Public Health Happenings

The official electronic newsletter of the University of Connecticut Graduate Programs in Public Health Volume Eight, Number Five March-April 2013

Public Health is ROI (Return on Investment): Save Lives, Save Money National Public Health Week 2013 * April 1-7

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In this issue:

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National Public Health Week 2013 Alumnus Editorial: Join Flu Near You Celebrate NPHW at CPHA Award Presentations & Event Fall 2013 Registration and Courses Announced Commencement Update Writing Assistance Available PHSO News Internships and Fellowships Calls for Student Posters Employment Opportunities CT Environmental Public Health Tracking Program Events, Seminars, Workshops, Webinars Student, Alumni and Faculty News

CONNECTICUT CELEBRATES PUBLIC HEALTH WEEK National Public Health Week celebrates all that we do collectively to assure a healthy and safe community. To commemorate the 2013 celebration, and recognize all that is being done locally in support of public health in

Connecticut, we have some special events to announce. First, on Monday, April 1, to get National Public Health Week off to a great start, the Public Health Student Organization and the Graduate Programs in Public Health are showing a screening of the awardwinning film, ESCAPE FIRE: The Fight to Rescue American Health Care, described as “’An Inconvenient Truth’ for the Healthcare Debate.” The film tackles one of the most pressing issues our country faces: how can we save our badly broken

healthcare system? There will be time at the end to discuss the film and the issues it raises, led by panelists Jill Zorn, MBA, Senior Program Officer, Universal Health Foundation of Connecticut; Audrey Chapman, PhD, MDiv, STM, Professor and Joseph M. Healey, Jr. Chair in Medical Humanities and Bioethics, Department of Community Medicine and Health Care, UConn School of Medicine; and Bruce Gould, MD, Associate Dean for Primary Care and Director, CT AHEC Program, UConn School of Medicine and Medical Director of Burgdorf Health Center and Hartford Department of Health and Human Services. The movie begins at 4:45 p.m. in Keller Auditorium near the hospital entrance of UConn Health Center. Later in the week, on Thursday, April 4, the Connecticut Public Health Association (CPHA) hosts its Public Health Awards and Networking Night at the beautiful Wadsworth Mansion at Long Hill, 42 Wadsworth Street, in Middletown, 5:30-9:30 p.m. We are especially proud to announce that Garry Lapidus, PA-C, MPH, Director of the Injury Prevention Center at Connecticut Children’s Medical Center and an alumnus of our UConn MPH program, is the recipient of the Charles G. Huntington III Award. The award recognizes Garry for his national leadership in injury prevention research, education and training, community-based programs, and public policy, as well as for his long-standing commitment to reducing injury among Connecticut’s youngest residents through evidence-based public health approaches. Garry developed and teaches our popular elective, Injury and Violence Prevention. We hope to have a good contingent of UConn alumni, students, and faculty there to honor him (see article below for further details). Finally, Helen Swede, one of our Community Medicine faculty members, is an organizer of a seminar and networking event that highlights obesityrelated research being carried out at the Farmington and Storrs campuses. See what potential collaborative research projects might be available to faculty and students. The event, described below, is scheduled on Tuesday, April 2. We hope many of you use the opportunities during National Public Health Week to engage with other students, faculty, and public health professionals from across the state in celebrating all we do in public health to help assure healthy, just, and vibrant communities. And we thank you for your own contributions to the field. Joan Segal, MA, MS (1982) Editor

ALUMNI EDITORIAL: JOIN FLU FOR YOU Please consider joining Flu Near You - a tool for tracking flu in the US. Every week Flu Near You sends an email to participants asking them if they have experienced any flu or flu-like symptoms. You click on the answer that applies and that is it. It takes all of 10 seconds to complete. Participants will see reported flu activity in their area every week. The information helps public health officials get a sense of the prevalence of flu in their locale. To sign up go to: https://flunearyou.org/. I am a participant. Flu Near You is a site administered by Healthmap of Boston Children’s Hospital in partnership with the American Public Health Association (APHA) and the Skoll Global Threats Fund. On this site, any individual living in the United States, 13 years of age or older, can register to complete brief weekly surveys that may help all of us learn more about the flu. This effort is being supported with private funds to demonstrate its utility for multiple sectors that must work together for pandemic preparedness if data is openly shared. The information on the site will be available to public health officials, researchers, disaster planning organizations and anyone else who may find this information useful. For more information about Healthmap, visit: www.healthmap.org/about; APHA, visit: www.apha.org; and the Skoll Global Threats Fund, visit: www.skollglobalthreats.org. Tom Mahoney, MS, MPH (2011) Director, Office of Special Clinical Services Greenwich Health Department

CPHA CELEBRATES NATIONAL PUBLIC HEALTH WEEK WITH AWARDS CEREMONY & NETWORKING NIGHT

Celebrate National Public Health Week on April 4, 2013, with public health professionals and students from throughout the state at the Connecticut Public Health Association’s (CPHA’s) 2013 CPHA Public Health Awards & Networking Night at the beautiful Wadsworth Mansion in Middletown from 5:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. In addition to an awards ceremony

recognizing public health leaders (including a public health student) from Connecticut, there will be ample opportunity to network, in addition to delicious hors d'oeuvres, music and giveaways.

award is presented annually by APHA to legislators who have made significant contributions toward improving the public’s health at the federal, state or local levels.

Regular admission is $40 ($30 for students), and you do not need to be a member to attend at this rate. But space is limited and pre-registration is strongly encouraged. Get a group of colleagues together or meet new friends there. To obtain more information or to register, go to www.cpha.info. If you have questions, call Eileen Kehl at 860-293-1183.

"We are pleased that APHA was willing to send us her award so that it could be presented here in Connecticut," says Kathi Traugh, CPHA President. "She will be among many distinguished honorees at the CPHA Public Health Awards Night."

The awards ceremony itself will begin about 7:00 p.m. Each year CPHA recognizes individuals who have made significant contributions to public health leadership, education and advocacy in our state. In addition to Garry Lapidus, this year’s recipient of the Charles G. Huntington III Award (refer to editorial), this year’s award recipients include: 

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Patricia J. Checko, DrPH, MPH, Chair, MATCH Coalition: C.-E.-A. Winslow Award, in recognition of four decades of exemplary public health leadership, including leading the Connecticut Association of Directors of Health and MATCH, a statewide coalition to reduce tobacco use; her commitment to scholarship; and her unwavering dedication to health equity and social justice. March for Change: Ira V. Hiscock Award, in recognition of Meg Staunton and Nancy Lefkowitz’ valiant grassroots effort to respond to the epidemic of gun violence after the events of December 14, 2012 at Sandy Hook Elementary School through community organization, advocacy and commitment to change Étienne X. Holder, MPH Candidate, Southern Connecticut State University: Michael J. Perlin Student Award, in recognition of her impressive commitment to community service, exemplary educational attainment, and compassion for humanity; she is deemed meritorious of the honor that accompanies being selected as the first recipient of the Michael J. Perlin Student Award.

