The Weekly SPHere Oct. 29, 2007
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.
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Student News
Public health Halloween Party. Come celebrate Halloween with free pizza, candy, caramel apples, and a costume contest (with prizes for the top 3). The party will be held at 5:30 p.m. on Wednesday Oct. 31 at the SPHere Student Lounge (Mayo A150).
If you are interested in doing work overseas, consider applying for the Walter H. Judd International Graduate and Professional Fellowship. The Judd Fellowship offers an opportunity to cover travel expenses. The deadline is Feb. 11.
• Learn more online
Spring 2008 registration and advising reminder. Spring 2008 registration is right around the corner. Faculty and students are reminded and encouraged to schedule time for advising prior to students' registration for classes. Guidelines and expectations were recently provided to all SPH faculty and students by Dean Finnegan. These guidelines (available from your Major Coordinator staff) will help you have a positive and fulfilling advising experience. Should you have questions about advising within your specific program please contact your Major Chair, DGS, or Major Coordinator for further information.
• Learn more at One Stop
Applied Epidemiology fellowship deadline approaching. The Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists (CSTE), in collaboration with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and the Association of Schools of Public Health (ASPH), has established the Applied Epidemiology Fellowship. The goal is to provide a high quality training experience and to secure long-term career placement for fellows at the health agencies to which they are assigned. Participating fellows will receive two years of paid, on-the-job training at a state health agency under the guidance of an experienced mentor. Application deadline is Thursday, Nov. 1.
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Public health, medical, and nursing students are invited to enrolled in a journalism class focused on health and medical journalism. The class, Jour 5155 Advanced Reporting, is being offered spring quarter 2008 and will be taught by veteran health journalist, Gary Schwitzer. In the course students will learn how health care news fits in the culture of today's journalism; analyze examples of excellence in health journalism in different media and formats; explore important story topics and collect valuable health care sources and work on multi-platform projects to cover health topics creatively, accurately and with balance. For questions contact Gary Schwitzer at 6-4637 or at schwitz@umn.edu.
The Minnesota House of Representatives Internship program is accepting applications. Applicants are encouraged to submit application materials by January 1st. Pick up applications in the Student Services Center (D305 Mayo) or contact Julia Miller at julia.miller@house.mn
School News
New Interdisciplinary Concentration Area just approved--Health Disparities. The SPH and the University of Minnesota Board of Regents recently approved a new interdisciplinary concentration area. The Health Disparities Interdisciplinary Concentration (HDIC) is available to Master of Public Health (MPH) students. MPH students have the option to add the concentration area to their program of study. This concentration area addresses the unequal burden of health risks, morbidity, and mortality experienced by minority cultural and social groups in the United States, as well as unequal quality of and access to health care. Achieving optimum health for all segments of society is a central goal of the federal health initiative Healthy People 2010, and a concern in Minnesota as well. Despite Minnesota's ranking as one of the nation's healthiest states, it has some of the largest gaps among cultural and social groups in health indicators. The Health Disparities Concentration joins three other interdisciplinary areas ' Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAMIC), Global Health (GHIC) and Public Health Policy (PHPIC).
Dean John Finnegan writes about making the School's global relationships operational in his most recent column.
• Read the column
SPH Events
Students in the MCH Program will discuss their public health experiences in India during a informal gathering, held on Monday, Oct. 29. Mandi Proue and Terra Carey will share stories and photos from their recent field work from 12:15 to 1:15 p.m. in A301 Mayo (in the Dean's suite of offices).. MCH will provide light refreshments and everyone is welcome to attend.
The Division of Health Policy and Management (HPM) is sponsoring an information session for prospective students. On Monday, Oct. 29 interested students will have an opportunity to meet with faculty and students, discover funding opportunities, and learn about HPM academic programs. Refreshments will be served. For more information or to make a reservation call 4-8818 or send an e-mailto eherring@umn.edu. Free parking provided in the Washington Avenue Ramp.
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PhD candidate Kimberly J. Johnson will deliver an oral exam presentation on Tuesday, Oct. 30. The title of her presentation is, "Perigestational Risk Factors for Childhood Cancer: Three Investigations." The presentation will be held from 1 to 2 p.m. in room 541 Cancer Center Research Building (CCRB).
PhD candidate Gabriela Vazquez will deliver an oral exam presentation on Tuesday, Oct. 30. Her presentation, "Pre-screening tools for screen-detected diabetes: An escalating approach in diverse populations. Evidence from CODA project," will be held from 4 to 5 p.m. in room 364 of WBOB.
Surajit Ray from the Department of Mathematics and Statistics Boston University will discuss, "Modal Inference and Its Application to High-Dimensional Clustering," in a biostatistics seminar on Wednesday, Oct. 31. The event will be at 3:30 p.m. in 1-450G MoosT.
Information sessions for the 2008 Predoctoral Fellowship Program in Clinical and Translational Research will be held Nov.5, 7, 12, and 13. The sessions are designed for academic health center students interested in a paid, mentoredsummer fellowship in clinical or translational research. Students can pick up fellowship and application information and get questions answered. A pizza and pop lunch will be served for the first 20 students.
- Monday, Nov. 5 12:15-1 p.m. Office of Clinical Research Mayo G254
- Wednesday, Nov. 7 12:15-1 p.m. 202 Pomeroy Center, St. Paul
- Monday, Nov. 12 12:15-1 p.m. 410 WBOB
- Tuesday, Nov. 13 12:15-1 p.m. 1-450G Moos Tower
"Appetite and Adiposity: Re-building a Psychological Theory of Obesity," will be the topic of discussion at a seminar on Monday, Nov. 12. Jane Wardle from University College London will be the keynote speaker for the event held from 4 to 5 p.m. in 3-125 Mayo. A reception will be held at 3:30 p.m.
