Dr. Kevin Roy has been awarded a two-year William T. Grant Scholars Supplement Award to support his mentoring relationship with Jocelyn Smith, a second-year Family Science doctoral student. The W.T. Grant Scholars Supplement award is granted based upon an evaluation of the promise of the junior scholar (the graduate student), as well as the quality of the mentoring plan established to facilitate the students' growth as a researcher, Dr. Roy's growth as a mentor, and the quality of their research project. In addition to the University of Maryland, two other supplemental awards also were granted to scholars and mentees from the University of California, Santa Barbara, Department of Sociology and the Harvard Graduate School of Education. The students and professors will work towards establishing a strong mentor-mentee relationship focused on research and career development. Congratulations to Dr. Roy.

(Date Added: June 26, 2009)

The Department of Family Science is pleased to announce that Amanda Bowsher has been hired as the Department's new Undergraduate Coordinator. Amanda joins Family Science from The Ohio State University, where she served as an Academic and Career Counselor. Amanda earned both her Bachelor of Arts in English and Master of Arts in Higher Education and Student Affairs from The Ohio State University. She has served students in a number of capacities including academic counseling, residence life and housing, orientation and first-year experience, honors student programming, and student activities. Amanda is passionate about helping students identify their strengths and goals in order to succeed academically and transition to the workforce. We look forward to the exciting contributions that she will make to our Department, the School of Public Health, and the University.

(Date Added: June 24, 2009)

Dr. Leslie Leigh, Associate Professor and Graduate Director in the Department of Family Science, has been selected to participate in a two week Curriculum Transformation Project, "'What do you mean, Postracial?', Teaching about Race, Difference, and Inequality in the Obama Era." Participation in the 2009 Summer Institute sponsored by the Department of Women's Studies is an opportunity for faculty members to renovate existing class curriculum to better reflect the current state of race discourse. Faculty will examine articles, talk shows, blogs, news coverage, and campaign speeches to identify constructive ways to address and analyze postracialism in the classroom. Participants will read classic and contemporary essays on race and inequality and will examine dimensions of difference, such as gender and class, for civil, political, and cultural life in the United States. Dr. Leslie will apply what she learns to the graduate level class Gender and Ethnicity in Family Therapy and Service Delivery.

(Date Added: June 22, 2009)

A Washington Post writer visits the Department of Kinesiology's exercise physiology lab to evaluate his fitness levels. Post doctoral fellow, Sarah Witkowski, and doctoral students, Nathan Jenkins and Eric Hanson, put Lenny Bernstein through the paces. Read about his experience ... and ask yourself... how would I do?

(Date Added: June 19, 2009)

The following Family Science majors achieved Semester Academic Honors by taking 12 or more credits with a semester GPA of 3.5 or higher:

Ashley Abrahams, Cheri Anderson, Nkemka Anyiwo, Morgan Appel, Samantha Ascanio, Sequoia Bacon, Lauren Baklarz, Danielle Baranson, Jasmyne Beckford, Kristina Bingham, Melissa Bokow, Sierra Brewer, Donna Brown, Kim Bui, Samantha Buker, Stephanie Cannon, Janet Carroll, Christie Chorbajian, Ashley Christiansen, Millicent Clarkson, Brittany Conklin, Rayann Cummings, Sarah Dennison, Daiana Dias, Kathryn Difato, Esther Dubow, Krizia Fernandez, Elizabeth Fetissoff, Gabrielle Furman, Jaclyn Gaudio, Laura George, Sonia Giron, Caitlin Golding, Fallon Goodman, Sharlane Greaves, Genni Harrison, Devin Howle, Cheryl Hylton, Wen Ji, Ashleigh Jobson, Nancy Johnson, Angela Kelly, Christine Kenny, Shira Klayman, January Kolker, Scott La Cross, Melissa Langley, Sharelle Law, Lashaune Lee, William Leonard, Abigail Malate, Brenna McKew, Jessica Menjivar, Sylvia Mervis, Kelleigh Middleton, Laura Miffleton, Kaeleigh Moffitt, Shawna Murray, Megan Nappi, Jennifer Ng, Renee Noel, Alexandra Ortiz, Megan Palanci, Zuri Park, Ellen Pauloski, Lauren Persons, Catherine Phillips, Ilana Pickett, Dylan Podson, Samanatha Posner, Sarah Prokopik, Brittney Renehan, Ingrid Reyes-Arias, Kelly Richardson, Kelly Ringer, Sarah Roosa, Rochelle Schatz, Kaila Sciascia, Kristina Shieh, Cynthia Shin, Sherray Simms, Smriti Sindhi, Nicole Sindorf, Nicole Small, Amanda Spinnenweber, Alexandra Staropoli, Jerri Taylor, Karissa Taylor, Shantrez Taylor, Caitlin Thomas, Kerry Thompson, Sarah Thornton, Jeannette Trejo, Katherine Usher, Victoria Wedge, Allison Weeks, Rivka Weiss, April Welch, Abigail Wesley, Natasha Wetzel, Gabrielle Wiley, Rebecca Wojcicki, April Wood, John Woodard.

Congratulations to the Dean's List scholars!

(Date Added: June 15, 2009)

Dr. Daughters, of Public and Community Health, is featured in Between the Columns, a campus news site. The article is on tolerating stress and it's relationship to beating addiction.

"It's a challenging time both physically and emotionally, and a period when people are most prone to relapse," says Stacey Daughters.

Read the full article. http://betweenthecolumns.umd.edu/2009/06/08/toleratingdistress/

(Date Added: June 11, 2009)

Signing of House Bill #419 which established the pilot for the Maryland Health and Wellness Commission and the Wellness Report Card. Pictured are graduate students, Ginelle Jurlano and Paiker Sayed, from the Department of Health Services Administration who assisted in the development of the bill; Wesley Queen, Assistant to the Dean for Public Health Advocacy; Heather Ryan who assisted with the bill as a part of her internship in the Department of Public and Community Health; Delegate James W. Hubbard who sponsored the bill; Governor Martin O'Malley, Lieutenant Governor Anthony G. Brown, President of the Senate Thomas V. Mike Miller, Jr.; and Speaker of the House of Delegates Michael E. Busch.

(Date Added: June 09, 2009)

Erin Howie (KS '08) who is now a graduate student at the University of South Carolina presented the results from her senior thesis done here at the University of Maryland at the annual meeting of the American College of Sport Medicine (ACSM). Her paper co-authored with Dr. Deborah Young was "Step It Up: A multi-component intervention on stair use in a university residence building." And yes, the residence hall was right here at Maryland. Congratulations Erin.

(Date Added: June 07, 2009)

A number of the Department of Kinesiology's faculty and graduate students presented their research findings at the recent American College of Sport Medicine (ACSM) conference in Seattle. Drs. Hatfield, Roth, and Spangenburg gave invited papers as did the following graduate students: 1)Zimmerman, Jo B., Ludlow, Andrew T., Witkowski, Sarah, Kayes, Maureen, Poeppel, David, Roth, Stephen M., FACSM, & Hatfield, Bradley D., FACSM "APOE Genotype, Aerobic Fitness, and Cerebral Cortical Activation During Working Memory Challenge in Middle-aged Adults"; 2)Andrew T. Ludlow, Pallavi Nadendla, Sarah Witkowski, Lindsay M. Wohlers, Espen E. Spangenburg, Stephen M. Roth FACSM "Physical activity ancestry affects body composition phenotypes and gene expression in mice offspring"; 3) Jennifer A. McKenzie, S. Witkowski, A.T. Ludlow, S.M. Roth, J.M. Hagberg. "Visfatin genotypes influence glucose and obesity-related variables and their aerobic exercise training responses"; 4) Erik D. Hanson, A.T. Ludlow, A.K. Sheaff, J. Park, S.M. Roth. "ACTN3 R577X genotype is not associated with muscle fatigue performance:; and, 5) Nathan T. Jenkins, Sarah Witkowski, Espen E. Spangenburg, and James M. Hagberg FACSM. "Acute and Chronic Endurance Exercise Improve Endothelial Progenitor Cell Function and Reduce Expression of Oxidative Stress-Related Genes"

Nathan T. Jenkins, Sarah Witkowski, Espen E. Spangenburg, and James M. Hagberg FACSM. Acute and Chronic Endurance Exercise Improve Endothelial Progenitor Cell Function and Reduce Expression of Oxidative Stress-Related Genes

(Date Added: June 07, 2009)

Dr. Espen Spangenburg gave a talk on "Changes in muscle mass with mechanical load: possible cellular mechanisms" at the 14th International Biochemistry of Exercise conference in Guelph, Canada. At the same conference two of Dr. Spangenburg's doctoral students also gave talks. Lindsay Wohlers' paper was on: "Estrogen and not exercise attenuates increases in lipolysis and ATGL signaling in the visceral fat of OVX mice."

Katie Campbell's paper was entitled: "Increases in visceral fat mass in OVX mice is associated with decreases in skeletal muscle cytochrome C protein expression."

(Date Added: June 07, 2009)

Twelve Family Science doctoral and masters students will participate in a new summer study abroad experience in Beijing, China. Graduate students will participate in the two-week class, China: Models of Couple and Family Therapy, under the direction of FMSC Professor Dr. Norman Epstein.

The course will focus on understanding and applying concepts and methods of major couple and family therapy theoretical approaches in a culturally sensitive way to address concerns of families in China as well as the United States. Students will be involved in extensive classroom interaction with faculty and students in the Institute for Developmental Psychology at Beijing Normal University, analyzing how couple and family therapy models that originally were developed in Western cultures can be adapted and applied in China. The course also will provide students with cultural immersion experiences involving Chinese customs, culture, and daily life outside of the traditional classroom.

