SPH Stories
Featured stories about SPH people, research and impact
2013
2013 Francis Fellows
Under the Thomas Francis Jr. Global Health Fellowship program, School of Public Health and other UW health sciences students are working across the globe to improve people's lives. (June 3, 2013)
Reaffirming the Value of Indigenous Perspectives
Can you patent a gene? Is genetically engineered fish considered food or animal? What does it all mean to indigenous peoples? Rebecca Tsosie posed these provocative questions and others as she explored the legal and ethical implications of treating the genome as a “commons” in which scientists freely explore on their quest for new discoveries. (April 22, 2013)
Magnuson Scholar Seeks Answers on Pesticides, Food and Health
Cynnie Curl receives Magnuson Award. (April 22, 2013)
Magnuson Scholar Seeks Answers on Pesticides, Food and Health
Cynthia Curl is the School's Magnuson Scholar for 2013-14. (April 10, 2013)
CEEH Sponsors Public Forum on the Duwamish River Cleanup
The director of the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences joins local researchers, government officials, and industry experts at a Public Forum on the health impacts and pollution in the Duwamish, Seattle’s working river. Six short, lively ‘lightning’ presentations will be followed by an open microphone time for questions and discussion. (April 9, 2013)
Contaminated diet contributes to phthalate and bisphenol A exposure
While water bottles may tout BPA-free labels and personal care products declare phthalates not among their ingredients, these assurances may not be enough. According to a study published February 27 in the Nature Journal of Exposure Science and Environmental Epidemiology, we may be exposed to these chemicals in our diet and children may be most vulnerable. (February 27, 2013)
Maternal exposure to outdoor air pollution associated with low birth weights worldwide
Maternal exposure to outdoor air pollution associated with low birth weights worldwide (February 6, 2013)
Sheridan Reiger Honored with MLK Award
Sheridan Reiger, an MPH and MD student, was selected by the School of Public Health to be honored at this year's Martin Luther King Jr tribute. Reiger started his own NGO in Honduras that focuses on chronic diseases like hypertension, diabetes and asthma. (January 17, 2013)
SPH Statistician Named One of Forbes’ Rising Stars
Daniela Witten, assistant professor of biostatistics at the UW School of Public Health, was named to Forbes' "30 Under 30" list for 2012 in the field of science and healthcare. (January 2, 2013)
2012
Commitment from Gil Omenn, Martha Darling for Genetics Research
A new research project fund at the Institute for Public Health Genetics has gotten a kick-start with a $100,000 commitment from former SPH Dean Gil Omenn and his wife Martha Darling. The first project will focus on evaluating potential gene and drug interactions, for example between long-term use of medications and disorders such as Parkinson's and Alzheimer's. (November 29, 2012)
SPH Students Write Coastal Water Resolution for American Public Health Association
The American Public Health Association, at its annual meeting in San Francisco this week, voted to adopt a comprehensive approach to protecting coastal water quality by modernizing the nation's Clean Water Act, which is 40 years old this year. The resolution was written by six University of Washington public health graduate students. (November 7, 2012)
Three SPH Faculty Elected to Institute of Medicine
Three faculty members from the University of Washington School of Public Health were elected to the prestigious Institute of Medicine, one of the highest honors in the fields of health and medicine. (October 12, 2012)
School Awards Pilot Grants To Meet Challenges of 21st Century
How does Twitter affect obesity? How can we engage diverse groups on the issue of climate change and health? These are some of the research studies funded by five innovative pilot grants just awarded by the School. (September 26, 2012)
Keyboards, Desks can be Hazardous to Your Health
Flip over your keyboard and you'll see a warning: "Some experts believe that the use of any keyboard may cause serious injury to hands, wrists, arms, neck and back." Yes, a keyboard can be hazardous to your health. So can a mouse. Even the design of a desk could affect the way you work. Peter Johnson and his colleagues are testing new designs for computer devices and desks that could keep workers healthier and more productive. Hewlett-Packard and Steelcase are supporting some of this research. (September 19, 2012)
'Mobile Moms' to Boost Health of Women in Timor-Leste