In addition to honoring several public health colleagues from around the state, CPHA will also honor Congresswoman Rosa L. DeLauro with the American Public Health Association (APHA) Distinguished Public Health Legislator of the Year Award during the event. This prestigious

DeLauro’ s efforts include supporting strong funding for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and other public health agencies, including the Prevention and Public Health Fund. She has served as a U.S. Congresswoman for the 3rd congressional district, which includes New Haven and surrounding suburbs, since 1991. De Lauro will speak briefly after receiving the award.

FALL 2013 PUBLIC HEALTH COURSES ANNOUNCED Registration for fall 2013 courses is now available. Following its usual schedule of core courses, the MPH Program will offer Research Methods in Public Health on Mondays, Health Administration on Tuesdays, Law and Public Health on Wednesdays, and Introduction to Epidemiology and Biostatistics on Thursdays. Monday’s 5000-level public health courses include Women, Public Health and Reproduction, Principles of Quality Improvement, and Introduction to Ergonomics and Exposure Assessment. Tuesday’s MPH electives include Comparative Health Systems and Public Health Agencies; Wednesday’s are Public Health Informatics, Topics in Intermediate Biostatistics, and SAS Programming and Data Management; and Thursday’s elective offerings include Infectious Disease Epidemiology and Injury and Violence Prevention. Many of these electives are suitable for doctoral students. Several master’s level Public Policy courses are also available: on Mondays, Leadership and Management for Nonprofits and Public Financing and Budgeting (both on the Hartford campus in West Harford) and Business Functions for Nonprofits (online); on Tuesdays, Managing Public Money in Storrs; on Wednesdays, Race and Policy (Storrs); and on Thursdays, Analysis for Management Decision Making (Storrs). Doctoral level (6000 level) courses include Public Health Doctoral Research Seminar on Tuesdays (open only to doctoral students), Program Evaluation

for Health Professionals on Tuesdays, and Critical Issues in Health Promotion, Disease and Disability on Mondays. The Doctoral Research Seminar has yet to be finalized; the other two doctoral-level courses are in Storrs. Please watch your inbox for an updated schedule and registration information, and remember to register early. Now would be a good time to sit down with your advisor to discuss your plans for registering and for completing your coursework.

COMMENCEMENT INFO UPDATE Commencement for August 2012, December 201212, and May 2013 graduates from UConn Health Center will take place at the Connecticut Convention Center in Hartford on Monday, May 13 at 1:00 p.m. However, it becomes confusing because the official Graduate School commencement is earlier, on Saturday, May 11 at 1:30 p.m. in Gampel Pavilion on the Storrs campus. Public Health students can attend either ceremony, or both for that matter, but most public health students attend the UConn Health Center event because they are recognized individually there and the Health Center is where most of their advisors and faculty reside and where most public health courses are held. Most important: Watch your email messages for updates on deadlines. Don’t miss completing the program because you missed a deadline. Public health students are now being asked to use REFWORKS for their capstone projects, including the thesis. If you have not used REFWORKS before, you may want to take advantage of the REFWORKS workshops held in the Library periodically. This course covers how to create a personal database by importing references from text files or online databases and using these references in writing a paper, automatically formatting the paper and generating the bibliography. To register for the workshop, contact the Library Information & Education Services Department at 860-679-4051.

MAY 2013 POSTER SESSION FOR GRADUATING MPH STUDENTS Master of Public Health students who expect to graduate in May will participating in the Annual MPH Poster Session on Wednesday, May 1, 2013, 4:00-6:00 p.m. in the Academic Lobby of UConn Health Center. Participation in the poster session will fulfill the requirement for an oral defense of the master’s capstone project. All current students,

faculty, and alumni are invited to attend, as are the wider UConn Health Center and public health communities. Light refreshments will be served, so please RSVP to [email protected], or call 860679-1510.

WRITING ASSISTANCE AVAILABLE ON THE GREATER HARTFORD CAMPUS Students completing their capstones this semester, as well as those who are working on course papers, can seek help from UConn’s Greater Hartford Writing Center, located in Room 303 of the Undergraduate Building on the Greater Hartford campus located on Asylum Avenue in West Hartford. The Writing Center offers peer and professional tutoring in writing in a peaceful study environment where undergraduate and graduate students can work with tutors who take a collaborative, student-directed approach to learning. Students of all proficiency levels and at all stages in their academic careers may use the Center, and Health Center-based students are welcome. Students may sign-up for appointments outside the Writing Center. It is strongly recommended that appointments be made ahead of time, as drop-ins are not guaranteed appointments. Some students may wish to schedule standing appointments with the same tutor every week. To inquire about standing appointments or for other information, contact the Writing Center at the [email protected] or .http://www.hartfordwriting.uconn.edu/index.html, or call 860-570-9237. Spring semester hours are as follows: Monday 10:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. Tuesday 10:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m. Wednesday 10:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. Thursday 11:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m.

PHSO NEWS The second session in the Public Health Alumni Speaker Series has been moved to Tuesday, April 9, 2013 at 4:45 p.m. in Classroom N. The speaker will be Pamela Kilbey-Fox, a graduate of the UConn MPH program who has had a diverse and active career in public health. Light refreshments will be served, so please RSVP to [email protected]. The first session of the new Speaker Series was held on February 26th. The alumni speaker was Nancy Dupont, Infection Control Specialist at UConn Health Center.

PARKING UPDATE The public health administrators recognize the inconvenience and stress our students are facing as construction continues on the Farmington campus. The Health Center administration is doing its best to address concerns and to adjust its shuttle system whenever possible. Please note that shuttle schedules are posted on the Public Safety website at: http://publicsafety.uchc.edu/administration/shuttle.htm l. Please review the schedules and use the shuttle buses whenever possible; a night bus leaves from the hospital entrance, with the last routes at 8:55 and 9:30 p.m. Also note that Escort Services are available for your personal safety or security concerns. The Escort Service is available off hours, when the shuttle bus service has ended for the day, to anyone requesting such assistance. The telephone number is x2121 or externally at 860-679-2121. An officer will meet you at the entrance most convenient for you and will accompany you to your vehicle. Telephone access for this service is available 24 hours a day.