(Date Added: June 04, 2009)

Dr. Colleen Farmer has been chosen Assistant Dean for Undergraduate Education of the School of Public Health, effective July 1, 2009. Dr. Farmer will also oversee the operations of our School's Student Service Center and our undergraduate programs at Shady Grove. Dr. Farmer comes to the position with exceptional credentials having served as the Assistant Chair and Director of Undergraduate Programs for the Department of Kinesiology. She also served as the School's Equity and Diversity officer from 1988 through 2003 and was the founding Director of the School's Wellness Research Laboratory. Her service to the University has been stellar. She served this year on the University's Banneker Key Selection Committee; in 2008 on the University Honors Committee; and from 2003 - 2007 she served on the President's Commission on Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Issues - a Commission she Chaired from 2004-2007.

In 2009 Dr. Farmer was the recipient of the President's Distinguished Service Award and was named the Outstanding Gemstone Mentor in 2003.

It is with a good deal of pride that we welcome Dr. Colleen Farmer to her new position.

(Date Added: June 02, 2009)

Kate Riera, FMSC doctoral student, received the Scholars Foundation Scholarship from Datatel, Inc. This award, totaling $1,600, recognizes her academic excellence and contributions to the Family Science Department. Kate's current research interests include adolescent reproductive health, pregnancy, and childbearing. She is working under the mentorship of Dr. Sandra Hofferth, FMSC Professor and Director of the Maryland Population Research Center, as she begins her dissertation research. Congratulations to Kate on her award!

(Date Added: June 01, 2009)

Rima Rudd, on the advisory board for the Center of Health Literacy is being recognized as a leader in health literacy by the Partnership for Clear Health Communication at the National Patient Safety Foundation. She was one of the recipients of the prestigious Pfizer Health Literacy in Advancing Patient Safety Award. Honored for their innovative and influential efforts in the Health Literacy field.

Dr. Rudd's work has clearly demonstrated that literacy is a major factor contributing to disparities in health status, access to care, and quality of care for many members of our society, and stresses the critical need for public health and medical professionals to respond to this important issue. "She is a true pioneer and leader in the burgeoning field of health literacy," said Ms. Pinakiewicz.

This award, established in 2008 and made possible through a generous grant from Pfizer, Inc., was established to recognize the critical importance of health literacy to advancing patient safety and quality of care, and to acknowledge those on the forefront of this essential work.

Read the full article.

(Date Added: May 29, 2009)

Dr. Jae Kun Shim has just been informed by the American Society of Biomechanics (ASB) that he has been selected as the ASB Young Scientist Award winner for 2009. It is one of the most prestigious award for biomechanists who are in their early scientific career. He will have an one-hour invited presentation at this year's ASB conference. More information about the award can be found at http://www.asbweb.org/html/awards/Young_scientist_post.html

Congratulations to Dr. Shim. Well done!

ASB's mission is to encourage and foster the exchange of information and ideas among biomechanists working in different disciplines and fields of application, biological sciences, exercise and sports science, health sciences, ergonomics and human factors, and engineering and applied science, and to facilitate the development of biomechanics as a basic and applied science.

(Date Added: May 29, 2009)

Dr Pamela Clark has been notified of an award from NIH NCI for the project titled, "Standardization of Methods to Measure Waterpipe Smoke Emissions and Exposure." This is a 4-year project (06/01/2009 - 04/30/2013). Total budget over 4 years is $2,703,735.

(Date Added: May 28, 2009)

Dr Daughters has been notified by NIH that Sylvette LaTouche's diversity grant supplement has been approved for funding! Official notice to the University will probably come in 3-4 weeks! This is is Stacey second diversity/minority supplement, the other was Tanya Geiger.

Keep up the great work Stacey!

(Date Added: May 28, 2009)

Dr Elbert Glover just returned from several invited lectures in Red Bank, New Jersey; Gran Cayman, Cayman Islands; and Panama City, Panama. Dr Glover delivered a medical lecture in New Jersey on varenicline a partial agonist for helping smokers quit. He also presented a medical series lecture in the Cayman Islands on the latest pharmacological adjuncts to assist smokers with cessation; moreover, he was the featured speaker for Doctor's Day in Panama City, Panama. Again, the lecture was to physicians and presented the latest pharmacological options for assisting smokers with cessation.

(Date Added: May 25, 2009)

The Symposium on Families, hosted by the campus chapter of the Maryland Council on Family Relations (MCFR), showcased undergraduate student research conducted in FMSC 302, Research Methods in Family Science this April, 2009. Poster presentations displaying students' research results included a variety of topics such as family support systems, peer relationships, and race relations. T'Naija Dickens, Meagan Hobgood, Wen Ji, and Kelly Ringer received first place for their poster, "Grandparents Involvement and the Perception of Elderly." Victoria Hightower, Olga Matthews, Dylan Podson, Kimberly Russell, Sara Tavakoli, and Victoria Wedge were awarded second place for their poster, "Affluence: How Socioeconomic Status Affects Post Graduation Plans." Third place posters were given to two research groups. Jamellah Reid, Lauren Hoatson, Rachel Nomberg, Katie Reidy, and Melissa Carry earned third place for their poster, "Effects of Family Structure on Adolescents' External Behavior," as did Claudia Camargo, Therese Hackford, Sylvia Mervis, Shawna Murray, and Samanatha Posner for their poster, "The Effects of Alcohol and Marijuana Use on Academic Achievement." Congratulations to the winners and all of the students who participated in this event to display their understanding of research methods.

(Date Added: May 21, 2009)

Dr. Bonnie Braun was selected as Distinguished Lecturer to provide the Annie E. Casey Strengthening 4-H Families Keynote Address at the 2009 Child, Youth & Families at Risk (CYFAR) Conference in Baltimore, Maryland, on Wednesday, May 20, 2009. Her presentation, "Stories from the By-ways of Life: Tales of Hopes, Dreams and Things In-between," combined both quantitative and qualitative findings from a 17-state, longitudinal research study. Utilizing the oral storytelling tradition, Dr. Braun shared tales of challenges that mothers face in raising children, making ends meet, food security, health, employment and civic engagement within the communities they live. The goal of this lecture was to share research and practical examples along with the implications for youth, families and communities. Throughout her career, Dr. Braun has focused on reducing barriers among individuals, families and communities.

(Date Added: May 21, 2009)

Shawna Murray, FMSC graduating Senior, is the 2009 recipient of the John B. Slaughter Outstanding Senior Award from Nyumburu Cultural Center. The award is presented to a senior of the African Diaspora who has been active on the campus, has been an advocate for the needs of students, and has an outstanding academic career.

The Outstanding Senior Award is named after Dr. John B. Slaughter who served as Chancellor (President) of the University of Maryland from 1982 to 1988.

Congratulations, Shawna, on this well-deserved award!

(Date Added: May 21, 2009)

Dr Stacey Daughters' research is currently featured in NIDA Notes (Vol 22, number 2) published by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Service, NIH. The publication notes that men with co-occurring substance abuse and antisocial personality disorder (ASPD) may particularly benefit from judicially mandated addiction treatment. The article further notes that her research has 2 important implications for substance abuse users with ASPD: 1) Judicial mandates offer a way to keep them in addiction treatment programs, and 2) voluntary participants may require special interventions to keep them actively engaged in therapy. More can be found at the link below or Journal of Substance Abuse Treatment, 34(2):157-164, 2008.

http://www.drugabuse.gov/NIDA_notes/NNvol22N3/RIB.html

(Date Added: May 21, 2009)

Dr. Muhiuddin Haider, Ph.D. Associate Professor of Global Health at the School of Public Health, will be teaching a workshop for The Institute for Research in Health and Nutrition of the University of San Francisco de Quito through the Fullbright Scholars Program. The workshop objective is to improve prevention and health promotion strategies through education and communication.

In english translation: Workshop Information.

In original Spanish: Workshop Information

(Date Added: May 21, 2009)

On Thursday, May 21, Dr. Lee of the Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, will present findings from the needs assessment conducted in Montgomery County, Maryland, to identify the health needs of the county's Asian American communities at the plenary session of the 2009 Asian American Health Conference.

The Asian American Health Conference 2009 will provide an opportunity for local and national experts to share their knowledge and experiences in order to help guide Asian Americans and key stakeholders to become advocates of change. Learn how you can make health needs a priority at a community, state and national level.

For more information go to http://www.aahiinfo.org/conference09/ or click on the link below.

(Date Added: May 20, 2009)

Eighty five Department of Family Science undergraduate students will walk across the stage in Cole Field House on Thursday morning, May 22, at 9 a.m. as they are awarded Bachelor of Science degrees from the School of Public Health. The graduating Class of 2009 is distinguished by its scholarship--including the completion of an empirical research project and an intensive, semester-long professional internship; community service; and student leadership.

Several graduates have also received acceptance to a variety of graduate schools, including: Laural Bragg (Towson University, Occupational Therapy), Sarah Breen (Washington University in St. Louis, Social Work), Christie Chorbajian (University of Massachusetts, Marriage and Family Therapy), Matthew Fox (Virginia Tech, Marriage and Family Therapy), Carolyn Mayes (Virginia Commonwealth University, Social Work), Shawna Murray (UMB, Social Work), Heather Penchinar (New York University, Occupational Therapy), Nina Phillips (NYC Teaching Fellows, Special Education), Lauren Polovoy (UMD, Speech-Language Pathology), Samantha Posner (University of Baltimore, Law), Kelly Richardson (UMB, Social Work), Alexandra Staropoli (UMB, Law).

