SPH News

May 1, 2006

 

Contents

From the Dean

Faculty news

Media news

Research news

Alumni news

Staff news

Student news

School news

Calendar of events

 

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 May 15 issue is noon on Friday, May 12.

 

From the Dean

The SPH now has its own Podcast channel. It is valuable new learning tool and a vehicle for delivering vital SPH information to a larger audience.  Our current Podcast programming consists of audio recordings from recent high-profile public lectures at the school. Anyone with an Internet connection and speakers can access the channel’s content. And those with a portable listening device (Ipod or other MP3 player) can download the files and listen at their leisure.  Simply log onto the SPH web site (www.sph.umn.edu) and click on “SPH Podcasts” at the top of the page.

 

This is a chance for students, faculty, staff, alumni, and the public to access what you want, when you want it.  The launch of the Podcast channel marks an exciting time for the school.  We are on the cutting edge of a new medium and enhancing the learning process through technology.  The success of the SPH Podcast channel depends on your participation.  I urge you to tune in to our lectures, and stay plugged-in to the vibrant SPH community.

 

Speaking of high-profile public lectures, please make plans to attend this Thursday’s Gaylord Anderson Lecture, the annual SPH lecture given by a public health leader of national or international note.  This year’s Gaylord Anderson lecturer is Dr. N.K. Ganguly, director general of the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR).  ICMR is India’s equivalent to the U.S. National Institutes of Health.  The lecture will be held in the Mayo Memorial Auditorium from 4-5 p.m. and will be followed by a reception with hors d’oeuvres and refreshments.  For more information, visit:  http://www.sph.umn.edu/news/events/gaylordlecture.html

 

--John R. Finnegan, Jr., Ph.D.

 

Faculty news

Lynn Blewett, Jon Christianson, Michael Davern, and Bryan Dowd will be presenting at the Academy Health Annual Research Meeting (ARM) to be held June 25-27 in Seattle. This is an opportunity for health services researchers and decision makers to hear the latest research, debate policy issues, develop new research skills, and meet colleagues. For more information on the conference or to register, visit www.academyhealth.org/arm.

 

24-hour Deadline for Proposal Submissions: Effective May 1, Sponsored Projects Administration (SPA) will enforce the campus policy requiring principal investigators (PIs) to deliver proposals to SPA at least 24 hours prior to the sponsor’s submission deadline. For more information, go to http://www.ospa.umn.edu/policiesandprocedures/24hourdeadline.html.

 

Media news

April 2006 media coverage featured the following SPH faculty and staff:

Michael Davern

Lisa Harnack

Robert Kane

Patricia McGovern

Melissa Nelson

Dianne Neumark-Sztainer

Tetsuya Ohira

Michael Osterholm

Marguerite Pappaioanou

Mary Story

School of Public Health

Coverage was featured in local media as well as in The Times (London), Washington Post, AgriNews, Web MD, Fox News, and by the Associated Press and Reuters News Service. Visit the SPH Web site at http://www.sph.umn.edu/news/inthenews.html 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.

 

Research news

Investigators(s)

Project Title

Award Amount

Funding Agency

Beth Virnig (PI)

 

Does Chemotherapy Cause Dementia in Older Breast Cancer Survivors?

$42,352

St. Michael’s Hospital, Toronto, Lance Armstrong Fdn. (prime)

Lynn Blewett (PI)

 

Montana Technical Assistance and Evaluation Planning

$83,152

Montana Dept. of Public Health and Human Svc.

John Himes (PI)

Pharmaceutical Clinical Trial, Study Start Up Phase

$123,400

PRA Intl.

 

Alumni news

The SPH Alumni Network is available online. By providing contact information to the network, alumni can become a valuable resource for current and prospective students who are curious about public health careers. And, of course, they can also use the network to forge connections with other alumni. Check it out at http://www.sph.umn.edu/alumni/network/home.html.

 

Paul Hebert, 2001 Ph.D. graduate, co-authored an article that won the 2006 John M. Eisenberg Article-of-the-Year in Health Services Research. HSRP faculty members Robert Kane and Marshall McBean collaborated. The award-winning article is “The Causes of Racial and Ethnic Differences in Influenza Vaccination Rates among Elderly Medicare Beneficiaries” in Health Services Research, vol. 40, April 2005, p. 517.

 

Staff news

Rickey Hall, director of Recruitment & Multicultural Services, was elected to serve a 3-year term on the Board of Directors for Model Cities. This St. Paul-based organization serves over 1,200 families each year most of which live in Ramsey County. Their services have expanded beyond primary health care and now include mental health, chemical health, social services, crisis intervention, and supportive housing.

