consultants and practicing engineers. SPH professor Deborah Swackhamer served on the conference planning committees. To learn more or register, go to http://wrc.coafes.umn.edu/waterconf/.
Moving Toward Sustainable Energy Systems: Exploring Global Pathways to a Common Destination will take place Oct. 24-25 at the Humphrey Center. The event is free and open to the public. Keynote speaker is RK Pachauri, chair, Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) and director-general, The Energy Research Institute (TERI). Seating is limited, so early registration is recommended. Register online. For more information, please contact Sophia Abbott, 6-1593; albot002@umn.edu.
Division of Epidemiology and Community Health Seminars will take place Fridays, 10-11 a.m. in WBOB, room 364. Learn more at the Epi Web site. Upcoming seminars:
- Sept. 8: Mike John, University of Leipzig, Germany, "The Oral Health Impact Profile - the common language in dentistry?"
- Sept. 15: David Jacobs, SPH. "Racial discrimination and substance use among African Americans: The CARDIA study"
- Sept. 22: Mark Pereira, SPH
- Oct. 6: Ajay Israni, Hennepin County Medical Center
Upcoming CPHEO Courses
- Sept. 6-7: Homeland Security
- Sept. 14: 8-Hour Hazardous Waste Site Worker Refresher
- Sept. 18-20: 24-Hour Hazardous Waste Site Worker Refresher
- Sept. 18-22: 40-Hour Hazardous Waste Site Worker Refresher
- Sept. 28: Evacuation Coordination: Train the Trainer
To see a more detailed listing of courses, go to http://cpheo.sph.umn.edu. Register for courses.
(top)
Event listings
SPH Web site
AHC Web site
To sign up to receive SPH News, send your name and e-mail address to SPHNews@umn.edu.
Read past issues of SPH News.
SPH News is sent by the University of Minnesota School of Public Health, 420 Delaware Street, S.E., Minneapolis, MN 55455. www.sph.umn.edu.