Congratulations to all of the graduates and best of luck in the future!

(Date Added: May 19, 2009)

Dr. Mia Smith Bynum, Associate Professor of Psychological Sciences at Purdue University, has accepted a faculty position in the Department of Family Science at UMCP. Dr. Smith Bynum is an expert in family communication, especially parent-adolescent communication about difficult topics (e.g., racism, teen sexual decision making). She has done groundbreaking research on observational coding of parent-adolescent communication. She is also an authority on relations between parenting and racial identity development and adolescent mental health, as well as the factors that contribute to the mental health of ethnic minorities generally. Her research has been funded by the National Institute of Mental Health and the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development. This Spring, Dr. Smith Bynum was awarded an R21 Exploratory/Developmental Research Award through National Institute of Mental Health for her research entitled "Discrimination, Parenting, and Resilience in Black Youth."

(Date Added: May 18, 2009)

Bonni Hodges, a professor of health at SUNY Cortland, will receive a Chancellor's Award for Excellence in Faculty Service during the 2009 Undergraduate Commencement on Saturday, May 16, in the Park Center. She is among five SUNY Cortland faculty and staff members to be honored this year with this prestigious recognition.

Dr. Hodges earned a Bachelor of Science in Physical Education/Athletic Training from Ithaca College, a Master of Science in Exercise Science from Northeastern University and a doctorate in health education, with concentrations in research and evaluation/adolescent health, from University of Maryland at College Park.

(Date Added: May 16, 2009)

Jamie Lok's project, A Qualitative Study to Initiate Future Smokeless Tobacco Dependence Instrument Development won the meritorious award for outstanding MPH project for Spring 2009. Her committee chair was Dr Elbert D Glover and the committee members were Drs Pamela Clark and Jessica Rath.

Congratulations to Jamie and the committee.

(Date Added: May 13, 2009)

Graduate student instructors Laura Evans, Kate Speirs, Colleen Vesely, and Kate Riera have been named as 2008-09 Distinguished Teaching Assistants by the Center for Teaching Excellence (CTE). This prestigious award is given only to the top 10% of graduate student instructors, recognizing their excellent teaching and strong commitment to working with students in a professional and creative way.

Laura and Kate Riera have been instructors of our undergraduate course, Children in Families; Kate Speirs has taught Research Methods in Family Science; and Colleen has been the instructor for the Poverty, Affluence, and Families course. All four Ph.D. students, who have been participants in FMSC's Preparing Future Faculty and Family Professionals program, were honored by the CTE, the Office of Undergraduate Studies, and the Graduate School at the annual Distinguished Teaching Assistant Ceremony on Wednesday, May 13th at the Samuel Riggs IV Alumni Center.

(Date Added: May 13, 2009)

Kate Riera, a third year Family Science doctoral student, received second place in the Health I Category at the 2009 Graduate Research Interaction Day (GRID). The campus-wide conference held on April 13, 2009, highlights graduate student research across UMCP.

Kate's poster, "Young Maternal Age and Infant Mortality," presented research on the relationship between young maternal age and risk of infant mortality using the Linked Birth/Infant Death dataset from the National Center for Health Statistics. She is completing her research under the mentorship of Dr. Sandy Hofferth, FMSC Professor and Director of the Maryland Population Research Center.

Doctoral candidates Ndidi Amutah, Amanda Berger, Laura Evans, Elise Resnick, and Xiaofang Wang also presented their research at the 2009 conference.

(Date Added: May 13, 2009)

Sarah Breen, a FMSC undergraduate who is graduating this May, has been elected to The Phi Beta Kappa honor society this spring. Phi Beta Kappa recognizes students' outstanding scholastic achievement in studies of the liberal arts and sciences and is the oldest and most widely respected academic honorary society in the United States. Seniors who qualify for membership in Phi Beta Kappa must have an overall grade point average of at least 3.6 and are assessed on the quality, depth, and breadth of their record in liberal courses. Membership is granted to students who fulfill the Society's requirements for 90 credit hours in challenging liberal arts and sciences courses.

Sarah has accepted a scholarship to attend Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri, this fall where she will pursue a Masters of Social Work degree.

Congratulations to Sarah!

(Date Added: May 12, 2009)

Katherine Speirs, a third year Family Science doctoral student, was chosen to receive a 2009-2010 Jewell L. Taylor National Graduate Fellowship from the American Association of Family and Consumer Sciences (AAFCS). This $5,000 award recognizes her outstanding academic achievements and potential contributions to the family and consumer sciences profession.

Katherine's current research interests include motherhood and child care. She is using ethnographic data from Welfare, Children, and Families: A Three-City Study, to investigate low-income mothers' decisions about child care and the transitions they must endure to receive adequate child care.

This summer, Katherine is working with Dr. Stephanie Grutzmacher on the Food Stamp Nutrition Education program to explore the health behaviors and attitudes of food stamp eligible adults, the appropriateness and readability of curricular and evaluation materials, and the barriers to nutrition education and behavior change.

Congratulations to Katherine on her award!

(Date Added: May 12, 2009)

The cultural competency website makes available links to free cultural competency curricula, information on language services, self-awareness exercises, key reports on health disparities, interactive websites to retrieve data and related courses.

A wide range of approaches are used to teach cultural competency to medical and health professional students in the state of Maryland, ranging from self directed learning, reflective exercises, didactic lectures, case discussions in small groups, and standardized patient cases to medical Spanish courses and community practice experiences.

Development of this website was funded by the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute under the direction of Olivia Carter-Pokras, Ph.D (Associate Professor, Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics) and with the assistance of Mr. Christopher Daniel, Mr. Stefan Livingstone, Mr. Alexander Fischer, Mr. Charles Olaleye and Mr. Cong Ye.

(Date Added: May 12, 2009)

Dr. Haider, professor of Global Health at the School of Public Health, represented Voice of America (VOA) Bangla to speak at an Avian Influenza workshop in Dhaka-Gaizipur, Bangladesh. His talk was "Human and Avian Pandemic Influenza: Preparing Asia and the World "

The timing of this workshop was critical, given the H1N1 outbreak. The workshop provided real-world experiences for the writers, presenters and videographers present from newspapers, television stations and Internet news houses. Also the role of farmers in preventing the spread of Avian Influenza was discussed.

(Date Added: May 12, 2009)

Doctoral candidate, Jaebum Park, (advisor: Dr. Jae Shim) has been awarded an Ann G. Wylie Dissertation Fellowship for the fall semester. The Wylie Fellowships were created by the UM Graduate School to help doctoral students in the final states of their dissertation. The fellowship comes with a $10,000 stipend, health insurance, and tuition remission for one semester. Following completion of his dissertation, Jaebum will take a postdoctoral position at Penn State University. Congratulations, Jaebum!

(Date Added: May 09, 2009)

Congratulations to Kinesiology doctoral students, Michelle Costanza and LiChuan Lo, who both were awarded Graduate Student Summer Research Fellowships. Michelle is PhD student in the NACS program and LiChuan is a PhD student in the Kinesiology program. Both are advised by Dr. Bradley Hatfield.

Well done!

(Date Added: May 09, 2009)

The newly released University of Maryland Phi Beta Kappa list notes several Public and Community Health majors. The list consists of graduating seniors and high-performing juniors.

Our Junior elected was Rachel Anne Blair. Seniors elected were Stephanie Nicole Fiore, Elisa Meredith Fisher, Danielle Marie Goldberg and Chandni Dipak Shah.

Congratulations to these exceptional students...we're proud to have them as majors.

(Date Added: May 06, 2009)

The initial meeting and orientation of the University of Maryland Prevention Research Center (UMD-PRC) took place yesterday.

First the group discussed the specifics of the award and introduced the administrative workgroup and it's structure. They then worked on the mission, goals, and objectives of the group. Finally they set steps and plans over the next several months.

For more information, email Brad Boekeloo at boekeloo@UMD.EDU

The Maryland Prevention Research Center is funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and aims to develop ways of improving the health of communities neighboring the University Of Maryland School Of Public Health in College Park.

(Date Added: May 06, 2009)

Allison O'Neill, a first year doctoral student in the Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, received an Interdisciplinary Traineeship with the Maryland Population Research Center.

Through the traineeship Allison will receive some funding from the MPRC, take courses on demography and economics, and work with her adviser, Dr. Sunmin Lee, and other MPRC faculty associates on research projects.

(Date Added: May 05, 2009)

Nikita Boston, the newly elected incoming President of our Epsilon Chapter of Eta Sigma Gamma won the Kirwan award. It's a university wide award so it's a major honor for her and a comment on the type of student Public and Community Health is attracting.

The award is presented to a member of the junior class who during his/her collegiate career has exhibited outstanding leadership and commitment to the college community. Nominees are judged on the following criteria: involvement in student organizations and activities, service to the campus community, involvement in service to the broader community including community service and service learning, promotion of campus diversity or ethnic/race and nternational relations, outstanding academic performance and leadership qualities including mentoring young students. The Kirwan Award is named in honor of William E. Kirwan who served as president of the University of Maryland from 1988 to 1998. Dr. Kirwan currently serves as Chancellor of the University System of Maryland.

This is a great honor for Nikita Boston.

(Date Added: May 04, 2009)

Talia Lewis, the Individual Studies major (Health, Culture, and Inequality Studies) was chosen a 2009-210 Philip Merrill Presidential Scholar; moreover, Talia named Sharon Desmond, her IVSP Faculty Mentor, as the faculty member who has made the most impact on her academic achievement.