SUMMER INTERNSHIP Griffin Faculty Practice, a multi-specialty medical group operated by Griffin Hospital in Derby, CT, is currently seeking a candidate for a 10-week summer internship to work with its leadership team on a number of projects related to transformation of the practice into a Patient Centered Medical Home (PCMH). Projects may include provider and staff productivity, marketing and outreach, development of policies and procedures, data analysis, and use of the electronic medical record system. The intern will have the opportunity to work with both clinical and nonclinical management, and will interact with hospital management. Griffin Faculty Practice maintains offices in Derby, Shelton, Seymour and Oxford. To apply or obtain further information, contact Adam M. Dworkin, JD, MBA, Executive Director, Griffin Faculty Practice Plan, Inc. at [email protected].    SUMMER PUBLIC/ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH FELLOWSHIPS Opportunities for graduate and senior undergraduate students studying Public and Environmental Health (broadly defined) are available for the summer of 2013 through I-RICH, an interdisciplinary research and training initiative on coastal ecosystems and human health. The program seeks several motivated students

who are interested in working in research laboratories on topics related to oceans and human health, including: harmful algal bloom species, immunomodulation in marine organisms, diseases of marine organisms and humans, and emerging pollutants. The I-RICH training consortium includes research laboratories at the Mystic Aquarium and Institute for Exploration, National Marine Fisheries Services (Milford), Department of Pathobiology and Veterinary Sciences (UConn-Storrs), and Department of Marine Sciences (UConn-Avery Point). Selected students will work with researchers in one of these laboratories on a project relevant to the I-RICH initiative. More information about I-RICH can be found online (http://www.i-rich.uconn.edu). Fellowships will begin the week of May 27th, run for 13 weeks, and carry a stipend of $6,500. Start dates are flexible and should be discussed at time of selection. Fellows will be expected to learn about the science of oceans and human health, and convey information about public/environmental health to researchers through daily interactions. Interested students email an application package consisting of (1) a cover letter describing their background and interests in Oceans and Human Health, and how the fellowship fits into their career plans; and (2) a twopage resume to Dr. J. Evan Ward, Department of Marine Sciences at Avery Point ([email protected]). Applications should be sent as a single PDF file labeled with the applicant’s name. Two letters of recommendation should also be sent directly from references to Dr. Ward. For graduate students, one of these letters must come from the applicant’s major advisor or graduate program director. Review of application packages will begin April 5th, 2013 and continue until fellows are selected.

HEALTH POLICY INTERNSHIPS IN CONSUMER ADVOCACY & RESEARCH If you are excited about helping secure access to affordable and high quality healthcare for all, passionate about helping others, and a graduate student, a graduate who is beginning your career in public health, or someone looking to change careers, you may be interested in the Connecticut Health Policy Project Internships in Consumer Advocacy and Research. These internships offer real-world experience with:  

Some of the challenges and best practices in health policy today The ethics of research and consumer services

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Consumer education Advocacy with policymakers and state agencies Effective communications development for various audiences (consumers, policymakers, and others)

A few examples of what interns have done recently include:  

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Wrote and executed a consumer survey of the Charter Oak Plan Prepared issue briefs for policymakers on emergency healthcare for the state’s undocumented immigrants and on medical discount cards Prepared consumer information materials on health savings accounts and on improving Connecticut’s health through information Organized a legislative forum on primary care case management

Located in New Haven, the Connecticut Health Policy Project has, for almost a decade, worked to improve access to affordable, quality health care for everyone in the state. The project serves as a trusted source of information for both policymakers and consumers. If you are interested in an internship with the Connecticut Health Policy Project, or have any questions about the internship program, please call 203-562-1636 or send an email to [email protected].

SUSTAINABILITY INTERNSHIPS WITH A HEALTH FOCUS Interested in working on improving health and wellness and sustainability issues? Aramark, a leader in food services and facilities management, in collaboration with the Student Conservation Association (SCA), will be hiring 27 part-time and fulltime paid Sustainability Interns across the country starting in May/June for six to nine months. Projects include nutrition labeling and education, sourcing local food, improving waste management practices and more. The experience includes an all-expense paid training in Philadelphia. Eligibility requirements are:  

Currently enrolled college juniors, seniors or graduate students, or people with +/- 5 years of professional experience. Academic degree, experience or interest specific to or related to environmental issues, sustainability, business, nutrition, culinary or

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hospitality strongly preferred. (Other degrees will be accepted based on extracurricular activities and interests.) Studies, knowledge or career interests in hospitality and tourism, facilities services, food service or nutrition strongly encouraged. Self-starter who is able to independently develop and manage projects. Ability to communicate and collaborate with diverse stakeholders. Understanding of the importance of meeting unique client and consumer needs. Capacity and know-how to navigate the challenges of implementing sustainability initiatives. Interest in working in the business world, and infusing sustainability into operational roles. Previous experience and future interest in working at ARAMARK is a plus.

For more information, go to http://bit.ly/TrkUTc.

COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT INTERNSHIP IN GLOBAL HEALTH EDUCATION Project CREED is looking for part-time interns that will help develop important community relationships, augment its book collection, and spread awareness on the public health issues in developing regions in addition to publicizing the concept of utilizing children's books as public health education tools. At this time, Project CREED is looking for interns in the following areas: publishing, community engagement, communications, and development. Virtual positions are open anywhere the intern is. This internship is unpaid, but offers significant onthe-job training and leadership development, valuable for a continued career in the private, public or not-for-profit sectors. Upon request, Project CREED can also work with universities to offer academic internship credits as appropriate. For more information on Project CREED's internship program, please visit the following website: http://www.projectcreed.org/#!internship-program. To apply for an internship, send an email to [email protected] with your name, cover letter and basic resume. In your cover letter, please address the following questions: 1. What do you hope to get out of an internship with Project CREED? 2. Why is public health education important to you? 3. What is your personal creed?

DELTA OMEGA 2013 CALL FOR STUDENT POSTERS Delta Omega, the National Honor Society in Public Health, will be sponsoring the 16th Annual Student Poster Session through the Academic Public Health Caucus during this year’s American Public Health Association’s (APHA) annual meeting, which will be held November 2-6, 2010 in Boston, MA. APHA had confirmed nineteen slots for the Delta Omega poster session this year. The 2013 poster session will showcase the excellent scholarship and research of students in accredited schools and programs of public health. Students whose work is selected will receive a $750 cash prize ($350 from Delta Omega’s National Office matched by $400 from the UConn chapter), as well as the opportunity to present their work during the APHA meeting. The UConn chapter of Delta Omega (Beta Rho) invites students to submit an abstract for consideration to be submitted through the chapter. Students may not submit abstracts on their own; they must be submitted through an established chapter. An internal committee of Delta Omega Beta Rho chapter members and faculty will review the abstracts and submit up to three of the highest quality submissions to the national Delta Omega Executive Committee, which in turn will use a blindreview process to select the 19 students to be invited to present at the APHA Delta Omega Student Poster Session. Students submitting an abstract must have participated sufficiently in the work to take responsibility for the content of the abstract and be willing to provide any relevant data upon request. The students must have substantially contributed to the conception and design or analysis and interpretation of data and the drafting and final abstract. The following criteria, set by the National Office, will be used to judge submissions: 

TOPIC PROMINENCE: Illustrates the importance to public health.

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PRESENTATION OBJECTIVES: The audience “Learning Objectives” are realistic and clear; and the presenter’s objectives are clear and measurable.

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PURPOSE: The subject of the proposed topic is clear and of high quality.

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PRACTICE IMPACT: The presentation provides evidence that academia and practice

were necessary for results; and supports and improves the science of public health practice (cites appropriate methods, data, and measurable conclusions). 

