The Weekly SPHere April 21, 2008
The Weekly SPHere is a weekly electronic publication for students in the University of Minnesota School of Public Health. To submit items for the Weekly SPHere, please send an e-mail to sphnews@umn.edu.
>SPHere Spotlight
>Student News
>School News
>SPH Events
>Other Events
SPHere Spotlight
Congratulations to Research Day Winners! Eight blue ribbons were awarded to SPH students at the school's first annual Research Day, held in conjunction with National Public Health Week. Students were invited to create a poster outlining the research project of their choice. Awards were given in three categories.
Student Choice (judged by a panel of four)
Mary Forte, M.S. student in Health Services Research, Policy and Administration
Helen Parsons, M.P.H. student in Public Health Administration and Policy
Karen Soderberg, Ph.D. student in Health Services Research, Policy, and Administration
Faculty and Alumni Choice (judged by a panel of seven)
Gretchen Cutler, Ph.D. student in Epidemiology
Jooyeon Hwang, M.S. student in Environmental Health
Kristen Tharaldson, M.P.H. student in Community Health Education
Delta Omega, Pi Chapter (judged by two SPH faculty members)
Amenah Babar, M.P.H. student in Epidemiology
Mary Forte, M.S. student in Health Services Research, Policy, and Administration
The Delta Omega winners received $500 to cover the expense of attending a national scientific meeting of their choice. All other winners received a $50 gift certificate to the University of Minnesota bookstore. Twenty-four SPH students participated in Research Day and more than 100 people attended the event.
A big thanks to the SPH students who helped the school celebrate National Public Health Week. Whether you attended a film, e-mailed your friends and family about events, distributed posters and fliers, popped popcorn, volunteered at a registration table, or participated in Research Day, thank you for engaging in the celebration. A very special recognition goes to:
Titi Adegboyega
Liz Barajas
Viswesh Bhat
Rachel Bowers
Debby Caselton
Thuy Doan
Erin Egan
Mathew Eggebrecht
Allison Hawley
Nate Hunkins
Tran Huynh
Alyssa Kerestes
Carrie Klumb
Jared Liebelt
Melissa Lo
Christie Martin
Sarah Mesick
Bethany Morris
Deborah Mullen
Juliet Nguyen
Becky Seel
Katie Schomaker
Emily Wang
Jason Weaver
Student News
Check out MHA student Juliet Nguyen as she hosts a video documenting SPH events during National Public Health Week.
• View the video
Free lunch on Monday, May 5, 12 p.m. Participate in a focus group on SPH internal communications and receive a complimentary lunch. Interested? Write to enge@umn.edu.
Postdoctoral Fellowships are available in Paris for American students wishing to pursue research at the Institut Pasteur. With 2,500 people of 60 nationalities, the 130 research labs of the Institut Pasteur are devoted to the basic science of improving global public health with particular emphasis on infectious diseases. Packages are $70,000 per year for three years. The application deadline is May 9.
• Application information
What information do you need as a public health student? How do you use the Internet? Let us know by completing a brief online survey. In so doing, you will help improve the SPH Web site.
• Go to the survey
The Global Forum for Health Research and The Lancet are holding a joint essay competition for those under 30 on the theme: "Climate change and health: research challenges for the health of vulnerable populations." Winners will be invited to take part (with all expenses paid) in the Global Ministerial Forum on Research for Health in Bamako, Mali, Nov. 17-19. The entry deadline is April 30.
• More about the essay contest
A new Web site for health care job seekers is available at www.MNHospitalJobs.com. Advantages: All Jobs listed are posted directly from hospital employers; hospital profiles are available to research facility details; apply directly into a hospital's employment database; receive e-mail notifications as new jobs are posted; send your resume to the proper HR contact in charge of hiring.
Interested in health communication or journalism? Come find out about the revised Health Journalism M.A. program. The revised program may be the perfect addition to your public health studies. Attend one of these upcoming information sessions to learn about the expanded curriculum: Monday, April 7 at 3 p.m. in A301 Mayo
or Wednesday, April 16 at 11 a.m. in A301 Mayo.