(Date Added: May 01, 2009)

Family Science Associate Professor Manouchehr Mokhtari is the lead author for an article, "Effects of Consumer Goods Shortages on Fertility in Post-Soviet Economy," in the June 2009 issue of the Journal of Family and Economic Issues. Using a survey of families from the Former Soviet Union, Dr. Mokhtari examines the effects on fertility of eliminating consumer-market shortage. Dr. Mokhtari's research concludes that consumer goods shortage and fertility were positively related. Therefore, elimination of consumer goods shortage would be expected to lower aggregate number of children in the transition (post-Soviet) economies.

Dr. Mokhtari currently teaches FMSC 341, Personal and Family Finance, and FMSC290, Family Economics. His research efforts include microeconometric analysis of household behaviors, fiscal reform, and strategic behavior in the health care system.

(Date Added: May 01, 2009)

Lyndsey Wilson, Kinesiological Science major ('10) has been selected as a University of Maryland's 2009-2010 Philip Merrill Presidential Scholars. The Merrill Scholar program honors the University of Maryland's most successful seniors and their designated University faculty and K-12 teachers for their mentorship.

Lyndsey named Dr. Elizabeth Brown, a faculty member in Kinesiology as her university "mentor." Congratulations to Lyndsey for this great honor and to Dr. Brown as her special mentor. Kinesiology is proud to have you both in the department.

(Date Added: April 30, 2009)

On May 24, Stefan Livingstone, an MPH student in epidemiology, will present work he has been doing for his MPH internship at the Christian Connections for International Health's 23rd Annual Conference, May 23-25, 2009.

Click on the link below for more information on the conference:

(Date Added: April 29, 2009)

The Department of Family Science is seeking Undergraduate students interested in research to become a part of the Couples Abuse Prevention Program (CAPP). CAPP is being conducted with couples who seek therapeutic assistance through the University of Maryland's Center for Healthy Families. The study evaluates the effectiveness of two treatments for couples who have experienced problems with anger control and have the possibility for violence in their relationship. The Department is recruiting motivated and dependable Family Science undergraduate students who are interested in working for two semesters with Drs. Werlinich, Epstein, and LaTaillade. Interviews for the research positions will be held on Wednesday, May 6th at 3:00pm. If you have any questions, please contact Katie Hrapczynski at katieh@umd.edu.

(Date Added: April 28, 2009)

The Department of Public and Community Health was well represented at the Joint Meeting of the Society for Research on Nicotine and Tobacco-USA and the Society for Research on Nicotine and Tobacco-Europe recently held in Dublin, Ireland with 5 persons attending. Moreover, 5 posters and a major workshop involved 5 faculty (Dr Elbert Glover, Dr Pamela Clark, Dr Jessica Rath, Dr Donna Howard, and Summa Babu and 1 doctoral student, Eva Sharma.

The posters presented were:
1) Transdisciplinarity Among Tobacco Harm Reduction Researchers: A Network Analytic Approach;
2) Electroencephalographic (EEG) Response to Variation in Smokeless Tobacco pH;
3) Assessment of Nicotine Dependence and Its Demographic Correlates Among African American Smokers;
4) Differences in Mouth-Level Nicotine Delivery with Variation in Cigarette Smoke pH;
5) Smokers and PREP's Measurement of Inhaled and Exhaled Tobacco Smoke Particulate. Of note is that Eva Sharma a graduate student was lead author on one of the posters #3.

(Date Added: April 27, 2009)

Kinesiology was part of the School of Public Health's activities on the mall at Maryland Day.

Our undergraduate students provided activities for children, physical fitness assessments, and information on our undergraduate and graduate programs. It was a great day to celebrate the University of Maryland. Go TERPS.

(Date Added: April 27, 2009)

The M Club and Terrapin Club hosted the 2009 University of Maryland President's Cup Awards Brunch on Sunday, April 26. This awards ceremony recognizes the outstanding academic achievement and community service of Maryland student-athletes. The Department of Kinesiology is proud of its majors who were honored at the brunch.

These honorees include Stephanie Ragheb, ICA Community Service Award.
Academic Achievement Awards went to: Lori Bjork, James Knox, Margaret MacKeever, Kelsey Nelligen, and Christen Vagts.
The President's Cup Women's Team Award went to the tennis team with two Kinesiology majors: Margaret MacKeever and Oksana Krutiyenko.
The Men's President's Cup Team Award went to the cross country team with three Kinesiology majors: Michael Cator, Greg Kelsey, and Ben Diestel.
The CHAMPS/Lifeskills Cup went to the women's gymnastics team and the men's swimming team.
Four members of the women's gymnastics team are Kinesiology majors: Michele Brenner, Brandi George, Kelsey Nelligan, and Lisa Reifschneider.
The men's swim team Kinesiology member is Eric Cullen.

CONGRATULATIONS to all these academically excellent student-athlete from the Department of Kinesiology

(Date Added: April 27, 2009)

Dr. Glover participated in a National Institutes on Drug Abuse (NIDA) workshop titled, NIDA Medications Development Workshop: Smoking Cessation and Beyond in Dublin, Ireland. The workshop was a NIDA Satellite to the 2009 joint conference of the Society of Nicotine and Tobacco Research, USA and Society of Nicotine and Tobacco Research, Europe. Participants in the 3-hour workshop were Dr Glover who presented, Evaluation of Selegiline Transdermal System for Smoking Cessation: Preliminary Results of NIDA's 246-Subject, Multi-Site Trial. The second presenter was Dr. Celia Jaffe Winchell from the Food and Drug Administration who presented, Medications to Treat Tobacco Dependence: An FDA Perspective. The final presenter was David J. McCann of the National Institute on Drug Abuse who presented, dedications Development for Polydrug Addiction Treatment: A NIDA Perspective. After the presentations the final hour was fielding questions from the audience.

(Date Added: April 27, 2009)

On Tuesday, April 28, Dr. Lee will present a seminar for the Biostatistics Branch of the Division of Cancer Epidemiology & Genetics of NIH/NCI titled "Threshold Regression and Analytical Time for Survival Analysis With Applications in Epidemiology and Clinical Trials".

For more information, go to this link or click the link below: http://dceg.cancer.gov/bb/about/events

(Date Added: April 27, 2009)

Dr. Glover was invited to train physicians in a series of workshops throughout Puerto Rico on treating nicotine dependence; moreover, Dr. Glover discussed his latest research findings on an NIDA funded trial of selegiline a MAO B inhibitor in a transdermal format as an aid to smoking cessation.

(Date Added: April 25, 2009)

Dr. James Hagberg is this year's Montoye-Nagle Lecturer at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Dr. Hagberg's talk is titled, "Exercise and Cardiovascular Disease Risk Factors at the Cellular, Genetic, and Clinical Levels. The lecture is Thursday, April 30.

(Date Added: April 24, 2009)

The 2nd annual PCS Graduate Student Conference will be held on Friday, April 24 from 8-4:30 in the SPH building. The theme of this year's conference will be "The Body, Health & Society", and will feature fifteen research paper presentations. The conference keynote will be given by the distinguished PCS alum, Dr. Andrew D. Grainger (Liverpool Hope University), whose presentation is titled "Colonial Discourse and the Geopolitics of the Sporting Body."

(Date Added: April 23, 2009)

Madieu Williams, Family Science alumnus, is the 2009 recipient of the University of Maryland's Outstanding Alumnus Award in the School of Public Health.

A former safety with the Cincinnati Bengals who signed with the Minnesota Vikings in 2008, Madieu has continued his interest in children and families through his work with underprivileged children, youth, and their families involving minority health issues. After Madieu's mother passed away from a stroke following his 2004 rookie season, he created the Madieu Williams Foundation; which promotes health, wellness, nutrition, fitness and education activities. The foundation has partnered with community organizations in Cincinnati and Minneapolis to build playgrounds, renovate athletic facilities, and conduct diabetes screening programs, promote healthy self-esteem, and provide incentive programs to reward children making positive decisions at home, in school, and the community.

This spring, Madieu will travel to his place of birth, Sierra Leone, West Africa, where a school built in his honor is being dedicated to his late mother, Abigail Butscher. Madieu's future foundation plans include adding a Life Skills Program in North Minneapolis, supporting 20 eighth grade students and continuing with them on their journey through high school.

Madieu earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Family Studies from the University of Maryland in 2003 and is currently working on obtaining his MBA.

(Date Added: April 22, 2009)

Jocelyn Smith, a first year Family Science doctoral student, is the recipient of a two-year Junior Researcher Fellowship with the William T. Grant Scholars Program. The Scholars Program emphasizes building mentoring skills between faculty and junior colleagues. As a Junior Researcher, Jocelyn will be guided by the professional mentorship of Associate Professor, Dr. Kevin Roy. During this two-year period, Jocelyn and Dr. Roy will research the intergenerational influence of African American fathering relationships on youth's academic, occupational, and relational trajectories. During this research process, Jocelyn will build her research and networking skills, develop her qualitative fieldwork and data analysis skills, and gain exposure to working with national data sets. The Department of Family Science congratulates Jocelyn and Dr. Roy on this award.

(Date Added: April 21, 2009)

Second year Maternal and Child Health doctoral student Regina Davis has been elected to the Delta Omega Honorary Society in Public Health, which recognizes individuals in the field of public health who are dedicated to the protection and advancement of the health of all people.

Election into this prestigious Honorary Society recognizes academic merit along with excellence in, and devotion to, public health practice. The organization was founded in 1924 at the Johns Hopkins University, School of Public Health.