ACADEMIC IMPACT: The topic is significant to the domain of public health academia; imparts scholarship to advance academia's mission to improve education and policies for practitioners, researchers, and teachers; and provides evidence of supporting philosophy, theory, and data.

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ORIGINALITY: Demonstrates originality and innovation.

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TONE: Indicates a working knowledge of operations (e.g., development, challenges, infrastructure, etc.) toward improving public health education, training, or services.

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OVERALL: Well written, concise, and effectively outlines and communicates abstract scope, context, and rationale.

Because the Delta Omega Student Poster Session is held as part of APHA’s scientific sessions, presenters must adhere to APHA’s guidelines. Students should review the guidelines before submitting an abstract for consideration: General APHA guidelines for presenters: http://www.apha.org/meetings/sessions/SessionPrese ntersOnly.htm. Guidelines for Poster Session presenters: http://www.apha.org/meetings/sessions/PosterSessio nGuidelines.htm. Student awards and cash prizes will be presented during the Delta Omega social hour, which will be held on Monday, November 4, 2013 (time and location TBA). The poster session will be held during the APHA scientific sessions at the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center. The student abstracts will also be published on the Delta Omega national website and photos of the event will be on the Delta Omega official Facebook page. If you wish to be considered for this opportunity (and will be available to attend the November 2013 meeting), please email your 250-word abstract to Janice Vendetti ([email protected]). Please note that the deadline for submission is April 15, 2013 and see the APHA website for information on the annual meeting (www.apha.org). We hope to receive some great abstracts this year! Janice Vendetti, MPH, CPH

University of Connecticut Health Center 263 Farmington Avenue Farmington, CT 06030-6325 USA Phone: 860-679-5423 • Fax: 860-679-5451 [email protected]

APHA COUNCIL OF AFFILIATES SOLICITS STUDENT POSTERS The Council of Affiliates (CoA) of the American Public Health Association (APHA) is seeking abstracts from graduate students for the CoA Graduate Student Poster Session at the 2013 APHA Annual Meeting in Boston. This year’s conference theme is Think Global, Act Local. Poster proposals can be on any public health-related topic and should represent a project sponsored by the Connecticut Public Health Association (CPHA) or any members of CPHA. Several members of the UConn and adjunct faculty, among them Joan Segal, David Gregorio, Howard Bailit, Jane Ungemack, Ann Ferris, Pamela Kilbey-Fox, Garry Lapidus, Judy Lewis, and Susan Reisine, as well as MPH coordinator Morgan Spencer, can serve as individual sponsors, as can any other members of CPHA. The deadline for submitting poster abstracts is May 15. Authors will be contacted in early August regarding poster abstract selection. Almost everyone graduating in May should have a poster already available, so this is a great opportunity to present your excellent work to a national audience in a relatively close and convenient location. We are encouraging our students to submit their posters, and I personally will be delighted to sponsor student submissions. If you are planning to do so, or wish to discuss this with me further, please get in touch: [email protected]. For more details and to submit your abstracts go to www.apha.org.

HEALTH PROMOTION POLICY FELLOWSHIP The Directors of Health Promotion and Education (DHPE), an organization based in Washington, DC, has been serving state and territorial health departments and their community partners for over 60 years. As part of a five-year cooperative agreement with the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC), DHPE is providing public health internships and fellowships for students from minority serving institutions. The goal of the Health Promotion Policy Fellowship Program is to address emerging needs of health equity, public health and health disparities, and to provide leadership and professional opportunities at state and local health departments for recent graduates and doctoral level students of schools and

programs of public health. The overall intent of the program is to enhance the preparation of future public health professionals with an emphasis on health disparity by providing unique training opportunities in prevention policy. The support offered through this program will expand minority representation in the public health prevention workforce and provide fellows an opportunity to gain practical, first-hand experience in prevention research. Secondly, it will provide for a link to academic institutions in the preparation of the public health workforce around the areas of prevention policy and health equity. Fellowship positions are 12-month, full-time opportunities. To be eligible, applicants must have received a master’s degree (MPH preferred) or doctorate degree prior to the beginning of the fellowship. Early career professionals with MPH or doctorate degrees (within two years of graduation) may also apply for the fellowship program. The stipend for the one-year fellowship positions will range from $40,500 to $60,000 per year depending on the educational level/degree requirement of the fellowship position. In addition to the stipend, the fellow will have access to a $4,000 "fellowship allowance" per year that is intended to cover health/dental/vision insurance premiums; all fellows are also required to attend a competency-based policy training course. An additional "travel/training allowance” that may be used to cover project-related travel, journal subscriptions, association dues, and so forth will be added at the discretion of the applicant agency. The fellowship stipend does not include any additional payment for living expenses or relocation expenses. Fellows are also required to maintain their own health insurance while in the program. For more information about the DHPE Health Promotion Policy Fellowship Program, contact Karen Thompkins at [email protected] or call 202-659-2230 x 4402.

2014 APHA PUBLIC HEALTH FELLOWSHIP IN GOVERNMENT The American Public Health Association (APHA) has announced a call for applications for the 2014 Public Health Fellowship in Government. Candidates must have strong public health credentials and be interested in spending a year in Washington, DC working in a congressional office on legislative and policy issues related to health, the environment or other public health concerns.

The fellowship will begin in January 2014 and continue through December 2014. It provides a unique learning experience for a public health professional to gain practical knowledge in government and see how the legislative and policy process works. An electronic application, including vitae and three letters of recommendation, are due to APHA by April 8, 2013. All candidates must:    

Be citizens of the United States or permanent residents. Be APHA members Have five years or more of experience in a public health setting (internships, graduate assistantships and residencies do not count) Have a Master’s degree or doctorate in a public health or related discipline

For the online application, go to http://action.apha.org/site.

EXAM ANNOUNCEMENT: EPIDEMIOLOGIST 4 (INFECTIOUS/CHRONIC DISEASES) The State of Connecticut Department of Administrative Services (DAS) has announced an examination open to the public for the position of Epidemiologist 4 in the Department of Public Health. This employment class is accountable for supervising, developing and implementing one or more major epidemiology programs for evaluation and/or prevention and control of diseases. The Exam No. is 130140OCMC and the application closing date is April 12, 2012. The salary range is $76,779$104,004. Candidates must have nine years’ experience in epidemiological investigations in a responsible technical or professional capacity. One year of this experience must have involved program administration including disease surveillance, outbreak investigations, interviews and complex analyses at or above the level of Epidemiologist 3. Some substitutions based on education may be allowed, so check out the exam announcement on the Department of Administrative Services website for further details on substitutions and submission directions: http://das.ct.gov/HRDocs/JobsExams/Epidem_4__Infect_Chronic_Diseases_-_2013.pdf.