A mobile phone project will use text messages to improve the health of expectant mothers in one of the world’s poorest countries. (August 28, 2012)
Undergrads Gain Research Experience, Edge for Grad Schools
A select group of undergraduates will have an advantage when applying for graduate schools, thanks to a School of Public Health summer program that gives them a chance to work in cutting-edge laboratories. (August 9, 2012)
Yakima Valley Students Explore Careers in Health Care
High school students from the Yakima Valley got a close-up view of careers in health care on a recent trip to the University of Washington. They were taking part in a program designed to develop culturally responsive healthcare professionals who will return to their communities once they've finished their higher education. (July 24, 2012)
Landmark Research Paves Way for HIV Drug's Approval
For the first time, the US Food and Drug Administration has approved a drug that could help prevent the spread of HIV. Research from the UW - published in The New England Journal of Medicine - has played a crucial part in the process. Connie Celum of the Department of Global Health talks about our role in research and the impact the drug could have. (July 10, 2012)
SPH Faculty Weigh In on Health Care Ruling
The U.S. Supreme Court upheld virtually all of the federal Affordable Care Act – a decision that affects millions of people and clears the way for the greatest overhaul of the health-care system in half a century. What does the ruling mean? Experts from the UW School of Public Health offered reaction, commentary and analysis to
local media. (June 26, 2012)
How Alumni Brought Back Undergrad Nutrition Courses
They used to call it Home Economics. But courses about the science of food disappeared from the UW undergraduate curriculum in the early 1980s. Nobody knew it then, but it was bad timing – a nationwide obesity epidemic was about to begin, leading to a host of health problems, from increased cardiovascular disease to diabetes. Now, three decades later, nutrition courses are again being offered to undergrads, thanks in part to money raised by alumni and donors.
(June 18, 2012)Surgeon General Sounds Alarm on Youth Smoking
Tobacco use continues to be the leading cause of preventable death in the U.S., yet one of every four high school students smokes. What’s going on? At a Town Hall meeting at the UW, US Surgeon General Regina Benjamin met with young adults, activists and public health workers to discuss ways to make the next generation tobacco-free. (June 18, 2012)
Congratulations and Thank You, MHA Class of 2012
We are proud to congratulate the MHA Class of 2012 on their graduation June 9 and welcome them to our alumni ranks. (June 13, 2012)
Female Obesity Linked to Property Values
Where you live matters to your weight, especially if you are a woman. Research conducted by the University of Washington School of Public Health shows that obesity rates among women in Seattle and its suburbs were closely linked to the value of their homes. (June 6, 2012)
Teaching Ways to Diagnose Asthma more Accurately
Patients with asthma are getting better care, thanks to an online training program for health professionals led by James Stout of Health Services. The professionals learn how to more accurately diagnose patients with spirometry (device above). A video interview with Dr. Stout is here. (May 25, 2012)
Global Health Week: 'Innovation Happens When You See What’s Not Working'
Despite great progress on public health issues globally, there are huge challenges ahead. Joseph Babigumira knows the magnitude of the tasks from hard experience. He has been working to improve reproductive rights in Uganda and trying to get more people there tested for HIV. (May 9, 2012)
William Foege Awarded Presidential Medal of Freedom
William Foege, who helped eradicate smallpox, has been named a recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom. He says he hopes the award will highlight work in the field of global health. (April 27, 2012)
University of Washington, Battelle Scientists Identify Potential Early Biomarker for Autism Spectrum Disorder
University of Washington, Battelle Scientists Identify Potential Early Biomarker for Autism Spectrum Disorder: Breakthrough Could Help Autistic Children Receive Treatment Sooner (April 23, 2012)
Americans living longer, but gains could be better
Americans continue to live longer, but women’s life spans are improving at a much slower rate than men’s. And other countries are making stronger gains. Black Americans, meanwhile, are closing the gap on whites, according to new estimates from the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation. (April 23, 2012)
Wearable Artificial Kidney to Be Tested in Seattle