In addition to working towards her doctorate degree, Regina is employed full-time with the American Public Health Association, where she manages a $5.9 million dollar capacity building project. Her research interests include women's reproductive health and adolescent sexual responsibility. Congratulations to Regina!

(Date Added: April 21, 2009)

The Maryland Council on Family Relations (MCFR) is sponsoring a Food and Necessities Drive from March 30 to April 30, 2009. Proceeds will be donated to The Women's Collective, a non-profit organization that works with women in the District of Columbia who are infected with and/or affected by HIV. The Women's Collective seeks to provide woman- and girl-focused, family-centered, and culturally appropriate peer-led services. Acceptable donated goods include spaghetti, rice, flour, sugar, canned goods, aspirin, Band-Aids, gently used women's clothing and toiletries, books, games, dishes, pots/pans, and linens.

Boxes for depositing donated goods are located in the Department of Family Science main office located at 1204 Marie Mount Hall. If you have any questions about the Drive, contact Ndidi Amutah at namutah@umd.edu.

(Date Added: April 21, 2009)

Dr. Daughters, an assistant professor of Public and Community Health, received a grant from NIAAA for her project "Behavioral Measurement of Negative Reinforcement in Adolescent Alcohol Use/Abuse."

(Date Added: April 19, 2009)

Jaime Flores, a Kinesiological Sciences ('93) graduate, a Terp football player, and now a physician at Johns Hopkins University, was honored by the University of Maryland Alumni Association with the 2009 Humanitarian Award for providing extraordinary service for the benefit of others.

Dr. Flores is plastic and reconstructive surgeon who began the organization, Healing Hands Foundation, to help others around the world. Every February, this dedicated physician travels to Ecuador to operate on low-income patients with cleft lips and palates, and those with burns and scars. Kinesiology is proud to have Dr. Flores as one of its graduates.

He is truly a TERP who makes a difference!

(Date Added: April 19, 2009)

The Department of Kinesiology has tenure-track assistant professor positions available in a) occupational biomechanics; and b) translational kinesiology with an emphasis on physical activity intervention. For more information, please check our website.....

(Date Added: April 18, 2009)

"Schools of Public Health and the broader public health community can play a key role in addressing the lack of dental care for underserved populations," Dr. Kleinman said. "As a society, we haven't been addressing this issue, and disparities in oral and dental health have become a silent epidemic."

Read the full article.

Dr. Kleinman is a dentist and a board certified specialist in dental public health. Her research has included epidemiologic studies of dental, oral and craniofacial diseases, oral cancer and HIV-related conditions. Dr. Kleinman has a particular interest in enhancing the understanding and elimination of health disparities, with a focus on the role of factors that transcend health conditions such as health determinants, health promotion interventions and health literacy.

(Date Added: April 17, 2009)

The Maryland Community Newspaper, the Gazette, published a full article on the renovation of the School of Public Health building.

From the article, "We're very excited. This will mean a great deal. We have a lot of excitement on the part of the faculty," Gold said. "They're beginning to see and feel the value of all of us being together."

Jane E. Clark, university professor and chairwoman of the Department of Kinesiology, said the arrival of the family science department will assist her in her research on children and motor skills.

----

Read the full article.

(Date Added: April 17, 2009)

Nathan Jenkins, doctoral student in exercise physiology (Advisor: Hagberg), has won a Pollock Student Scholarship award from the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM). This award honors Dr. Michael Pollock by providing funding to graduate students to attend the annual ACSM convention. This year's convention will be held in Seattle. Congratulations Nathan.

(Date Added: April 17, 2009)

Joy Bauer, doctoral student in Physical Culture Studies, was awarded a grant to attend the 2009 Lilly-East Conference on College and University Teaching held at the University of Delaware April 16-17.

Joy joins her advisor, Dr. Jaime Schultz (a 2008-09 Lilly Fellow) and Dr. Marvin Scott (2007-98 Lilly Fellow) at this year's conference, on "Millennial Learning: Teaching in the 21st Century." Congratulations Joy!

(Date Added: April 14, 2009)

Sylvette LaTouche-Howard was awarded first place in the Health section at Graduate Research Interaction Day. The title of the presentation was:

"A GLIMPSE INTO THEIR WORLD: THE ACCEPTABILITY AND FEASIBILITY OF AN ADOLESCENT DISTRESS TOLERANCE INTERVENTION" (Mentor, Dr Stacey Daughters).

Our Department of Public Health has held the first place award for 3 years in a row.

Sylvette in 2007

Mariano in 2008

Sylvette in 2009

We have some quality graduate students! Moreover, they are receiving quality mentoring as well.

(Date Added: April 14, 2009)

Gymkana has partnered with a local community to promote a healthy lifestyle to the students of Paint Branch Elementary School, as described in a Gazette article.

"As part of the mission of the university, we have set up a partnership with Paint Branch Elementary School," said Gloria Aparicio Blackwell, UM spokesperson for the community relations division of administrative affairs. "We've kind of adopted them."

The College Park school was chosen, in part, for its proximity, as it is about five minutes away from UM, Aparicio Blackwell said.

Gymkana also gave out five scholarships to their popular summer camp to Paint Branch Students.

Read the full article.

(Date Added: April 14, 2009)

Yuanfen Zhang (PhD candidate in NACS) was awarded a William Hodos Dissertation Fellowship for the fall. Ms. Zhang was also honored at the Dean's Scholar Dinner last month as Kinesiology's top graduate student (Graduate Dean's Scholar). Ms. Zhang is advised by Dr. John Jeka and works in the Cognitive Motor Neuroscience Laboratory.

(Date Added: April 10, 2009)

J. Cory Williams (Kinesiological Sciences '09) was named the School of Public Health's Fraley Award winner at the Dean's Scholar Dinner March 26. In addition to honoring Cory, the dinner honored other Kinesiological Sciences and Physical Education majors. To see pictures of the event...

(Date Added: April 10, 2009)

On April 9, 2009, the Epidemiology and Biostatistics graduate students show cased the current research interests that they are investigating and studying in recognition of National Public Health Week. Presentations included:

* Lisa Bethune, "Lost opportunities for tobacco cessation: diabetics in the Maryland Adult Tobacco Survey"

* Wendy Bibeau, "Examining the role of physical activity, cardiovascular fitness, and neighborhood stress on BMI and waist circumference"

* Hoda Tarek Hammad, "Using mixture models to identify misspecified gestational ages"

* Lindsey Jones, "Using social networking sites to follow adolescent study participants"

* Lynn Scully and Allison O'Niell, "Immigrant health in the United States"

* Jia Wang, "Longitudinal study on antimicrobial susceptibility analysis from conventional poultry farms transitioning to organic farming practices"

* Sonja Williams, "WAH in action: helping others breathe better!"

See More Pictures!

(Date Added: April 10, 2009)

Dr. Donna Howard went to India from September 2008 - mid January 2009. Here's her description of her experiences:

I went to India as a Fulbright fellow and visiting professor within the Department of Community Medicine (DCM) at Manipal University, Karnataka, India. I delivered lectures, in English, to students enrolled in Kasturba Medical College International Center, contributed during class discussions in a joint Indo-Malaysian medical program, participated in seminars and mentored students. Outside of my college, I mentored students across campus and delivered papers at conferences, including one on Health Literacy (which was jointly published with another PCH faculty and a doctoral student). While I did not formally conduct research, I collaborated with two faculty members within DCM on the development of a proposal to explore dating attitudes and behaviors among college students. We hope to seek future funding for this research.

As part of my responsibilities, I regularly went on field trips to schools, clinics and rural villages, including the Community Diagnosis Village Meeting in Malpe, during which I spoke on issues related to community-based public health. While in Manipal, I was fortunate to be invited to numerous social and cultural gatherings, both within and outside the University, including: celebrations at temples in the greater Udupi district; an Indian wedding in Karkala; Christmas in Mysore. Some of my most fulfilling experiences were in the company of local friends/acquaintances I made while in India. I was invited to people's homes and also traveled with them to visit their family in other regions of the country. These experiences enabled me to more fully immerse in the local Indian culture, experiencing family life, cooking and sight seeing from a vantage point far removed from the typical tourist. Now that I have completed my tour as a Fulbright Fellow, I feel more strongly than ever that it is my civic and moral responsibility to be an ambassador of goodwill for my country; to strive to be the best I can be, to uphold the principles for which my country was founded. I feel a renewed commitment to work for tolerance, peace and social justice. The Fulbright program has catalyzed this spark and India has burnished the inward light that will continue to inspire me.

Currently, I am working on a Winter Session 2010 study abroad course proposal to be hosted by Manipal University. The working course title is: East Meets West: Contrasting Public Health Priorities, Pragmatics and Polemics in the U.S. and India. This course will expose UMCP students to the policy and programmatic frameworks used to deliver public health services across these diverse populations. Through in-class instruction and discussion, and field trip experiences, students will gain a deeper appreciation of global public health and its complexities.

(Date Added: April 09, 2009)

National Public Health Week (April 6 -12) is organized by the American Public Health Association (APHA) in an effort to highlight issues that are important to improving the public's health. National campaigns to educate the public, policy-makers, and practitioners about issues that relate to this year's theme, Building the Foundation for a Healthy America, will occur during this week. The University of Maryland's School of Public Health is joining the campaign to raise awareness and is hosting a talk by Dr. John Whyte, MD, MPH on April 8th. Dr. Whyte is President of Continuing Medical Education and Chief Medical Expert at Discovery Health Channel. In this role, Dr. Whyte develops, designs, and delivers medical education programming for Discovery Health Channel, the leading health channel in over 72 million homes. Dr. Whyte creates courses, products, and services on important clinical topics that appear to both a medical and lay audience. He will speak about Building the Foundation for a Healthy America: Media Power and Responsibility, on Wednesday, April 8 from 3:45-5pm in the Maryland Room of Marie Mount Hall.