EXAM ANNOUNCEMENTS FOR OTHER EXPIDEMIOLOGIST POSITIONS The Department of Administrative Services has also announced examinations for several other epidemiology positions in the Department of Public Health: Epidemiologist 1 (Infectious/Chronic Disease), Epidemiologist 2 (Infectious/Chronic Disease), Epidemiologist 3 (Infectious/Chronic Disease), Epidemiologist 1 (Toxic Hazards), Epidemiologist 2 (Toxic Hazards), and Epidemiologist 3 (Toxic Hazards). The application closing date is April 15, 2013 for the May 31, 2013 grading date; October 14, 2013 for the November 29, 2012 grading date. For details on qualifications, duties, salary level and other information, go to http://das.ct.gov.

EXAM ANNOUNCEMENT: REGIONAL LONG TERM CARE OMBUDSMAN The Department of Administrative Services has also announced an examination for a Regional Long Term Care Ombudsman in the Department of Social Services and the Department of Aging (Exam No. 130350OCSP). The ombudsman is accountable for providing advocacy services to represent the interests of and resolve problems for residents of long term care facilities and serve as a focal point for community advocacy on behalf of residents. The application closing date is April 8, 2012. The salary range is $53,143-$72,033. The position requires six years of General Experience providing professional services to the elderly or persons with disabilities. One year of the General Experience must have been in the provision of advocacy services. College training may be substituted for the General Experience on the basis of 15 semester hours equaling one-half year of experience, to a maximum of four years for a Bachelor's degree. A Master's degree in counseling, gerontology, nursing or social work may be substituted for one additional year of the General Experience. Candidates must have knowledge of the aging process; knowledge of and ability to apply relevant state and federal laws, statutes and regulations; knowledge of problems of the aged and/or disabled residing in community and long term care facilities; knowledge of community resources and agencies dealing with problems of the elderly and disabled; knowledge of training methods and techniques; knowledge of volunteer management theory; knowledge of public relations principles and practices; considerable interpersonal skills; considerable oral and written communication skills; ability to negotiate

problem resolutions for clients and assist clients to speak for their own interests; ability to recruit, select, train, supervise and support volunteers and evaluate staff and volunteer performance; ability to coordinate activities of a regional program; ability to identify trends in client needs through review of program data and identify issues where broader program initiatives and advocacy are needed; ability to provide training and technical assistance; and supervisory ability. For submission directions, go to http://das.ct.gov and search for Exam No. 130350OCSP.

SANITARIAN POSITION The North Central District Health Department (NCDHD), based in Enfield, is currently seeking to hire a full time Sanitarian. The candidate will be a licensed Registered Sanitarian (RS) or be eligible within one year, will be certified in Food Service Inspections and Phase I and II subsurface sewage disposal, have a BA/BS in public or environmental health or a related field, and the ability to work safely and independently. The sanitarian will investigate health, environmental, and nuisance complaints and assist in the planning for and response to natural and man-made emergencies; inspect schools and daycare centers, housing, and industrial facilities; and conduct inspections and issue permits for food service establishments, subsurface sewage disposal systems, public and community water supply wells, public swimming pools, and other venues for compliance with Federal, State, and local codes and ordinances. The salary will depend on qualifications and experience. Benefits include health, dental and life insurance; and a defined contribution retirement plan. To apply, send a cover letter and resume to Michael Pirro, Director of Health at [email protected]. Please include your qualified references. To learn more about the NCDHD, go to http://www.ncdhd.org/.

DIRECTOR OF BACHELOR OF SCIENCE PROGRAM IN PUBLIC HEALTH The University of Saint Joseph in West Harford is establishing a new Bachelor of Science (BS) in Public Health Program, which is anticipated to begin in the fall of 2013. The program will also offer a minor degree in public health. To implement these initiatives, the University is seeking applicants for the full-time, tenure track position of Assistant or Associate Professor, and this individual will also serve as Director of the BS program. Rank will be

commensurate with experience. The appointment will be made for July 1, 2013. The Director of the BS Program will provide leadership, administrative guidance and direction to implement the program and seek future Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH) accreditation. In addition, the Director will teach public health courses, and potentially nutrition courses, depending on credentials. The Director will be responsible for all potential accreditation requirements, reports and updates, program orientation, curriculum, procurement and maintenance of resources, facility preceptor relationship management, and student advisement. In accordance with the University’s mission, faculty members are also responsible for advancing professional development in pedagogy, scholarship, and service to the university and affiliated communities. Saint Joseph’s ideal candidate is a collaborative and innovative leader with a commitment to academic excellence. Candidates should have a DrPH or PhD in Public Health, three to five years of teaching, prior experience in administration and external funding development, and credentials that merit appointment at the rank of Assistant or Associate Professor. Interested applicants should send a letter of application and statement of teaching philosophy, current vitae, transcripts and three letters of `recommendation to Department of Nutrition Search, Human Resources, Saint Joseph College, 1678 Asylum Avenue, West Hartford, CT 06117, or email to [email protected]. Review of applications will begin upon receipt and will continue until the position is filled. To learn more, visit www.usj.edu.

PROJECT COORDINATOR, REVIEW AND EVALUATION POSITION The North Central Regional Mental Health Board, Inc. seeks a dynamic part-time project coordinator with excellent research and writing skills to lead the organization’s Review and Evaluation program. The main responsibility of the project coordinator is to staff the Board’s Review and Evaluation Committee. Primary duties include:   

Coordinating events and activities for the Review and Evaluation Committee Scheduling and staffing of all program site visits Gathering information for mental health programs being reviewed.

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Developing, administering and summarizing surveys Facilitating focus groups Preparing initial and final drafts of evaluation reports Presenting findings to local councils and board of directors Assisting with annual regional needs assessment and report

submission activities and for other program-wide administrative and regulatory activities. The requirements for this position include: 

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Applicants should possess the following qualifications:        

Demonstrated organizational/project coordination skills Strong writing, research, presentation and interpersonal skills Group facilitation skills Ability to work independently and manage multiple priorities Ability to work with volunteers and diverse groups Strong computer skills (Microsoft Office Suite, Internet) Experience/knowledge in human services (mental health and/or substance abuse fields a plus) Bachelor’s Degree, Master’s Degree preferred

The position offers a part-time, flexible, 20-hour per week schedule. However, the coordinator must accommodate all Review and Evaluation Committee meetings and site visits, including occasional late afternoon-early evening meetings. The hourly salary is commensurate with experience. If interested in the position, please email your resume and cover letter to Marcia DuFore at [email protected] or visit www.ncrmhb.org to fill out an application (no phone calls, please).