 

Student news

Melinda Rostal has been awarded a $2,000 Walter H. Judd International Graduate & Professional Fellowship to support her project in Kenya.

 

Justin Horner is the first M.D. graduate to earn the Master of Public Health degree through the joint MD/MPH program of the SPH and the University of North Dakota. He will be recognized at the commencement ceremony for the University of North Dakota School of Medicine and Health Sciences this month.

 

SPH Student Senate Officers have been selected. Congratulations to:

President – Denise Feda (EnHS)

Vice President – Stephanie Ball (EnHS)

Secretary – Katie Loth (PH Nutrition)

 

School news

The 2006 Gaylord Anderson Lecture, the School’s premier public lecture event, will take place Thursday, May 4 from 4 – 5 p.m. in the Mayo Memorial Auditorium. Dr. N.K. Ganguly, director general of the Indian Council of Medical Research, will speak. Dr. Ganguly is one of India’s leading medical authorities. He has contributed significantly to the medical sciences with more than 500 research papers and numerous books. The lecture will be followed by a reception.

 

SPH Commencement is less than two weeks away.  The commencement speaker is U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Richard Carmona.  For information about (the new) commencement location and time, visit www.sph.umn.edu/commencement.

 

2006 Summer Public Health Institute: May 22 – June 9. Professionals have a unique opportunity to immerse themselves in a chosen field of study – for a single course or the entire three weeks of the Institute. For more information on courses, faculty, special programs and events, and registration, please visit www.sph.umn.edu/publichealthplanet/events/institute/home.html

or call 626-4515.

 

“The Coverage Gap” will be the topic of a panel discussion held May 5 from 2 – 4 p.m. in Moos Tower 2-530. The event is free and open to the public. Panel members from the University and community organizations will discuss the significant gap in access to care between people who do and do not have health insurance. For more information, go to http://www.shadac.org.

 

Geographic Information Systems (GIS) will be the subject of a free symposium to be held May 5 from 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. in Walter Library Room 101. The event will explore the technical, legal and ethical implications of GIS developed and utilized for animal and human health research. Pre-registration is required; register online at www.cvm.umn.edu/cahfs or contact Lisa Brienzo at brien@umn.edu.

 

Skin cancer and public smoking headline the spring 2006 "Cancer U: Ask the Experts" programs.

  • On Saturday, May 6, University tobacco researchers Dorothy Hatsukami, Stephen Hecht, and Deborah Hennrikus (of the SPH) will discuss secondhand smoke, including its effects on pregnant women and young children.

The free program runs from 9 to 11 a.m. at the Radisson University Hotel. Registration is required due to limited seating; call 1-888-CANCERMN or e-mail info@cancer.umn.edu.

 

Are you prepared to take the medical lead in your hospital during a disaster? How would you make decisions about allocating scarce resources? Explore these critical issues in a two-part Emergency Readiness Rounds series that you can attend either in person or online.

  • Session 1: May 9, 2006 Moos Tower 1-450G, 12-1 p.m. or via Webcast
  • Session 2: TBD

The two-part series is offered through MERET, a project of the University of Minnesota School of Nursing and School of Public Health. For more information on this event please visit www.sph.umn.edu/meret/featured/rounds.html. Register online at http://ustar.ahc.umn.edu/register_event.cfm. Seminar is free but registration is required.

 

How have public policy and attitudes toward disabilities changed throughout the decades? Using The Minnesota Opera’s upcoming production of “Joseph Merrick, the Elephant Man” as a starting point, a panel of experts in public policy, arts and medicine will delve into this subject. The discussion will be held from 7 – 9 p.m. May 10 at the Humphrey Institute, 301 19th Ave. S., Minneapolis. The event is free, but advanced registration is required by calling 612-342-1611.

 

Register for the Ethical Guidelines in Food Safety and Food System Symposium, sponsored by the Center for Animal Health and Food Safety. The symposium will be held May 11-12. The event is free and open to the public. Pre-registration is required for the reception and lunch. For more information or to register, go to http://www.cvm.umn.edu/cahfs/

 

Hold the Date – Annual School-Wide Meeting Friday, May 12: For all School of Public Health faculty, staff, and students. Gathering and refreshments from 9:45 – 10:15 a.m., meeting follows from 10:15 – 11:45 a.m. Location is TBD.

 

SPH will host a lecture by Dr. Lester Breslow entitled “The Third Era in Health: The Pursuit of Health,” May 19. Dr. Breslow has been considered a pioneer in forging new connections and understanding in public health. He is a remarkable alumnus of SPH, with more than 65 years of accomplishments in the field. The lecture will be from 9:30 – 11 a.m. in the ABC Room of the Campus Club, Coffman Memorial Union. Contact Roxana Hedberg for more information: 624-5406 or r.hedberg@mmf.umn.edu.