The first U.S. trial of the “WAK” will be conducted in a collaboration of the UW School of Public Health, the UW Kidney Research Institute, and the FDA. (April 9, 2012)
Celebrating Public Health 2012
Public health has come a long way since the UW School of Public Health was founded in 1970, and we continue to make advances in such key areas as air and water quality, food safety and nutrition, disease prevention, workplace safety, and injury prevention. (March 30, 2012)
SPH to Study Health Impacts of Duwamish Cleanup
A new project led by SPH Professor Bill Daniell will assess key health issues affecting people who use the Duwamish River or live nearby. The highly polluted Lower Duwamish Waterway in Seattle was declared a Superfund site in 2001. The study's results will help the EPA decide how to clean it up while minimizing impacts on nearby communities. (March 12, 2012)
Reproductive Health Providers Should Discuss Environmental Exposure Risks with Patients
Reproductive health providers should discuss environmental exposure risks with patients, says lead researcher Sheela Sathyanarayana. Published study includes simple recommendations to help reduce harmful exposures for women. (March 12, 2012)
Duwamish Health Study in South Seattle to inform EPA's Final Cleanup Plan for Superfund Site
Press Release: A new project led by environmental health researchers will assess key health issues affecting people who use the Duwamish River or live nearby. Findings from the assessment will be provided to the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to help inform their selection of a cleanup plan for the Lower Duwamish Waterway. (March 5, 2012)
2012 Thomas Francis Jr. Global Health Fellows
The Thomas Francis Jr. Global Health Fellows work across the globe, adding value to public health efforts and learning what it takes to succeed. Here’s a look at some of the recent Fellows and the impact they’ve had. (December 14, 2012)
Q&A with Shirley A.A. Beresford
Professor Shirley Beresford is well known for her work in obesity prevention, partnering with workplaces to improve the diets of working adults. On March 12, she will discuss how socioeconomic status affects the far-reaching health choices that people make. (March 2, 2012)
Visit Day Scheduled for March 16, 2012
We will hold an MHA Visit Day for prospective students on March 16. This invitation-only event is for applicants to the day program who have received an offer of admission for Autumn 2012. Notifications of acceptance will be communicated February 24-29. (February 10, 2012)
2011
United Health Foundation Looks at the Nation's Health
How healthy are we as a nation in 2011? The news varies state to state, but Washington has slipped from 11th to 15th in one year. See what United Health Foundation's survey says and what some of our researchers say about such rankings. (December 27, 2011)
New Center Launched for Women, Teens, and Kids
December 8 saw the launch of the UW's Global Center for Integrated Health of Women, Adolescents and Children (Global WACh), under the direction of Grace John-Stewart, professor of epidemiology, global health, and pediatrics. (December 13, 2011)
Q&A: Sverre Vedal
Join us in T-625 on December 12 at 3:30 when professor Sverre Vedal (DEOHS) delivers the Fall 2011 Distinguished Faculty Lecture. You can learn about his research—and why he loves it—in our Q&A. (December 5, 2011)
Sophie Godley Wins Public Health Teaching Award
Sophie Godley (MPH, HServ, '99), has won the 2011 ASPH/Pfizer Early Career in Public Health Teaching Award. Sophie is clinical assistant professor and director of undergraduate education at Boston University's School of Public Health. (November 30, 2011)
New Biostatistical Collaboration for SPH & Hopkins
The SPH Department of Biostatistics and the Center for Inherited Disease Research (CIDR) at Johns Hopkins have joined forces to provide critical support for the interpretation of genetic data. (November 11, 2011)
Health Services Faculty Members Rachel Ceballos and Ranak Trivedi Receive Career Development Awards
Health Services faculty members Rachel Ceballos and Ranak Trivedi have recently received substantial awards to support the growth of their research careers. (October 26, 2011)
UW Executive MHA Program Open House
Join us on Tuesday, November 29 to learn about the UW Executive MHA Program. Meet the director, key staff, and students. (October 24, 2011)
Two UW Public Health Researchers Win NIH Early Independence Awards
In an extraordinary feat of recognition, the NIH has awarded Early Independence Awards to not just one, but two SPH researchers: Biostat's Daniela Witten and Epidemiology PhD candidate Nicole Basta. (September 30, 2011)