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Andrew Steptoe from University College London will be the keynote speaker at a seminar on Tuesday, Nov. 13. Steptoe will discuss "Positive Well-Being, Biology, and Health" from 10 to 11 a.m. in 3-125 Mayo. A reception will be held from 9:30 to 10 a.m.
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Save the date for the All-School Winter Reception. Students, staff, and faculty mark Dec. 13 for the All-School Winter Reception. The magic will begin at 2:15 p.m. at the Weisman Art Muesum and last until 4:30 p.m. More information will be given as the date gets closer.
Other Events
Free flu shots. Flu season is here. Protect yourself and reduce the spread of flu around campus. Get a free flu shot and a cookie from from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Monday, Oct. 29 at Java City in Weaver-Densford Hall. Must be 18 or older to attend the walk-in flu clinics. More dates and locations are scheduled in November and December. See the full schedule and locations. For questions contact Julie Sanem at jsanem@bhs.umn.edu or 6-3856.
The Veterinary Medical Library open house will be held from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 30, on the 4th floor of the Veterinary Medical Science Building. For more information call 4-4281 or e-mail vetlib@umn.edu.
Emerging Debates on Oversight and Policy in Biomedicine and the Life Sciences will be the topic of discussion during the first of the 2007-08 lecture series sponsored by the University's Consortium on Law and Values in Health, Environment and the Life Sciences and the Joint Degree Program in Law, Health and the Life Sciences. Suzanne Hunt will discuss,
"The Global Biofuels Debate: Science, Policy & Ethics," from 11:30 to 1 p.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 31 in the theater at the St. Paul Student Center. This event is free and open to the public. Reservations are strongly encouraged. For more information, contact the Consortium office at 5-0055 or e-mail lawvalue@umn.edu. Parking for the St. Paul Student Union is at the Gortner Avenue Ramp.
The Sawyer Seminar series continues with a lecture on medical humanitarianism through the years. Bertrand Taithe, a cultural history professor at the University of Manchester, will lecture on "Comparing and Connecting the Contemporary Humanitarian Enterprise with its Roots in 19th Century Colonialism: The French Example" at 4 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 1, at the Humphrey Institute of Public Affairs, 301 19th Ave. S., Minneapolis.
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A silent auction benefiting the Phillips Neighborhood Clinic will be held Wednesday, Nov. 7. "The Art of Caring" auction features an evening of art, hors d'oeuvres, entertainment, and the opportunity to bid on unique items. The event will be held from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. at the Fredrick R. Weisman Art Museum. Tickets will be sold at the door and are $15 for students and $25 others. Advanced tickets can be purchased online for $10 and $20 respectively.
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Campus Community Forums: Creating a Vision for the New Community at UMore Park. Faculty, students, and staff members are invited to share ideas for developing a vibrant, culturally rich, sustainable new community at UMore Park--a 5,000-acre University-owned property in Dakota County. Attend either breakfast forum below.
• Learn more online or call 6-3976.
• Thursday, Nov. 8, 8 a.m. to 10:30 a.m., North Star Ballroom, 2nd Floor, St. Paul Student Center, St. Paul campus
• Friday, Nov. 9, 8 a.m. to 10:30 a.m., The Theater, 1st Floor, Coffman Memorial Union, Minneapolis campus
"Overtreated: Why too much medicine is making us sicker and poorer" is the topic of the 2007 James L. Reinertsen Lecture on Thursday, Nov. 15. Shannon Brownlee, a Schwartz senior fellow from the New America Foundation, is the keynote speaker at the event, which will be held from 5:30 to 7 p.m. in Schulze Hall at the Minneapolis campus of the University of St. Thomas, 1000 LaSalle Ave. A reception will be held from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. and a post-lecture dessert reception will be held from 7 to 8 p.m. The lecture is free.
Register online by Nov. 9
Looking for a green career? What action can you take now to get on your green career track and work for a sustainable world? Barbara Parks from Green Career Tracks will help you answer these questions and get you started on creating your own green careers customized plan during an upcoming session. For more information contact Do It Green! Minnesota (formerly Twin Cities Green Guide) at 612-345-7973 or info@doitgreen.org.
- 6-8 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 8 at the Washburn Public Library 5244 Lyndale Ave., S., Mpls.
- Noon to 2 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 10 at Natural Built Home 4020 Minnehaha Ave., Mpls.
A conference on fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD) will be held on Thursday, Nov. 8. This conference will cover a multitude of topics related to FASD including current diagnostic criteria, approaches for screening for alcohol use during pregnancy, and prevention and intervention strategies. The keynote address will be presented by Dan Dubovsky, the FASD specialist for the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) FASD Center for Excellence. Registration fee is $25. Student scholarships are available. Please call Mary Ellen Walker at 651-351-3135.
Experience Minnesota: An Open House for Multicultural Students. This event is designed for prospective multicultural students and their families who want to learn more about the University and its programs. Families will receive information on academic opportunities, financial aid, multicultural organizations and meet with faculty and current students. The event will be held from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 10 at Northrop Memorial Auditorium.
• Register online or call 5-0000.
A workshop on writing fundable grant proposals will be held on Thursday, Nov. 15. The presentation is designed for all disciplines and will be held from 5 to 7 p.m. in 101 Fraser Hall. This presentation is aimed at graduate students and postdoctoral associates/fellows planning to apply for research grants or fellowship funding. Strategies for developing successful grant proposals will be highlighted, along with an overview of resources for prospecting grant sources within federal, state, private and University funding pools. For more information contact: Noro Andriamanalina at andri002@umn.edu.
• Register online