(Date Added: April 03, 2009)

Sixteen FMSC undergraduate and graduate students were honored at the 4th Annual Dean's Scholars Dinner on March 26, 2009. Awards and scholarships (of more than $12,500) recognized academic excellence, service, and leadership within the Family Science Department, School of Public Health, and larger community. FMSC departmental award recipients included: Rashida Ali-Mubarak and Ilana Pickett, Edlavitch Family Science Scholarship; Lauren Messina, Tiffani Stevenson, and Leidy Mena, Ned Gaylin Endowed Scholarship; Pia Rose, Noel Myricks Endowed Scholarship; Dawnyéa Jackson, Jeanette Spier Beavers Memorial Scholarship; and Therese Hackford, Nina Phillips, Pia Rose, and Nicole Small, Jerry P. Wrenn Scholarship. The School of Public Health also presented awards to the following FMSC students: Dean's Outstanding Graduate Scholar, Wakina Scott (pictured left); Dean's Senior Scholars, Sarah Breen, Shawna Murray, and Pia Rose; and Undergraduate Scholars, Nkemka Anyiwo, Ilana Pickett, and Samantha Ascanio. Please visit http://www.sph.umd.edu/fmsc/aboutFS/give.html to learn how you can contribute to scholarships for outstanding students in Family Science.

(Date Added: April 03, 2009)

Dr. Anderson, Chair of the Department of Family Science, has been elected President-Elect of the National Council on Family Relations (NCFR). NCFR is the oldest, multi-disciplinary non-partisan professional organization focused solely on family research, practice and education. The organization provides an educational forum for family researchers, educators, and practitioners to share in the development and dissemination of knowledge about families and family relationships. NCFR oversees the publishing of three scholarly journals and sponsors an Annual Conference where the latest research papers, methods, and practice are juried. As President-Elect, Dr. Anderson will oversee the NCFR's Board of Directors. Dr. Anderson, whose term begins November 2009, will assist in NCFR's mission to foster dialogue among family professionals and promote family well-being through public policy education. Congratulations to Dr. Anderson on this honor!

(Date Added: April 03, 2009)

Dr. Jae Kun Shim has been awarded a Department of Defense Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs (CDMRP) grant, entitled "Determining the Marker Configuration and Modeling Technique to Optimize the Biomechanical Analysis of Running-Specific Prostheses" for $200K for two years. ABSTRACT: While running has been shown to reduce disease risks and promote a generally healthy lifestyle in uninjured people, very little running-specific research is available pertaining to the amputee population. The little existing amputee running literature involves running with prostheses. More importantly the previous studies on amputee running have used erroneous methodology that have not been validated. These limitations call for systematic research on this topic and improved prosthetic designs that will allow the clinicians to provide evidence-based exercise prescriptions to amputees, enabling them to comfortably and efficiently run. This Department of Defense funded project will provide an original methods and models for better estimation of joint kinetics and energetics of amputee running. The long-term objective of this project is to understand the biomechanical and physiological consequences of amputation, to develop an optimal design of activity-independent lower-extremity prosthesis, and to help clinicians prescribing appropriate prosthesis and exercise regimes to people with lower extremity amputations.

(Date Added: April 03, 2009)

Dr. Stephen Roth served as an external examiner on a dissertation and also gave a talk, "Kinesiogenomics: The intersection of genomics and physical activity" at Universidade Catolica de Brasilia (Catholic University of Brasilia), Brazil, Mar 19 2009.

(Date Added: April 03, 2009)

Associate Prof. Jose (Pepe) L Contreras-Vidal (Kinesiology) and his colleague Prof. Amanda Woodward (Psychology)were awarded a $300,347 two-year grant from the Office of Naval Research (ONR) to investigate the plasticity and development of the mirror neuron system in infants and adults. The research combines scalp electroencephalography, and eye and hand tracking during goal-directed action observation and performance. The data collected will serve to develop a large-scale neural network model of the mirror neuron system in humans.

(Date Added: April 03, 2009)

In partnership with the Public Health Service Commissioned Officers Foundation and the Montgomery County MobileMed Clinic, the School of Public Health hosted a delegation of 20 Chinese health officials on March 25th. The visitors were senior officials of the Anhui Provincial Department of Health in the People's Republic of China who were in the United States to learn about community health center operations and the education and training of health center staff.

Dean Robert S. Gold welcomed the group to the university. He was followed by Dr. Tongtong Wu, who discussed the school's Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, and Dr. Muhiuddin Haider, who gave an overview of the school's Global Health efforts and outreach.

(Date Added: April 01, 2009)

Dr. Haider, Associate Professor for Global Health, gave an interview with Voice of America about his work to strengthen the health systems of developing nations.

"In this exclusive interview with VOA Bangla Service Dr Haider talks about his experience during his recent visit to Afghanistan where he essentially did Health Sector Assessment. He looked into Reproductive Health problems related to TB, Malaria, HIV AIDS, Avian Influenza and the other diseases. He says he as there to investigate the gaps in the work of Health sector as well as to find out about the new planning. Dr Muhiuddin Haider also talks about the role of BRAC in Afghanistan."
VOA News
03/30/2009.

(Date Added: April 01, 2009)

The University of Maryland Summer Training and Research (UM STAR) program in the UM School of Public Health and the Departments of Kinesiology and Epidemiology and Biostatistics is designed to give under-represented minority undergraduate students two summers of intensive research and career development activities to enhance their applications for and completion of PhD degrees in the areas of the biomedical and behavioral aspects of cardiovascular disease.

(Date Added: March 26, 2009)

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has awarded The University of Maryland a Prevention Research Center (UMD-PRC) grant. Dr Brad Boekeloo, Department of Public and Community Health is the PI. The grant is to develop the UMD-PRC and aims to develop ways of improving the health of communities neighboring the University Of Maryland School Of Public Health in College Park.

Congratulations to Dr Boekeloo and all those persons who contributed to the development of the grant.

(Date Added: March 25, 2009)

The Greater Washington Area Latino Mental Health Network and the Center for Healthy Families are collaborating to present the Third Conference entitled, Identities in Transition: A Multicultural Perspective of Immigration. This will take place at the University of Maryland College Park on April 18, 2009, in room 1400 Marie Mount Hall.

Trained Geriatrician Anna Maria Izquierdo, M.D., Ph.D. will provide the keynote address. Dr. Izquierdo's professional career focuses on designing systems that allow the delivery of high quality, patient-centered health care and conducting research in the field of non-pharmacological means of preventive care. Conference workshops include such topics as Community Approach to Domestic Violence among the LGBT Latino Population; Parenting of Latino Preschoolers and School Readiness: Variation by Country of Origin and English Proficiency; and Mobility, Identity & Intergenerational Processes: Parenting in Central American Families across Time and Place.

Early registration is requested as space is limited. For additional information about the conference, contact Viviana Azar (301-642-2793) or Christina Guidorizzi (301-742-2595).

(Date Added: March 24, 2009)

Ms. Jamie Lok, a graduate student at the University of Maryland School of Public Health, was recently selected for membership into the Sigma Circle of Omicron Delta Kappa (ODK). Founded in 1914, entrance into this national leadership honor society is considered to be one of the most prestigious collegiate honors that can be awarded to a student.

A second year MPH student in the department of community and public health, Ms. Lok has demonstrated a commitment to both leadership and scholarship during her years at Maryland. Among various projects, Ms. Lok has worked on research into minority health disparities among Asian Americans, and was elected in October to serve as the student representative on the Asian Pacific Islander Caucus (APIC) executive board of the American Public Health Association. She currently works as a graduate research assistant in the Center for Health Behavior Research, working closely with faculty members on nicotine addiction and clinical trials. She is also working on her MPH project examining smokeless tobacco dependence.

"I feel tremendously honored to become a member of such a distinguished group of leaders," Ms. Lok said. To be eligible for induction, students must rank in the upper thirty-five percent of their class, meet a certain GPA, and demonstrate leadership in at least one of five phases of campus life. As part of her induction, Ms. Lok will have her named engraved on the ODK fountain located on McKeldin Mall in the heart of the Maryland campus.

(Date Added: March 20, 2009)

At the annual scientific meeting of the American Academy of Health Behavior in Hilton Head (March 2009), a former UMD doctoral student in Public and Community Health, Molly Laflin, passed the presidency gavel to another former graduate of the department, Dennis Thombs. Dr Laflin was first female president of The Academy and is currently Professor at Bowling Green State University. Dr Thombs is currently an Associate Professor at the University of Florida. Both make the department proud.

Scott Leischow another former graduate of the department is the sitting president of the Society for Research on Nicotine and Tobacco.... Dr. Leischow serving a president of SRNT, Dr Molly Laflin just stepping down as President of AAHB, Dr Dennis Thombs assuming President of AAHB, and Pat Mail, just 2 years ago serving as President of the largest health organization in the world, APHA, that the department is graduating some incredible professionals!

(Date Added: March 20, 2009)

Lyn Stoesen, an MPH student in the Department of Public and Community Health has been selected as Presidential Management Fellow Finalist...there were over 4,000 applicants.

Lyn is also a Graduate Gerontology Certificate student who received her certificate in May 2008.

