UAB School of Public Health

Paul Muntner to be honored with the American Heart Association’s 2022 Joseph A. Vita Award - School of Public Health | UAB

Congratulations to Dr. Paul Muntner, Associate Dean of Research at the UAB School of Public Health who will be awarded the 2022 Joseph A. Vita Award by American Heart Association for his work focused on identifying cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors and to improve CVD prevention and treatment.

From Association President Michelle A. Albert, M.D., M.P.H., FAHA: “Your work exploring how environmental factors and patient demographics impact blood pressure and hypertension risk is inspiring. Nearly half of all adults in the U.S. have high blood pressure. We applaud your research efforts focused on improving hypertension prevention, risk and treatment through insight on how the environment impacts cardiovascular health.”

Paul Muntner to be honored with the American Heart Association’s 2022 Joseph A. Vita Award - School of Public Health | UAB Paul Munter awarded the 2022 Joseph A. Vita Award by the American Heart Association

Eric W. Ford, PhD, Professor of Health Policy and Organization has been appointed to the Board of Joint Commission Resources (JCR), the main accrediting body for international hospitals and provider of accreditation materials globally. Read more about Dr. Ford here: https://buff.ly/3W1Cp3e

Join us on Thursday, Nov. 3 to honor the 2022 Carole W. Samuelson Endowed Lecture in Public Health Practice awardee, Lisa M. Koonin, DrPH, MN, MPH.

Dr. Koonin is a retired employee of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, founder of Health Preparedness Partners, LLC, and Adjunct Assistant Professor of Health Policy and Management at the University of North Carolina Gillings School of Global Public Health. She will present her lecture, "A Missing Link in Public Health Preparedness and Emergency Response: Engaging Private Sector Partners" on Nov. 3 at 12:00 p.m. Lunch is provided, and registration is required.

Click here to learn more about Dr. Koonin: https://www.uab.edu/soph/home/news-events/news/dr-lisa-koonin-awarded-the-2022-carole-w-samuelson-endowed-lecture-in-public-health-practice

Click here to RSVP to the lecture: https://calendar.uab.edu/event/2022_carole_w_samuelson_endowed_lecture_in_public_health_practice#.Y1fmM-zMJhF

All UAB Alumni are invited to the 14th Annual Uncork Education event with the UAB National Alumni Society on November 6. The event is in-person once again! Register at alumni.uab.edu/uncork2022.

We hope this Week has been restful, mindful, and recharging for you. For your SOPH communications team, that includes some time spent unplugged. So we are taking a short break today from social media content and encourage you to do the same if that’s what wellness means to you. Don’t worry, we’ll be back to posting and re-sharing great stories and events happening at the School of Public Health soon!

Join us this Thursday night for a seminar with Dr. Aida Miles to discuss the two sides of malnutrition in youth in the U.S.: under- and over-nutrition.

Register at https://buff.ly/3gg4KlM

The RECOVER Initiative is recruiting people who have never had COVID, as well as people who have had COVID in the past 30 days. Do you fit into one of these categories? In the Birmingham area, call 205-934-7502 or email [email protected] to join the study.

We're halfway through a busy fall semester, and everyone could use a little time to focus on health and mindfulness. While there are events happening all week long around campus, the School of Public Health is hosting Coloring and Cookies with the SOPH on Tuesday, Oct. 18 from 3:30 - 5:00 p.m.

Reserve your spot for Coloring and Cookies with the SOPH at http://go.uab.edu/colorwiththesoph2022 and find more resources here: https://buff.ly/3EvrkkJ

Su***de | Gun Safety | PSA | UAB School of Public Health

In 2021, 70% of suicides in Alabama were carried out with a firearm. Always offer help to family or friends in crisis and suggest they store guns safely. Call 988 or text HOME to 741741 to access the Crisis Text Line.