SENIOR CLINICAL RESEARCH COORDINATOR POSITION The Center for Women’s Mental Health, a clinical and research program within the Department of Psychiatry at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, is seeking to fill the position of Senior Clinical Research Coordinator. The program focuses on the evaluation and treatment of psychiatric disorders associated with female reproductive function. The Senior Research Coordinator will be assigned one or two active projects and will be responsible for the implementation of those projects under the guidance of the principal investigators. The individual will also be responsible for coordinating grant

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A Bachelor’s degree; although a Master’s degree in public health, psychiatry, clinical research administration, or related field is preferred. At least three years of relevant research and administrative experience or a combination of relevant research and administrative experience. Solid PC skills: intermediate to advanced-level experience with Word, Excel, Outlook, and PowerPoint; and comfort learning new software as needed. Proven ability to handle multiple tasks simultaneously, take initiative, set priorities, and work with limited supervision. Good judgment, problem solving skills, attention to detail, accuracy, and timeliness.

The position is full time and open immediately, but no later than a June 1 start. The salary is $35,000 per year, and benefits are available. Interested applicants may send cover letters and resumes to Elizabeth Lemon via email to [email protected] or via USPS to 185 Cambridge Street, Floor 2, Boston, MA 02114.

POSITION OPEN IN GLOBAL HEALTH COMMUNICATION The Johns Hopkins University Center for Communication Programs (JHU-CCP) has a Monitoring and Evaluation Advisor position open in the Baltimore office. This position is under a new global program called the Health Communication Capacity (HC3) Project. This position requires a Master’s degree in communication, public health, behavioral sciences or related discipline; four years of related experience; and strong theoretical and analytical skills, particularly related to programoriented research and evaluation methodologies. The approximate starting salary is $54,111 - $74,459. Apply online at: https://hrnt.jhu.edu/jhujobs/job_view.cfm?view_req_id =55628&view=sch. For further information, email Michelle Kaufman, PhD, Research and Evaluation Officer, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, at [email protected].

RESEARCH ASSISTANT WITH DUKE GLOBAL HEALTH INSTITUTE Duke Global Health Institute is seeking a full-time Research Assistant who will work on National Institutes of Health (NIH)-funded projects that focus on social and behavioral issues related to HIV infection. The Research Assistant will work as part of an interdisciplinary team and will play a critical role in the management of these projects. The position is located in Durham, NC and has a start date of June 2013. The one-year appointment has the potential for renewal. The Research Assistant will devote a majority of time to tasks associated with the Duke Center for AIDS Research (CFAR), Social and Behavioral Sciences (SBS) Core (http://cfar.duke.edu/). The array of tasks includes:   

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Assist in the preparation of a competitive renewal application, due in spring 2014 Maintain a bibliographic database in EndNote, based on regular reviews of the literature Maintain a database of psycho‐social measures that may be useful for HIV researchers, and respond to requests for measure selection Contribute to regular progress reports to the CFAR and its funders Coordinate relevant CFAR events that foster learning and networking among HIV researchers Coordinate and participate in peer reviews of grant applications Maintain a database of NIH‐funded research by Duke investigators who apply a social/behavioral approach to understanding and responding to the HIV epidemic Assist CFAR investigators on special projects, as needed

  In addition, the Research Assistant will contribute to a range of research projects managed by the team (detailed here: http://psychandneuro.duke.edu/research/labs/sikkema ‐lab/research‐projects), and potentially new grants in South Africa and Tanzania that are currently under review at NIH. Depending on the project, the Research Assistant may be involved in development and management of study materials, oversight of IRB protocols, quantitative and qualitative data analysis, and contributions to manuscripts. The position requires a Bachelor’s degree and previous research experience in the behavioral or social sciences. Individuals with a Master’s degree in relevant fields are also encouraged to apply.

Preference will be given to individuals with experience working on HIV issues, particularly in an international context, and a background in public health or psychology. Applicants should be proactive, dependable, flexible, and have the ability to prioritize and execute multiple tasks. Good organizational skills and excellent writing abilities are essential, as are excellent interpersonal and communication skills. The ideal candidate will be a team member who can work independently and is a good problem solver. Proficiency in Word, Excel and PowerPoint is required; ideal software knowledge includes SPSS and EndNote. To apply, please send a CV and cover letter to Jessica MacFarlane: [email protected]. Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis, with a hiring decision likely made in April 2013.

UPDATE ON ENVIRONMENTAL PUBLIC HEALTH TRACKING NETWORKS The Connecticut Department of Public Health’s Environmental Public Health Tracking Program continues to make progress expanding public access to environmental and health data through Connecticut’s Tracking Network (http://dphepht.ct.gov). On the national level, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) Tracking Network (http://www.cdc.gov/nceh/tracking) also continues to add additional data packages. For years, the hard questions about the ties between environmental factors and health impacts meant sorting through studies of inconsistent and incomparable data. It meant overburdened public health departments spending months trying to find answers so citizens could understand the health outcomes they were experiencing in their communities. And, too often, it meant public policy decisions made in the absence of meaningful data, especially when it came to the impact of the environment on chronic disease. The Tracking Network seeks to address these problems by allowing users to get data on various environmental and health topics. The Networks break down the data by demographic factors including age, gender and county. New Data Available on Connecticut’s Tracking Network by spring 2013 The CT EPHT program will have new data packages on the Network by spring 2013. These include:

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Occupational Health Data: The data will show counts and rates by ICD-9 group. Reportable Disease Data: Network users can now access state data on three environmental/occupational-related diseases-carbon monoxide, mercury, and adult bloodlead reports--as well as selected infectious diseases. Immunization Data: Users can access immunization coverage rates.

Other data already available on Connecticut’s Network include:  Air quality  Childhood Lead Poisoning  Myocardial Infarction (Heart Attack)  Carbon Monoxide Poisoning  Reproductive Health Outcomes

 Water Quality  Asthma  Birth Defects  Cancer

Connecticut has a tracking success story! To read about it, go to: http://www.cdc.gov/nceh/tracking/success/savinglives _connecticut.htm National Tracking Network Advances The National Tracking Network has added several new data modules to the site: 

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Health Behaviors module: When examining chronic diseases and their potential connection to the environment, it is important to consider other health risk factors that could play a role in their development. Four personal behaviors that can impact chronic diseases are: a lack of physical activity, poor nutrition, tobacco use, and excessive alcohol consumption. Community Design module: Parks are an important part of a community. These data can be used to understand how improving access to healthy community places, such as parks, may increase physical activity among community members. Climate Change module: These data will allow you to look at temperature, heat index, and number of days to define extremely hot days and extreme heat events. Children's Environmental Health module: This module brings together data and information already on the Tracking Network related to children's health. Specific topics in this

module include asthma, some childhood cancers, lead poisoning, some developmental disabilities, and socioeconomic conditions. Training Opportunities Tracks: Nurses and the Tracking Network (podcast): Listen as Amy Garcia, Chief Nursing Officer for the American Nurses Association and Kitty Mahoney, President of the Massachusetts Association of Public Health Nurses and Chief Public Health Nurse for the town of Framingham, MA, talk about how nurses working in a variety of settings can use the Tracking Network to make their jobs easier. For more information, click here. “Tracking 101”: This is a free, web-based continuing education training program, and includes opportunities for free Continuing Education credits. This course provides an overview of the major components of Environmental Public Health Tracking. For more information, click here. CT Tracking Network Training: The DPH EPHT Program is developing a training module to assist public health professionals, health providers and others. Look for it in summer 2013. For more information, visit the web portal site (http://dphepht.ct.gov) and/or contact the EPHT program at 860-509-7740.