• Learn more online
Jour 5101: Health Writing, a new course for fall 2008, will be offered from 6 to 8:30 p.m. on Tuesdays. The class is designed for students who are interested in health journalism reporting and writing. Students will build on those principles as they develop skills in other forms of health writing, including magazine-style features, communications/promotional pieces, new media content (including blogs), and advocacy pieces. The course will be largely skills-based, with frequent and varied writing assignments. The instructor is Leyla Kokmen, program coordinator for the Health Journalism M.A. program. She has been a staff reporter at daily and weekly papers across the United States.
School News
Participate in a community preparedness exercise. Hennepin County Public Health and the City of Eden Prairie are working together to test a plan to distribute medications to the public quickly during an emergency, such as an infectious disease outbreak. The exercise will take place Sunday, May 4, at the Eden Prairie Center JC Penney parking lot anytime between 8:45a.m. and 10 a.m. In order to accurately test our plan, organizers need a minimum of 300 vehicles to drive through the dispensing lanes to pick up their M&M's "medication." This little detour will go a long way toward making our community safer--and you won't even have to get out of your car!
Register online or call 612-348-4463.
Save the date for the Annual SPH Faculty and Assembly Meeting: Friday, May 16. All SPH faculty, staff, and students are encouraged to attend. The meeting will be held in Mayo Auditorium beginning with refreshments at 8:45 a.m. and the meeting goes from 9:15 to 10:45 a.m.
Join SPH student volunteers as they participate in an "April Showers Baby Drive" to benefit the Tubman Family Alliance and Chrysalis Woman's shelters. Needs include new disposable diapers (all sizes), wipes, pacifiers, bottles, sippy cups, baby wash and lotion, teething rings, etc. A collection box will be available in the CHIP lounge throughout April. The drive is sponsored by volunteers of the Phillips Neighborhood Clinic. E-mail gies0106@umn.edu for more information.
SPH Events
"Heterologous Immunity, GI Disease, and Heliobacter: Friend or Foe?" is the topic of the next Academic Health Center Office of Clinical Research Distinguished Visiting Scholar Series lecture, noon to 1 p.m., April 22, room 105, 717 Delaware St. James Fox, director and professor, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, will present. Lunch will be provided.
This year's Taste Diversity Event, "Global Fusion" will take place Wednesday, April 23, 4:30-7:30 p.m. in The Whole (Basement of Coffman Memorial Union). Taste Diversity will feature food from all over the world, crafts, talents of faculty and students, fashion, gifts, prizes and an SPH Idol contest. The event is being hosted and planned by student volunteers, the SPH Student Senate and the Office of the Dean. Come with family and friends to enjoy an amazing time with fellow students, faculty, and staff. For more information about the event, contact Thuy Doan at doanx034@umn.edu. To sign up for the Taste Diversity talent show, contact Tran Huynh at huynh0098@umn.edu.
"Mobilizing Communities of Color to Promote Healthy Living and Eating," will be presented from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on Thursday, April 24 in the Union Theater at Coffman Union. The keynote speaker is Antronette Yancey of the UCLA School of Public Health. This Health Disparities Work Group Forum is free and open to the public, but registration is requested. For questions call 6-4515.
• Register online/more information
"Challenges of Climate and Land Use and Land Cover Change Modeling at a Regional Scale," will be the topic of discussion at the Institute on the Environment's April environment roundtable discussion. The event will be held from 11:45 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Thursday, April 24 in room 105 of the Cargill Building on the St. Paul Campus. The roundtable is free and open to the public. Refreshments will be provided.
• Learn more online
Other Events
April 21, 3 to 6 p.m.
The National Center for Food Protection and Defense Open House
April 22
Public Engagement Day 2008, all day, Coffman Union
April 23, noon to 1 p.m.
"Reducing Cancer-Related Health Disparities among African Americans: A Line of Tobacco Research and Future Directions" will be the topic of Monica Webb's discussion on April 23, room 105, 717 Delaware building. Lunch provided to the first 40 attendees.
April 26, 9 a.m. to 4:15 p.m.
Mobilizing and Engaging Communities for Global Health