Alabama Su***de Prevention and Resources Coalition

Su***de | Gun Safety | PSA | UAB School of Public Health Su***de | Gun Safety | PSA

What a week! After all this momentum, come cheer on the Blazers as they take on Middle Tennessee tomorrow at Protective Stadium at 2:30 p.m. Happy and ! 💚💛🔥🏈

Join us on October 9 at Railroad Park! The Magic City LGBTQ Health Studies initiative is partnering with local community groups for an event reflecting everybody who makes up Birmingham - from the music selections of DJ Suaze and DJ Stevo Blaque drawing on Black and Latino hip hop and reggaeton roots, to food trucks that span low country cuisine, Tex Mex, vegetarian options, and more. See you there!

New task force created to improve maternal health across Alabama

Alabama continues to rank among the worst states for infant and maternal health, with infant and maternal mortality rates consistently above the U.S. average. Researchers from the UAB School of Public Health and the Alabama Perinatal Quality Collaborative have been chosen to lead the Alabama Maternal Health Task Force, with a goal of will centralizing efforts across the state to build and implement a strategic plan aimed at improving maternal health:

New task force created to improve maternal health across Alabama The Alabama Maternal Health Task Force will lead state entities, community members and maternal health experts in developing and implementing a strategic plan aimed at reducing maternal mortality and morbidity across the state.

Join us on October 9 at Railroad Park! The Magic City LGBTQ Health Studies initiative is partnering with local community groups for an event reflecting everybody who makes up Birmingham - from the music selections of DJ Suaze and DJ Stevo Blaque drawing on Black and Latino hip hop and reggaeton roots, to food trucks that span low country cuisine, Tex Mex, vegetarian options, and more. See you there!



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Join .phsa for a Homecoming Tailgate on Oct. 4 from 11am-1pm. Who can say no to lunch and free t-shirts? 🏈💚💛 Campus Calendar link in bio

COVID-19 asymptomatic testing program for Alabama K-12 schools extended for 2022-2023 school year, new services added

The UAB School of Public Health has extended its free and voluntary COVID-19 testing and prevention program for public and private K-12 schools through the 2022-2023 school year. This year, the program offers new services including HEPA air purifiers, rapid over-the-counter test kits, optional student rewards cards, funding to hire on-site testing liaisons, and supplemental funding for participating private schools and public school districts as funds are available. Learn more below:

COVID-19 asymptomatic testing program for Alabama K-12 schools extended for 2022-2023 school year, new services added Alabama K-12 public and private schools now have the option to receive asymptomatic COVID-19 testing, high-efficiency particulate — or HEPA —air purifiers, over-the-counter test kits, on-site liaisons and more through the UAB School of Public Health program.

Interested in learning more about graduate programs in the Department of Biostatistics? Join us on October 21 in the Hill Student Center at 10:30 a.m.! RSVP here: https://buff.ly/3RMoYSi

New graduate students in the School of Public Health joined us in-person and virtually last night for our annual welcoming ceremony, For the Public’s Health. Thank you to Dean Erwin and SOPH alumnus George B. Salem for delivering remarks and leading us in reciting the Declaration of Commitment to Public Health. Welcome, students!

Join us this Friday, September 9 at 12:00 p.m. in Ryals 407 for Friday Conversations with Sarah MacCarthy, ScD. Dr. MacCarthy will discuss "Expanding DEI to Include Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity." To attend in person, register at the QR code or use: https://buff.ly/3REn71f . To attend virtually, register through the tiny URL listed or at https://buff.ly/3APUeso.

Join the Maternal & Child Health Student Association (MCHSA) for their fall kick-off virtual seminar "Legal Rights for Pregnant & Breastfeeding Workers in Alabama: How to Support your Patients'/Clients' Health While Working on the Job" presented by Lauren Booth, JD, staff attorney for A Better Balance in Montgomery, Alabama.

Lauren will be covering pregnancy and lactation accommodations (under the the Pregnancy Discrimination Act, the Americans with Disabilities Act, and Federal Break Time for Nursing Mothers Law) and the Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA).

Registration required: https://buff.ly/3B85HF6

"School is now in session for germs, viruses, and bacteria that cause illnesses that can make your child or yourself as a parent, caregiver, or guardian sick."