DELTA OMEGA T-SHIRTS NOW AVAILABLE The new Delta Omega T-shirt is a great way to show your pride in your academic accomplishments. The shirts are available in all standard sizes and are $15 each. To place an order, go to http://www.shoppublichealth.org/delta-omega-tshirt.aspx. . MICROSOFT SOFTWARE TRAINING FOR PUBLIC HEALTH PROFESSIONALS The Connecticut-Rhode Island (CT-RI) Public Health Training Center (PHTC) has announced its 2013 Series of Software Training for Public Health Professionals. Each course begins with an overview of the software and then moves into the features that are available and how to use them most effectively, with an emphasis on features more often used in public health practice. The schedule of upcoming classes is as follows:

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MS PowerPoint Advanced: Tuesday, April 16, 8:30 a.m.-12:00 p.m. The Lyceum, Hartford (Course ID#1041793)

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MS Excel—Beyond Basics 2: Thursday, May 23, 1:00-4:30 p.m. Yale West Campus, Orange (Course ID#1041794)

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MS Word Advanced: Wednesday, June 26, 1:00-4:30 p.m. The Lyceum, Hartford (Course ID#1041795)

Learners must bring their own laptops charged for a 3-hour session with software installed and a mouse (the CT-RI PHTC may be able to provide laptops for in class use upon request, with at minimum two business days’ notice). Training is free, but preregistration on www.train.org is required. Search by course ID number or title. For further information, please visit the CT-RI PHTC Website, http://ctriphtc.yale.edu, or contact Anjuli Bodyk at 203737-6264 or [email protected]. SEMINAR ON OBESITY RESEARCH AT UCONN Helen Swede, PhD, Department of Community Medicine, Amy Gorin, PhD, Department of Psychology in Storrs, and Alicia Dugan, PhD, Research Scientist at the Center for Health, Intervention, and Prevention (CHIP) in Storrs have organized a seminar on obesity-related research that will be held at UConn Health Center on April 2, 2012 (1:30-3:00) in the Low Learning Center. The seminar is designed to promote multi-disciplinary, obesity-related research between UConn Health Center and the Storrs campus. Dr. Gorin is Chair of the CICATS Research Interest Group on Obesity. Four faculty members from UConn Health Center, the Storrs campus, and Connecticut Children’s Medical Center will present their work, followed by a networking session with refreshments. The four presenters include: 

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Lance Bauer, PhD, Professor, Department of Psychiatry and Director, Neural Dynamics Lab, UConn Health Center: Obesity Research in Psychiatry: A Menu of Possibilities Linda Pescatello, PhD, Professor, Dept. of Kinesiology, Neag School of Education, and Principal Investigator, Center for Health, Intervention, and Prevention (CHIP), Storrs: Genetic Variants Associated with Obesity and Physical Activity among Young Adults

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Michelle Cloutier, MD, Pulmonologist and Professor, Department of Pediatrics, Connecticut Children’s Medical Center, and Director, Children’s Center for Community Research: Why Is It So Hard to Grow Up Healthy? Beliefs, Attitudes, and Behaviors of Hartford’s Parents Judith Fifield, PhD, Professor, Department of Family Medicine and Director, Ethel Donaghue TRIPP Center, UConn Health Center: Translating a Healthy Lifestyle Program for Dissemination in New York City

Please RSVP to Alicia Dugan at [email protected] if you plan to attend. You can also view this talk live during or after the seminar at the following website: http://mediasite.uchc.edu/mediasite41/Play/4dc808b027aa4 d2c8e5e2192a481e7e11d MEDICAL MARIJUANA SEMINAR Medical Marijuana: How Will It Affect Your Workplace is the topic of a seminar being held on Friday, April 5, 2013 at the Baci Grill in Cromwell. Attorneys from the Connecticut Department of Labor and the Connecticut Business and Industry Association and a physician and medical review officer from Middlesex Hospital Occupational and Environmental Medicine will discuss the new medical marijuana legislation and how it impacts employees and employers. Included with the $20 registration fee is a warm, buffet- style breakfast. Sponsors include the Middlesex Chamber of Commerce Prevention Committee, the Middlesex County Substance Abuse Action Council, and Middlesex Hospital Occupational and Environmental Medicine. To register, go to: http://www.middlesexchamber.com. If you have questions, please contact Lisa Mason at 860-3475959 or [email protected].

IOM ROUNTABLE ON HEALTH EQUITY IN HARTFORD The Institute of Medicine (IOM) will present a Roundtable on the Promotion of Health Equity and the Elimination of Health Disparities on April 22, 2013 in Hartford at Mark Twain Museum. The roundtable is open to the public, so save the date for the opportunity to engage in a vibrant dialogue about health equity and the Affordable Care Act. The Connecticut Health Foundation is also a sponsor. The workshop will look at the following issues:  Expansion of coverage  Patient Centered Medical Home  Public/Private Partnerships

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Safety Net Challenges Consumer Engagement

If you have questions, please contact Adres Gaviria: [email protected] or 202-334-2532.

ON-LINE COURSE: TRAUMA, STRESS & PUBLIC HEALTH With recent traumatic, violent events occurring nationally (and more locally in nearby Newtown, Connecticut and in our inner cities, particularly Hartford, New Haven and Bridgeport), it is more important than ever to ensure public health professionals are adequately equipped to deal with such situations in our communities. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Injury Center views violence as a serious public health problem which affects people in all stages of life. Violent deaths are only a part of the story, the Center says. Survivors are often left with serious emotional and physical scars and the social and economic fabric of communities can be eroded. Whether it is violence imposed upon a large number of people in a public setting, the growing epidemic of violence among urban, minority youth, or domestic violence occurring within the private home setting, increasing voices are now calling for a public health approach to violence prevention policies. A webinar, Trauma, Stress and Public Health: What Are the Connections?, describes examples of child and adult experiences of trauma caused by violence. It explores the complex interplay of mental and behavioral health, chronic disease, substance use and acts of violence. The webinar also specifically discusses the value of interventional and referral services to address mental health issues. For more information, please visit the White House website focused on preventing gun violence: http://www.whitehouse.gov/issues/preventing-gunviolence?utm.

FACTOIDS Nearly 20,000 of the gun deaths in the United States in 2010 were suicides, according to Dr. Matthew Miller, associate director of the Harvard Injury Control Research Center. March 15 was the 200th birthday of Dr. John Snow, often referred to as “The Father of Epidemiology.”