(Date Added: March 15, 2009)

Dr. Beck, Fell, and Yan received OUTSTANDING RESEARCH POSTER at 2009 AAHB Conference for their poster titled A comparison of drivers with high vs. low perceived risk of being caught for driving under the influence of alcohol.

Dr. Daughters is a co-author for receiving POSTERS OF DISTINCTION at 2009 AAHB Conference for the poster titled Examining the effectiveness of integrating the LETS ACT behavioral treatment for depression into an inner-city residential drug treatment center.

(Date Added: March 14, 2009)

Dr. Ned L. Gaylin, Professor Emeritus and former Director of the Couple and Family Therapy Program in the Department of Family Science, was invited by faculty from the Universidade Autonoma de Lisboa to present a two-day workshop on Family-Centered Therapy in Lisbon, Portugal. The training on March 13 and 14, 2009, will focus on all aspects of family-centered therapy, including philosophy and methods of practice. Particular attention will be given to the "similarities and differences in working with individuals versus working with families." Dr. Gaylin, renowned for his work on Family Centered Therapy, will conduct a similar workshop in Athens, Greece, for the Institute of Counseling and Psychological Studies from June 24 to 28, 2009.

(Date Added: March 10, 2009)

FMSC Seniors Shauntia White and Rashida Alimubarak are among 106 undergraduate students from across the country who will present research projects next week at the Annual Ronald E. McNair Research Conference, showcasing the research and scholarship of Ronald E. McNair Post-Baccalaureate Achievement Scholars. The McNair program pairs students from disadvantaged backgrounds with UMCP faculty to prepare them for doctoral study. Under the leadership of Dr. Norman Epstein, Shauntia will present her research, "Domestic Violence in China: Associations with Parental In-Law Acceptance, Education, and Income," on Friday, March 13, between 3pm-5pm. Rashida, who worked under the direction of Drs. Elisabeth Marring and Kevin Roy will present her research, "The Correlation between Cultural Food Preferences of WIC Recipients in Fairfax County, Virginia and the Elimination of Nutritional Risk and Food Insecurity among the Children of Undocumented Hispanic Immigrants," on Saturday, March 14, between 9:30am-12:45pm. Presentations will take place at the UMUC Marriott Inn and Conference Center from Thursday.

(Date Added: March 10, 2009)

Dr. Sunmin Lee of the Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics was recently interviewed on WYPR 88.1FM "Maryland Morning". Dr. Lee discussed her recent work on Asian American Health Needs Assessment. You can listen to the interview by visiting the Maryland Morning homepage. http://www.wypr.org/MD_MORNING.html

Congratulations Dr. Lee!

(Date Added: March 10, 2009)

Kristena Wright, Senior in the Department of Family Science (FMSC), holds a unique distinction of being crowned Miss. Hampton Roads 2009.

Kristena's involvement in pageantry, which started during her freshman year of college as a means of funding her education, led her to create The Wright to Dream Foundation. The foundation supports Kristena's belief that all high school students should have equal access to a college education. Kristena, who has been involved in dance for many years, built the foundation upon the idea that students will be more likely to seek a degree in higher education if they have the opportunity to continue fostering their appreciation for the arts in college.

This June, she will compete for the title of Miss. Virginia and hopes to continue on to compete in the Miss. America pageant. Kristena feels her FMSC coursework has given her a well rounded understanding of family functioning and cultural competency, and believes this perspective distinguishes her from other competitors.

(Date Added: March 03, 2009)

On March 6, Dr. Olivia Carter-Pokras, Associate Professor in the Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, will give the first seminar for a brand new series of workshops to help build a culturally competent healthcare system in Delaware.

Dr. Carter-Pokras and two colleagues who will present later in the series (Dr. Ana Nunez and Dr. Horace DeLisser) are members of the National Consortium for Multicultural Education for Health Professionals, which is funded by the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute. Dr. Carter-Pokras will speak on "Providing Care to Diverse Populations: A New Trend" in Wilmington Delaware.

More information about the consortium and the workshop series can be found by clicking on the link below:

(Date Added: February 23, 2009)

Dr. Brad Hatfield is giving a lecture on "Brain Processes During Expert Cognitive-Motor Performance: The impact of Mental Stress and Emotion Regulation" at the 2nd annual conference on Sustaining Performance Under Stress Symposium to be held at the University of Maryland Inn and Conference Center, Feb. 24-28.

The University of Texas Center for Strategic and Innovative Technologies (CSIT) and the University of Maryland Center for Advanced Study of Language (CASL) are putting together this joint 4-day Conference addressing the impact of stress and high workload on physiological endpoints, learning & memory, and cognitive, language, and physical performance. The Conference will include military leadership and academic presentations as well as a Workshop on language performance under stress.

(Date Added: February 21, 2009)

The first of the Public Health Issues seminars, hosted by the School of Public Health and the Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, was February 12th and the room was packed full of people ready to learn about the topic "The mouth as a mirror of health and disease.".

Jane Atkinson spoke on the connection between oral health and conditions such as heart disease, diabetes and adverse pregnancy outcomes.

To see the rest of the seminars and to register, go to the link below.

(Date Added: February 20, 2009)

Dr. Nicole D. Forry, a graduate of the Family Science doctorate program, is the lead author for an article published in the March 2009 issue of the Journal of Family and Economic Issues.

The article, "The Impact of Child Care Subsidies on Low-Income Single Parents: An Examination of Child Care Expenditures and Family Finances," explores the effectiveness of child care subsidies on parents' child care payments and the percentage of household income spent on child care. Dr. Forry's research concluded that approximately half of parents who received a subsidy reported that it positively affected their financial well-being, allowing them to afford non-child care services, save money, and pay bills or debts.

Dr. Forry is a Research Scientist at Child Trends in Washington, DC. Her research interests include welfare reform, tax policies affecting child care, and parental employment and she has methodological expertise is in program evaluation, multivariate analysis, and structural equation modeling.

(Date Added: February 20, 2009)

The Center for Healthy Families is offering an in-house training opportunity to current CFT and CFT/PhD students and supervisors concerning therapy with military families. The training will take place over the course of three days. The first seminar is Monday, Feb 23rd. Kathryn Rheem, LCMFT will present about the use of Emotionally Focused Therapy with military families. The second seminar is on Monday, March 9th, when Stephanie Chupein, LCMFT, will present her personal experience as both a Marriage and Family Therapist and a military wife. The last seminar will be held on Friday, April 3rd when presenters from the Center for Deployment Psychology will discuss the effects of deployment on service members and their families. For those who attend all three seminars, Continuing Education Credits and/or Certificates of Completion will be provided. All seminars will be held in the student lounge of Marie Mount Hall, Room 1308. Please email Dr. Carol Werlinich at cwerlin@umd.edu if you are interested in attending one or more of the seminars.

(Date Added: February 20, 2009)

The Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics is pleased to announce that Dr. Olivia Carter-Pokras, Associate Professor, and Ms. Sonja Williams, MPH second-year student, will be giving presentations at the Third National Leadership Summit on Eliminating Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Health.

Dr. Carter-Pokras will be serving as a panelist for a session on "Understanding Federal Data Systems: An Overview of the Collection, Analysis and Reporting of Race and Ethnicity Data" on Thursday, February 26, 2009 from 1:40 pm - 4:30 pm.

Ms. Sonja Williams will be giving a presentation "Washington Adventist Hospital: Helping Others Breath Better" on Friday, February 27, 2009 - from 1:00 pm - 2:20 pm. Ms. Williams will be presenting findings from a community based participatory research project led by Dr. Carter-Pokras, Adventist Health Care Inc.'s Center for Health Disparities, and Montgomery County Government's Latino Health Initiative in a session on "E12 Innovative Evaluation for Improved Outcomes. "

More information about the conference can be found by clicking on the link below:

(Date Added: February 19, 2009)

Dr. Olivia Carter-Pokras, Associate Professor, Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, will be giving a presentation "Lost Opportunities for Tobacco Cessation: Diabetics in the Maryland Adult Tobacco Survey" at the 20th National Conference on Chronic Disease Prevention and Control on Monday, February 23, 2009, from 10:30 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.

Dr. Carter-Pokras will be presenting findings from a DHMH funded tobacco program evaluation project in a session on "A04 Smoking Out Disparities in Diabetes."

More information about the conference can be found by clicking on the link below:

(Date Added: February 19, 2009)

Professor Jane Clark gives a keynote lecture at the R2K Pediatric Network conference in Long Beach, CA. Clark's paper, "Multisensory integration and the development of posture" - is part of the conference theme on "Sensory Integration & Perception: Influence on Actions and Interactions."

The conference is an annual research symposium for physical and occupational therapists, speech and language pathologists, psychologists, educators, and others working with young children.

(Date Added: February 18, 2009)

Dr. Lee, of the department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, recieved a gift to support her research examining BRCA 1 and BRCA 2 gene variants to better manage cancer management risk.

The purpose of her research, titled "Microarray Based Genomic Methods to Classify BRCA1 and BRCA2 Variants In Determining Risks of Developing Breast Cancer", is to find genomic biomarkers that can be used to predict with high specificity and sensitivity which tumors have BRCA mutations. We will look for two types of BRCA specific biomarkers, DNA copy number changes as measured by array comparative genomic hybridization (aCGH) and microRNA expression patterns as measured by microRNA arrays.

This is a collaborative work with Dr. Amanda Toland of the Ohio State University, and Dr. George A. Whitmore of McGill University.

(Date Added: February 18, 2009)

Dr. Robin Sawyer, of the department of Public and Community Health, was the campus author for the Speaking of Books series from the University Libraries Humanities Team.