Hear the latest podcast from the Alabama Regional Center for Infection Prevention and Control Training and Technical Assistance (ARC IPC) as they welcomed Dr. David Kimberlin, professor and co-director of the Division of Pediatric Infectious Diseases at UAB, to discuss important hygiene and treatment measures for common illnesses in schools. Listen online at https://buff.ly/3QUY5v0

Big news... our office is hiring! We are looking to add a Student Assistant to our team for the next academic year, who can start as soon as possible! We are looking for a student that is...

🎒work study eligible (preferred)
📗a student in the School of Public Health (preferred)
🌍interested in global health work!

Sound like something you'd be interested in? Email us for more information or apply now at the link in our bio!

Mark your calendars! The School of Public Health Alumni & Development Team is hosting a virtual lunch and learn series: Public Health in the News. Register through the link in bio.

September 22 - 12:00 p.m. CDT
Public Health as it Relates to Diet & Nutrition

October 21 - 12:00 p.m. CDT
Impacts of Climate Change on Public Health

November 16 - 12:00 p.m. CST
Effective Ways to Communicate About Public Health on Social Media Platforms

SOPH students! Join us next week for our Welcome Week events - we'll have virtual, in-person, undergrad-focused, and graduate-specific events all week long. Virtual events require registration - register through the link in our bio.

Monday, August 22
3:00 p.m. Pastries & Professional Passports 🎓💻

Tuesday, August 23
12:30 p.m. Pops with Public Health Practice 💻 💻

Wednesday, August 24
10:00 a.m. SOPH Certificate Info Session
12:00 p.m. Lunch with the Dean 💻
2:00 p.m. Connect Over Cookies 🔥

Thursday, August 25
11:00 a.m. Student Resource Fair

Friday, August 26
11:00 a.m. Tacobout a Fun Welcome Week

💻 = Virtual event
🎓= Graduate student event
🔥 = Undergrad student event

Photos from Jefferson County Department of Health's post

This week, the School of Public Health’s Alumni and Development team traveled to Washington, D.C. to meet with alumni in the area. SOPH alums and friends gathered in the private lounge at the Ciel Social Club in D.C., and were thrilled to meet again in person. Thank you to all who attended, and we look forward to seeing you again soon!

Interested in graduate level studies at the School of Public Health? Our office of Student and Academic Services is hosting a webinar on Wednesday, September 21st at 1:00 p.m. to provide guidance on how to navigate the graduate school application process and tips for submitting a successful application.

Registration is required and available by visiting go.uab.edu/SOPHgradschool.

Photos from Black Warrior Riverkeeper's post

Calling all UAB students and postdocs: Please complete this 10-minute survey on COVID-19, Race, and Student/ Postdoctoral Fellow Mental Health, which builds on our 2020 survey.

Complete the survey: https://baseline.campuslabs.com/uoa/covidracestudpostdoc22

Dr. Gartin to serve a third consecutive term with the international Consortium of Universities for Global Health (CUGH) - School of Public Health | UAB

Congratulations to Dr. Meredith Gartin, Assistant Professor of Global Health in the Department of Health Policy and Organization, who has been elected for a third consecutive term to serve on the Education Committee for the Consortium of Universities for Global Health.

UAB Sparkman Center for Global Health

Dr. Gartin to serve a third consecutive term with the international Consortium of Universities for Global Health (CUGH) - School of Public Health | UAB Dr. Meredith Gartin, Assistant Professor of Global Health in the Department of Health Policy and Organization has been elected for a third consecutive term to serve on the Education Committee for the Consortium of Universities for Global Health.

Public Health Doctoral Student chosen for WomenLift Leadership Program - School of Public Health | UAB

Congratulations to Allison Spensley, MPH, MSW, current Doctoral Student and Graduate Research Assistant in the UAB Sparkman Center for Global Health was chosen to be part of the 2022 cohort of the highly competitive WomenLift Leadership Program for mid-career women in global health!

Public Health Doctoral Student chosen for WomenLift Leadership Program - School of Public Health | UAB Allison Spensley, MPH, MSW, current Doctoral Student and Graduate Research Assistant in the UAB School of Public Health was chosen to be part of the 2022 cohort of the highly competitive WomenLift Leadership Program for mid-career women in global health.

