SPH News Dec. 11, 2006Jump to:
SPH News is a school-wide electronic newsletter distributed every other Monday. Please send news items to SPHNews@umn.edu. Due to the holiday break, the next issue of SPH News will be Tuesday, Jan. 2. The submission deadline for that issue is noon on Wednesday, Dec. 27. From the DeanFor many cultures around the planet, December is a time of hope and celebration. A universal theme is "light." Winter brings short days and the winter solstice is the shortest of all. In ancient times, our ancestors gathered around blazing fires, ate, drank, told stories and celebrated the promise of spring and of new long, light-filled days. In our own way, we do this too as part of our "public health culture." Three celebrations have graced our short days this month. The first was Prof. Harry Lando's recognition by the University with the 2006 Award for Global Engagement. I was honored to tell the story of Harry's worldwide contributions to tobacco control research to an assembly of family, friends and colleagues that met in the McNamara Alumni Center early this month. Yes, the fireplace in the hall was blazing. The second was the graduation of the most recent cohort of public health professionals from the Emerging Leaders Network program sponsored by the Minnesota Department of Health, Minnesota Public Health Health Association, Local Public Health Association and the SPH. It was my privilege to give the "commencement" address to highlight the importance of leadership skills in public health. The third, just last week, was to celebrate the transition of Prof. Robert Veninga to "Professor Emeritus." At least 150 family, friends, and colleagues gathered in the Campus Club to honor the career of this talented man who joined the SPH faculty in 1969. As I cruised the room meeting people, it occurred to me that there were at least three "academic" generations present: Bob's students, his colleagues, and, yes, some of his own doctoral teachers that helped to launch his career. The size of the gathering alone said a great deal about Bob's impact on people. So, when the short days of winter get to you, think about these public health "lights": Harry Lando, Bob Veninga and our newest group of public health leaders. Their work is the promise of public health impact everyday. I hope to celebrate with all of you at the SPH Winter Reception this Thursday afternoon. Details below in the Events section. --John R. Finnegan, Jr., Ph.D. Media newsNovember 2006 media coverage featured the following SPH faculty and staff: Coverage was featured in local media as well as on CNN and in the Los Angeles Times, Reuters, and U.S. News & World Report. Visit http://www.sph.umn.edu/news/ 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. Faculty newsFaculty from the SPH and College of Veterinary Medicine met with state legislative staffers recently to discuss a host of issues, including avian flu, environmental concerns, and tobacco control. Thanks to the following SPH faculty who presented to the staffers: Kristin Anderson, Craig Hedberg, Harry Lando, Marguerite Pappaioanou, and Deb Swackhamer. Kumar Belani, professor of anesthesiology, medicine and pediatrics in the Medical School and adjunct professor of Environmental Health Sciences, was recently recognized for his global activities by the Narayana Hrudayalaya Institute of Medical Sciences in Bangalore, India. SPH Fall Faculty Meeting Friday Dec. 15. Refreshments will be served from 8:45 to 9 a.m. The meeting will be held from 9 to 10:30 a.m. in room A110 of the Mayo Building. (1st floor Mayo Building near the student SPHere). An agenda will be send in advance of the meeting. Parking will be validated for the Washington Avenue Ramp and East River Road Garage -- please bring the ticket to the meeting. Student newsMount Sinai International Exchange Program for Minority Students is accepting applications for a unique experience. Travel to another country to conduct community-based research. Work with international scientists. Boost your research skills. Broaden your cultural and linguistic abilities – all while contributing to an international scientific collaboration. Applications and supporting materials due Jan. 31. Call for papers. Context, the journal recognizing student health professionals engaged in their communities, seeks original student papers to be published bi-annually. Manuscripts received by Feb. 16 are eligible for the Summer 2007 issue. Context is the nation's first student-run, online, peer-reviewed journal that highlights the exceptional work of health students in the community. Papers are accepted on a rolling-basis. To submit your paper, please go to www.contextjournal.org and read the instructions for submission guidelines. CLARION will host SPH professor Gordon Mosser, who will speak on interprofessionalism and quality improvement in health care. The event will be held from noon to 1:30 p.m. on Jan. 17 in 2-650 Moos Tower. For more information, contact Allison Prusak (prus0022@umn.edu). Alumni newsRichard Norling, MHA ’75, is CEO of Premier Inc., a group-purchasing agency in San Diego, Calif. The agency has won the 2006 Malcolm Baldridge National Quality Award. William Petasnick, MHA ’70 is president and CEO of Froedtert Memorial Lutheran Hospital in Milwaukee. He will chair the American Hospital Association beginning in January. Alison Page, MHA ’96, is vice president of safety at Fairview Health Services. She was presented with the 2006 Minnesota Alliance for Patient Safety (MAPS) Award on November 15. School newsFaculty Guidebooks have arrived. The 2006-2007 edition of the School of Public Health Faculty Guidebooks are available. Copies will be sent to SPH faculty. For additional copies please email sphnews@umn.edu. Learn what life is like for one University of Minnesota public health student. Watch "My Life," a video podcast produced by the SPH. In the first episode, Dominique Lopez-Stickney presents to her class about her field experience in Mexico, conducts phone surveys for a research project, mentors a 10-year-old girl, and volunteers at the Twin Cities Marathon. Lopez-Stickney is a public health nutrition student in the Division of Epidemiology. New five-day deadline for Grants.gov proposals. The office of the vice president for research has announced a new five-day deadline for grant proposals requiring submission through the new federal mechanism, Grants.gov, to Sponsored Projects Administration (SPA), effective January 30. Frank Cerra shares vision with SPH. On Nov. 30, Frank Cerra, senior vice president for health sciences, shared the Academic Health Center's vision for the next five years with the School of Public Health. Emergency Readiness Rounds will be offered spring semester as both an academic course (AHS 6001) and for continuing education credit from January to May. 2007 Summer Public Health Institute Preview. The institute will be held May 21-June 8 on the Twin Cities University campus. Visit cpheo.sph.umn.edu/institute for the complete three-week Institute schedule. The print catalog will be available in January. Please call 6-4515 or e-mail cpheo@umn.edu to request a copy. Kirk Allison, director of the Program in Human Rights and Health, was appointed chair-elect for the APHA Ethics Forum Special Interest Group. He was selected at the American Public Health Association annual meeting in November. Let the games begin and make a difference. Join the SPH Student Senate in a Penny War game to raise money for meals at the Ronald McDonald House. The competition between the four SPH divisions goes through Jan. 22. To get involved, bring your pennies and fill up the containers of your division that are located in the Student Services office. A point is earned for every penny. Silver coins and paper currency contribute to the money raised but deduct points from a division. It’s a great strategy if you want to move your team ahead while pushing other divisions behind. Those interested in preparing the meal for the Ronald McDonald House, e-mail Emily Abbott at abbot093@umn.edu. The University's Academic and Corporate Relations Center (ACRC) is open for business. The new "front door" to the University offers the business community access to resources and information through ACRC's concierge service, relationship managers, and Web site. For more information, see www.business.umn.edu, or contact ACRC at 6-3438 or frontdoor@umn.edu. Check out the latest newsletter of the Minnesota Technical Assistance Program (MnTAP) at http://mntap.umn.edu/source. The Minnesota Technical Assistance Program (MnTAP) is an outreach program at the University of Minnesota that helps Minnesota businesses develop and implement industry-tailored solutions that maximize resource efficiency, prevent pollution, and reduce costs and energy use. Event listingsCelebrate at the 2006 SPH Winter Reception! SPH faculty, staff, and students are invited to the school's annual Winter Reception on Thursday, Dec. 14, 2:30 p.m., at the Weisman Art Museum. Join colleagues for an afternoon of refreshments, live music, and fun activities. CAFE SCIENTIFIQUE presents “Professional Guinea Pigs” on Tuesday, Dec. 19, 6:30 p.m. (Doors at 5:30 p.m.) at the Bryant-Lake Bowl Theater in Minneapolis. Admission is $5. Carl Elliott, author and professor of the Center for Bioethics, discusses the use of healthy humans in medical research. As drug companies offer higher payments to test subjects, will people be tempted to undergo frequent and dangerous trials? For those who make most or all of their living as paid research subjects, what protections are in place to safeguard against their exploitation? Host John Erik Troyer will keep the discussion moving in unexpected directions and audiences are encouraged to join in. For more information or a list of scheduled Cafe Scientifique programs visit bellmuseum.org or call 4-7083. Join Smoke Free Minnesota Day at the Capitol. Register now for the first-ever Smoke Free Minnesota Day at the Capitol. Show your support for comprehensive smoke free workplaces on Tuesday, Jan. 30, from 7:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. During the event, you will have the opportunity to represent the broad support for comprehensive smoke free workplaces in front of state’s legislators. You will receive training from experienced advocates who will lead you through your meetings with legislators and debrief you on ways to sustain support for smoke free legislation. SAVE THE DATE for PAMOJA, an evening of "togetherness" with food, drink, music, and entertainment. PAMOJA will be held from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. on Feb. 8 at the Weisman Art Museum. The evening, for SPH faculty and students, is sponsored by the School of Public Health Student Senate. For questions, please email sphss@umn.edu. Ground-breaking Stem Cell Conference. On Feb. 26, the University of Minnesota, as a public university with a prominent Stem Cell Institute, will lead a national audience in exploring the implications of somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT), also known as research cloning. The conference, "Creating Stem Cells by Research Cloning: Scientific, Ethical, Legal & Policy Challenges," will convene top experts to explore the issues raised by SCNT, the options open to universities, and how policy should progress. Division of Epidemiology and Community Health Seminars take place Fridays, 10-11 a.m. in WBOB, room 364.Learn more at the Epi Web site. Upcoming seminars: Upcoming CPHEO Courses • Dec. 12: Evacuation Coordination: Train the Trainer • See a more detailed listing of courses 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. |