STUDENT NEWS Maritza Bond will be featured in an upcoming issue of the Hispanic Executive magazine, a leading print publication profiling Latinos that redefine the US business landscape and offering readers and featured executives a platform to connect and unite with clients, colleagues, recruits, and vendors. More information on this magazine can be found at http://hispanicexecutive.com/about/the-magazine/. Ailton Santonio Coleman, a doctoral student in Public Health, received one the ten 2012 Provost’s Awards for Excellence in Public Engagement from the University of Connecticut in the Advanced Degree Student Award category. Congratulations to the following MD/MPH students on their successful matches: Senthilraj (Raj) Ganeshan will be pursuing an Internal Medicine residency at Yale New Haven Hospital and Saachi Kumar will enter a Psychiatry residency at Hartford Hospital. And congratulations to MD/MPH student Dylan Graetz, who has been chosen for induction into the University of Connecticut School of Medicine Gold Humanism Society for 2013. Students are selected by their peers and endorsed by the medical school faculty for their overall clinical competence, community service, kindness and those “you would take a loved one to for care.” The induction ceremony will take place on Wednesday, April 17, at 6:00 p.m. at UConn Health Center. Elizabeth Turner has been appointed Director, Nutrition at FoodCare, Inc. in the San Francisco Bay area.

ALUMNI NEWS Elaine Abrams, RN, MPH (2002), was invited to the Federal Conference on Gun Violence held on Thursday, February 21st at Western Connecticut State University in Danbury. Organized by Senator Blumenthal's office, invitees included representatives from the mental health, law enforcement and faithbased communities, as well as elected officials and families and survivors of gun violence. Elaine represented the CPHA as President-Elect. The agenda included panels on gun violence-federal reforms and mental health-school safety. Senator Blumenthal, Senator Murphy and Representative Esty

were in attendance. Vice President Biden delivered the keynote. Jason Bashura, MPH (2001) is currently serving as Prevention Manager at the Federal Drug Administration’s (FDA) CORE (Coordinated Outbreak Response and Evaluation) Network, where he oversees the Signals/Surveillance and the Post-Response Teams. Zygmunt Dembek, PhD, MS, MPH (2005) gave a presentation entitled "Overview of biological warfare and bioterrorism: The threat and the response" at the King Abdullah University Hospital in Irbid, Jordan on February 18, 2013. With Zyg (center) is Dr. Wail Hayajneh, Deputy CEO of the Hospital and Associate Professor of Pediatric Infectious Diseases, and (on the right) Dr. Saied Jaradat, Director of the Princess Haya Biotechnology Center at the Jordanian University of Science and Technology (JUST), also in Irbid, Jordan….An article by Zyg on biosurveillance, “Time is of the Essence,” appeared in the January 2013 issue of Chemical, Biological and Nuclear Warfare (UK), pp.73-76, and is available at: www.chembio.biz....Zyg was recently appointed Associate Professor in the Department of Military and Emergency Medicine (MEM) at the Uniformed Services University of Health Sciences (USUHS) in Bethesda, MD. He also holds a reciprocal appointment as an Associate Professor in the Department of Preventive Medicine and Biometrics at USUHS. Richard (Rick) Dubiel, MPH (2006) has been invited to participate in a statewide coalition to address Connecticut’s high rate of pre-term births, reduce infant mortality, and improve birth outcomes. Rick is Business Project Program Manager, Aetna Condition Analysis – Office of the Chief Medical Officer. Katherine Yarbrough Kuzmeskas, MPH (2012) has accepted a position as the Director of Operations for the Connecticut Innovation Ecosystem. The Connecticut Innovation Ecosystem is a five-year plan to improve the quantity and quality of support provided to entrepreneurs in an attempt to decrease the unemployment rate and increase economic development in the State of Connecticut. The Innovation Ecosystem is managed by the Department of Economic and Community Development and has two levels: a local level made up of "hubs" in Stamford, New Haven, Hartford, and Eastern Connecticut, and a state level which supports and coordinates the activities and system development of

the hubs. Katherine will be working at the state level managing and establishing systems and relationships for the local hubs. Colleen O'Connor, MPH (2011) is now Associate Study Manager at Connecticut Academy of Science and Engineering. She is also the Chair of the Connecticut Public Health Association (CPHA) Advocacy Committee. On March 27, Colleen presented CPHA’s policy priorities at the 2013 CPHA Legislative Breakfast held in the Legislative Office Building. Sally Mancini (2012) is co-chair of the Advocacy Committee.

Elizabeth Nabateesa-Nabeta, MPH (2002) is seeking professionals, especially doctors, nurses, builders, contractors, and engineers, who are willing to pay their own way to a small Ugandan village, Nakuwadde, to build a community health center, a community center and a spiritual place to address the basic education, health and small income generating needs of the orphans, men and women who are affected by and infected with HIV/AIDS. If you are interested, please contact Elizabeth at [email protected]. Adam Seidner, MD, MPH (2002), National Medical Director, Travelers Insurance, presented a talk, “The Affordable Care Act and What it means for Prevention,” at the January 24th Medical Grand Rounds, sponsored by the University of Connecticut School of Medicine, Office of Community and Continuing Medical Education and Department of Medicine, UConn Health Center. Our heartfelt condolences to Betsy Sheehan, MSW, MPH (1995) on the death of her husband, Dr. Timothy Joseph (Joe) Sheehan, Professor Emeritus of the Department of Community Medicine and Health Care.

FACULTY NEWS Our condolences to Bill Blitz, MPH on the recent death of his father. Also, after more than 30 years as Director of Health for the North Central District Health Department and a full career in public health, Bill has retired. A retirement party in his honor was held on February 5th. We congratulate Bill on his retirement and wish him our best. The UConn Health Center community has been saddened by the death of Joe (Timothy Joseph) Sheehan, PhD on February 28, 2013 after a long illness. Dr. Sheehan was a founding faculty member in the School of Medicine. He was appointed professor in 1970, serving as chairman of the

School’s Department of Research in Health Education, a position he held until 1989. At that time, he joined the faculty of the Department of Community Medicine and Health Care. He taught courses in the fields of statistics, educational measurement, and epidemiology to students in medicine, dentistry and public health. His elective Applied Regression Analysis was developed specifically for the public health program, and he also served as an advisor to several MPH students. Zita Lazzarini was one of three Health Center speakers who presented at a Medical Education Grand Rounds session on Ethics in Medical Research: Learning from History, held at UConn Health Center on March 28, 2013. Stanton Wolfe, DMD, MPH has been named Director of Education and Training at the University Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities (UCEDD). Fortunately, his faculty appointment will continue to be with the Department of Community Medicine; and he will continue to serve as the Principal Investigator for the UConn Public Health Training Center (PHTC) grant, enabling him to keep working with our community partners to provide MPH students with experiential learning opportunities. Joan Segal, Editor Production: Barbara Case, Morgan Hollenbeck Spencer UConn Graduate Programs in Public Health 263 Farmington Avenue Farmington, Connecticut 06030-6325 Phone: (860) 679-1510 Fax: (860) 679-1581 Email: [email protected] Web:

http://www.commed.uchc.edu/ed/mph/index.html