HPRC Depression Management Program PEARLS Receives APHA Archstone Award
PEARLS has been selected as the Award Winner of the 2011 Archstone Foundation Award for Excellence in Program Innovation. Dr. Mark Snowden will receive the award on behalf of PEARLS at the 139th APHA Annual Meeting in Washington, DC, in November. (September 15, 2011)
Keeping Medicines Safe in a Global Economy
In an August 31 opinion piece in The Scientist, Epidemiology and Global Health professor Andy Stergachis writes about the need for increased scrutiny as drugs and vaccines go global. Join us for a Q&A session with Dr. Stergachis. (September 13, 2011)
HPRC research scientist Steinman received the APHA Zimmer Award for new investigators
Lesley Steinman, MSW, MPH, received the 2011 Zimmer award for new investigators. Steinman is a research scientist at the UW Health Promotion Research Center (HPRC), where her work focuses on the Program to Encourage Active, Rewarding Lives (PEARLS). (September 6, 2011)
In Memory of CJ Taylor
The friends, faculty, staff, students, and alumni of the UW School of Public Health extend their condolences to Bob Day, dean of the School from 1972-1982, and his family on the passing of his wife, CJ Taylor, founder of the Puget Sound affiliate of Susan G. Komen for the Cure. See more (August 16, 2011)
EPC Clearinghouse Receives Award for Excellence in Publication, June 2011
The Environmental and Policy Change (EPC) Clearinghouse received an Award for Excellence in Publication from APEX Awards. (June 30, 2011)
Dr. Bonnie Duran to speak at IOM Roundtable on the Promotion of Health Equity and the Elimination of Health Disparities.
Dr. Bonnie Duran will speak at an Institute of Medicine Roundtable on the Promotion of Health Equity and the Elimination of Health Disparities November 7, 2011 in Detroit, MI. (June 15, 2011)
Life expectancy in most US counties falls behind world's healthiest nations
While people in Japan, Canada, and other nations are enjoying significant gains in life expectancy every year, residents in most counties in the US are falling behind, according to a new IHME study. (June 15, 2011)
UW Health Promotion Research Center Recognized for Its Community Partnerships, April 2011
Working closely with community partners in university research is a core value of the University of Washington Health Promotion Research Center (HPRC). In April 2011, HPRC received national recognition for that commitment. (April 25, 2011)
Presentation by the Lewin Group, Center for Comparative Effectiveness Research
"Comparative Effectiveness Research, Personalized Medicine, and Health Reform: A View from the Other Washington" and "Ingenix Data Assets and Resources" (April 13, 2011)
Department of Health Services Annual Research Meeting
June 15, 2011.
A showcase for the diverse research conducted by the Department of Health Services faculty, students, and staff (March 21, 2011)
You're Invited!
The entire School community is invited to an All Hands Meeting on April 1, from 1:00 to 2:30 PM in Hogness Auditorium. Dean Howard Frumkin will speak on the State of the School and formally launch the Strategic Planning Process. Reception to follow. (March 18, 2011)
Nominations Open for 2011 Service Award for Community Partners
The UW School of Public Health and the Student Public Health Association (SPHA) are seeking nominations for the fifth annual Service Award for Community Partners. (March 4, 2011)
2010
Professor Thomas Norris, MD, receives John G. Walsh award
Professor Thomas Norris, MD, has received the 2010 John G. Walsh award from the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP). (December 8, 2010)
Statement From Dean Howard Frumkin Concerning Inclement Weather of November 22
(November 22, 2010)
MRSA exposure for firefighters, medics greater than for general public: UW study
Firefighters and medics may be, perhaps not surprisingly, at a higher risk for carrying methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) than the average person, according to results from a new study conducted by Marilyn Roberts, a University of Washington professor of environmental and occupational health sciences. Roberts, a microbiologist, recently conducted the first-ever environmental health study on MRSA in Northwest fire stations and on fire personnel to determine the extent of related contamination. (November 18, 2010)
Checking Our Pulse: Health and Healers in the African American Community
Three SPH faculty are among 100 healthcare professionals featured in a new exhibit at the Northwest African American Museum: Checking our Pulse, running now through June, 2011. (photo courtesy of the Mary Mahoney Professional Nurses Organization) (November 9, 2010)
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