UAB-led research team awarded second place in American Heart Association Data Challenge

A research team led by Gargya Malla, M.D., Ph.D., has been awarded second place in the American Heart Association's Data Challenge. Dr. Malla participated in the data challenge as a doctoral candidate at the UAB School of Public Health.

UAB-led research team awarded second place in American Heart Association Data Challenge Gargya Malla, M.D., Ph.D., used the UAB REGARDS study to evaluate the effect of living in a disadvantaged area on heart failure risk. She was awarded second place in a data challenge hosted by the American Heart Association® and the Association of Black Cardiologists.

This week, the UAB School of Public Health's Department of Environmental Health Sciences hosted an activation space at The World Games. Attendees were invited to try on personal protective equipment and complete tasks, just like the professionals!

American Heart Association awards $20 million for research to improve outcomes in pregnancy, CVD health

Scientists from University of Alabama at Birmingham Marnix E. Heersink School of Medicine will help lead community engagement programs as a part of the American Heart Association’s Health Equity Research Network (HERN) on Disparities in Maternal-Infant Health Outcomes. Data support for this research will involve a partnership with the UAB School of Public Health.

American Heart Association awards $20 million for research to improve outcomes in pregnancy, CVD health UAB will act as the coordinating center of the P3 EQUATE Network and leverage expertise across network sites and nationally, to help train the next generation of pregnancy health equity researchers.

UAB’s Magic City LGBTQ Health Studies Endowed Professor reflects on first Pride Month in the Deep South

On Dec. 1, 2021, the University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Public Health appointed Sarah MacCarthy, Sc.D., as the first holder of the Magic City LGBTQ Health Studies Endowed Professorship. This community-funded professorship was established to create a high-visibility platform to champion research, education and service in the field of LGBTQ health. The Magic City professorship is the first of its kind in the country — particularly meaningful in the Deep South, where LGBTQ individuals have especially limited access to quality services, despite being vulnerable to a range of health problems.

UAB’s Magic City LGBTQ Health Studies Endowed Professor reflects on first Pride Month in the Deep South In honor of Pride Month, Sarah MacCarthy, Sc.D., the first Magic City LGBTQ Health Studies Endowed Professor, reflects on the ongoing need for health equity for LGBTQ communities, why addressing LGBTQ health is good for everyone and her goals for the future.

Congratulations to two of our alumni who were recently named recipients of the UAB Excellence in Business Top 25 Awards!

A Brief Overview of the Unusual Pediatric Hepatitis Cases Across Alabama and the U.S. | ARC IPC

Back in October 2021, the first cases of pediatric patients with severe hepatitis of unknown cause were identified in children at a hospital in Alabama. Fast-forward to June 3, 2022 (the day of this podcast recording), and there are now 246 persons (or children under 10 with hepatitis of unknown cause) that are under investigation across 38 states.

The ARC IPC welcomed Dr. Wes Stubblefield, District Medical Officer for the Northern and Northeastern Public Health Districts at the Alabama Department of Public Health to discuss this recent outbreak of pediatric hepatitis on "Standard Precautions and Beyond: Conversations in Infection Prevention and Control". https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kFaqXnJFGP0

A Brief Overview of the Unusual Pediatric Hepatitis Cases Across Alabama and the U.S. | ARC IPC Back in October 2021, the first cases of pediatric patients with severe hepatitis of unknown cause were identified in children at a hospital in Alabama. Fast...

Photos from UAB Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion's post

Four tips for staying active in the office

After months of working remotely during the COVID-19 pandemic, many employees now find themselves back in the office. But just because one may work behind a desk does not mean they need to be sedentary. Check out "Four tips for staying active in the office" feat. Olivia Affuso, PhD.

Four tips for staying active in the office Five UAB experts provide advice on getting started, finding a group, staying motivated and coping with weather. Plus: how to run a successful walking meeting.

Check out the most recent episode of the ARCIPC's podcast "Standard Precautions and Beyond: Conversations in Infection Prevention and Control" featuring Dr. Rachael Lee. Dr. Lee is an Associate Professor in the UAB Division of Infectious Diseases. This conversation is about monkeypox – what is it and should we be worried?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=actciFvH5Ik