 

The MCH Center for Leadership Education presents a one-day seminar, "Creating Effective Public Health Messages Using Strategic Frame Analysis" on May 19 from 8:45 a.m. – 4 p.m. at the Continuing Education and Conference Center on the St. Paul campus. The cost is $25; scholarships are available. For a program brochure and more information, go to http://www.epi.umn.edu/mch/.

 

The Science Museum of Minnesota seeks volunteers to be guest presenters in the Body Worlds exhibition. Guest presenters will be asked to volunteer for two (or more if they chose) four-hour shifts on a Thursday, Friday, Saturday (9a-1p or 1p-5p) or Sunday (11a-3p or 3p-7p) between June 1 and September 4. Guest presenters will work inside the exhibition and will be asked to provide interpretation of specimens that fit that presenters’ particular area of expertise. All guest presenters must be able to attend a mandatory training on Monday, May 22 from 6 – 8 p. m. at The Science Museum. For more information or to volunteer, contact Joe Imholte at jimholte@smm.org.

 

The Community-Campus Partnerships for Health’s (CCPH) ninth conference will explore where we are now and where we need to be with community-campus partnerships. The conference will be held from Wednesday, May 31 – Saturday, June 3. For more information, visit www.ccph.info.

 

Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders – June 14-15: The Hand in Hand Symposium brings together parents, care providers and professionals to address multidisciplinary challenges associated with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD). For more information on courses, faculty, special programs and events, concentration areas and registration please visit www.sph.umn.edu/publichealthplanet/events/hand_in_hand.html or call 626-4515

 

The Geneva Forum – Towards Global Access to Health – will be held August 30 to September 1. This forum will provide a unique opportunity for all participants to present and explore innovative partnerships and programs facilitating access to health. Deadline for abstract submission is May 1, and early bird registration ends June 5. For more information and to register, go to http://www.hcuge.ch/genevahealthforum/GeneralInformation.html

 

Mass dispensing online training modules are available to assist individuals who may be asked to work in mass dispensing sites during an emergency. To view the modules visit www.umncphp.umn.edu/massdisp. For more information, contact Jennifer Reilly at 624-7440 or e-mail massdisp@umn.edu.

 

Spring and Summer Epi Shuttle Schedule:

April 10: 7-passenger vehicle replaces 15-passenger van

May 13: end of spring semester, last full day of shuttle service

May 15 – June 9: summer schedule, 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

June 12 – Sept. 4: no shuttle service

 

Calendar of May Events

Date

Time

Event

Location

Contact

May 4

4-5 p.m.

Gaylord Anderson Lecture: Dr. N.K. Ganguly

Mayo Auditorium

www.sph.umn.edu/news/events/gaylordlecture.html

May 5

2-4 p.m.

The Coverage Gap panel discussion

Moos Tower 2-530

www.shadac.org

 

May 5

10-11 a.m.

EpiCH seminar: Dianne Neumark-Sztainer

WBOB 364

raichert@epi.umn.edu

May 9

12-1 p.m.

MERET Emergency Readiness Rounds, Session 1

Moos Tower 1-450G or online Webcast

www.sph.umn.edu/meret/featured/rounds.html

May 11

8 a.m.-5 p.m.

8-Hour Hazardous Materials Emergency Response Refresher

2221 University Ave.

www.publichealthplanet.org

May 12

10:15-11:45 a.m.

SPH Annual Faculty and Assembly Meeting

TBD

barbcook@umn.edu

 

May 15

4 p.m. on

Commencement and related activities

Ted Mann Concert Hall

Piotr005@umn.edu or www.sph.umn.edu/commencement

May 17

8 a.m.-5 p.m.

Office Ergonomics: A Practical Approach

2221 University Ave.

www.publichealthplanet.org

May 19

9:30 -
11 a.m.

Dr. Lester Breslow lecture

ABC Room, Campus Club

r.hedberg@mmf.umn.edu

May 22-24

8 a.m.-5 p.m.

24-Hour Safety & Health Training for Hazardous Waste Site Personnel

TBD

www.publichealthplanet.org

May 22-26

8 a.m.-5 p.m.

40-Hour Safety & Health Training for Hazardous Waste Site Personnel

TBD

www.publichealthplanet.org

 

Event listings are available at the SPH Web site at http://www.sph.umn.edu/news/events/home.html and the AHC site at http://www.ahc.umn.edu/calendar/.

 

To sign up to receive SPH News, send your name and e-mail address to SPHNews@umn.edu.

 

To read past issues of SPH News, go to http://www.sph.umn.edu/news/sphnewsletter.html.

 

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.