Dr. Sawyer spoke about his book Sexpertise: Real Answers to Real Questions About Sex

The event was covered by the Diamondback, the campus newspaper, and also by our very own blog, The Healthy Turtle.

(Date Added: February 17, 2009)

Dr. Lee's work on health disparities in Asian American populations has recently been featured in the Association of Schools of Public Health Friday Letter. Dr. Lee is with the department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics.

"A groundbreaking study by the University of Maryland School of Public Health has shed new light on the health challenges--including diabetes, cardiovascular conditions and mental health--facing Asian-Americans in Montgomery County, MD."

Click the html link below for the full article.

(Date Added: February 11, 2009)

Congratulations to Dr. Sunmin Lee and Dr. Tongtong Wu who are recipients of a 2009 Graduate Research Board (GRB) Semester Award.

(Date Added: February 11, 2009)

Dr. Pokras' study on tobacco use disparities was featured in the Association of Schools of Public Health Friday Letter.

"Using the 2006 Maryland Youth Tobacco Survey (MYTS), Dr. Carter-Pokras found that the overall prevalence of youth tobacco use was around 15 percent, and that males, youth with more friends who use tobacco, and youth who live with an adult smoker were the most likely to use tobacco among their peers."

Click the html link below for the full article.

(Date Added: February 11, 2009)

Kinesiology student Jo Zimmerman organized a group from the School of Public Health to recognize Go Red For Women.

This promotion is brought by the American Heart Association (AHA) to bring to light that heart disease is the #1 killer of women and that women need slightly different treatment than men.

Read More Here

(Date Added: February 09, 2009)

Congratulations to Professor Joan S. Hult (Emerita) who was honored February 7 at Indiana University with the 2009 Anita Aldrich Distinguished Alumni Award for her pioneering work in women's sports. The honor was celebrated in conjunction with National Girls and Women in Sports Day. Former US Senator Birch Bay gave the keynote address at the banquet honoring Dr. Hult. The day following the banquet, Dr. Hult was recognized at the IU Hoosier women's basketball game - an event she surely enjoyed. For more information see the link.

(Date Added: February 08, 2009)

Cited for her expertise in how parents and children spend time together, Dr. Sandra Hofferth's research was featured in the New York Times article, "Till Children Do Us Part," on February 5, 2009. Dr. Hofferth's work from a 1997 research study, which was referenced to demonstrate the changing dynamics of parent-child relationships, revealed that parents and children were spending more time together (6 more hours a week with Mom and four more hours with Dad) than parents spent with their children in 1981. Couples in this study found extra hours to spend with their children by cutting back on time spent alone as a couple, visiting with friends and kin, or being involved in clubs. Dr. Hofferth is Director of the Maryland Population Research Center and Professor in the Department of Family Science. Her current research projects include examining how American children spend their time and gender, work, and family dynamics.

(Date Added: February 06, 2009)

Dr. Robin Sawyer, Associate Chair of the Department of Public and Community Health, talks about student communication of sexual terms in the Professor's Perspective. The Professor's Perspective in the Diamondback is published every other week to connect with a professor's expertise.

"In my recent research on sexual lexicons, discovering a consensus on the meaning of a universal term such as 'hooking up' proved to be impossible."

Read More!

(Date Added: February 03, 2009)

Professor David Andrews has been invited to give the 2009 Alan G. Ingham Memorial Lecture at Miami University on March 30. Dr. Andrews' lecture is entitled, "Leaner and Meaner?: The Perils of McDonalizing the Academy and Kinesiology."

(Date Added: February 01, 2009)

Kinesiology had another great chili cook-off. This year, we were pleased to have the School of Public Health 'roaming' report, Bobby McMahon, as a guest and he wrote about the cook-off on the School's blog, the Healthy Turtle - check out the link below for more details. And CONGRATULATIONS to this year's winners:

Best in Show: Melissa Pangelinan

Hottest Chili: Melissa Pangelinan

Best Veggie Chili: Anusha Venkatakrishnan

Most Interesting Chili: Jo Zimmerman

Best Bread: Maureen Kayes

Best Dessert: Mallory Marshall

(Date Added: January 24, 2009)

The National Healthy Homes Training Center and Network has created an in-service training, "Healthy Homes for Community Health Worker," which will be piloted on Tuesday, February 17, 2009, at the 4-H Center. This one-day course targets individuals who work with or advocate for families. The training will provide one-on-one and large group education on healthy homes, general advice about specific healthy home problems, and to recommend healthy homes approaches to be taken by families, landlords, and other community members. Topics to be covered include defining a healthy home, discussion of why healthy homes are important, identifying the connection between health and housing, how to identify hazards, and what can be done about them. The course is presented in partnership with the National Center for Healthy Housing, with funding provided by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Department of Housing and Urban Development, and the Environmental Protection Agency. For further information or to register for the course, please contact Lis Maring at efmaring@umd.edu or 301-405-8339.

(Date Added: January 23, 2009)

The Department of Family Science is offering three scholarships for FMSC students. Undergraduates are eligible to apply for two scholarships. The first is the Noel Myricks Scholarship in the amount of $500, which is intended for students who are among the first generation of children in their family to attend college. The second undergraduate scholarship is the Edlavitch Family Science Fund scholarship in the amount of $2500, which is awarded to outstanding undergraduate students with significant financial need. Graduate students are eligible to apply for the Ned Gaylin Endowed Scholarship Fund ($1000), which is awarded to an outstanding Couple and Family Therapy student with financial need. Each scholarship requires an individual application and essay, which is due by 4:30pm on Friday, February 27th, 2009 to the Family Science Office in Marie Mount Hall. For questions about the application process, undergraduate students can contact Ashley Downing at andown@umd.edu and graduate students should contact Leigh Leslie at lleslie@umd.edu. Additional information and the application can be found here:

(Date Added: January 23, 2009)

[EPIB 626] Epidemiology of Obesity will provide an overview of evidence of the epidemiological association of physical activity to a variety of health outcomes, application of epidemiological methods to the science of physical activity and health.

(Date Added: January 22, 2009)

[EPIB 623] Epidemiology of Health Disparities will discuss the nature and extent of health disparities, underlying factors for health disparities; study design, measurement and analysis issues; cultural competency and policy approaches to address health disparities.

(Date Added: January 22, 2009)

Congratulations to doctoral student Eric Anson (advisor: Dr. John Jeka) who was one of 6 recipients of the 2008 Florence P. Kendall Doctoral Scholarship. This scholarship is awarded to physical therapists in their first year of doctoral study. Eric's research interests are related to static and dynamic postural control in the presence of vestibular dysfunction and potential rehabilitation applications for persons with vestibular dysfunction.

(Date Added: January 18, 2009)

Congratulations to Dr. Eva Chin who is a recipient of a 2009 Summer Graduate Research Board (GRB) Summer Award. Dr. Chin's research studies the role of pCREB in fast muscle fiber-type gene expression. Dr. Chin 's work is foundational to understanding the cellular and molecular deficits in aged muscle which may inform how exercise and/or drug therapy might counter these deficits.

(Date Added: January 18, 2009)

Dr. Jae Kun Shim has been notified that he has received a Maryland Industrial Partnerships Program (MIPS) grant with Recovery Science, Inc. to study neuromuscular training of intrinsic hand muscles. This is an exciting partnership between a Kinesiology's Neuromechanics Laboratory headed by Dr. Shim and Recovery Science. This is the second MIPS grant for this partnership.

(Date Added: January 03, 2009)

Dr. Seung-Eun Cha, a Professor at the Institute of Population and Aging Research in Seoul, South Korea , and Yaofang Zhang (left), a visiting Ph.D. student from China's top-ranked psychology department at Beijing Normal University, will be spending the 2008-09 academic year with the Department of Family Science (FMSC). Dr. Cha is collaborating with Dr. Jinhee Kim to explore the financial situations of patients who have chronic diseases. They are utilizing the KLoSA dataset, which is comparable to health and retirement data in the U.S. Yaofang Zhang was awarded a scholarship from the Chinese Ministry of Education to spend this academic year researching couples' marital role expectations, performance, and interactions under the direction of Dr. Norman Epstein. Ms. Zhang is a student of former FMSC Fulbright Visiting Scholar, Dr. Xiaoyi Fang. We welcome our visitors and look forward to their engagement with the department this year.

(Date Added: December 23, 2008)

Katie Riera (left) and Kate Speirs, Family Science PhD candidates, were awarded a $1900 grant from the Center for Teaching Excellence (CTE) to begin development of a peer support program for Graduate Teaching Assistants (GTAs). The proposed support program will help develop and enhance the teaching and preparation skills for GTAs in the Family Science department. The project will consist of three components: peer discussion and support groups, peer observation, and creation and dissemination of resource binders. Monthly discussions and support groups will offer an ongoing exchange of ideas and teaching strategies geared towards improving teaching effectiveness of Family Science undergraduate students. Peer observations will allow current GTAs an opportunity to receive feedback on their teaching from their peers, and resource binders will offer a collection of effective teaching techniques and strategies to enhance instructional methods. Congratulations to the Kate's! All FMSC GTAs look forward to participating in this program.

(Date Added: December 23, 2008)

The Symposium on Families, hosted by the campus chapter of the Maryland Council on Family Relations (MCFR), showcased undergraduate student research conducted in FMSC 302, Research Methods in Family Science on December 9th. Poster presentations displaying students' research results included a variety of topics such as family support systems, peer relationships, and race relations. Three prizes were awarded for the most outstanding projects. Sequoia Bacon, Lauren Baklarz, Alex Inguaggiato, Ashleigh Jobson, and Christa Kronser received first place for their poster "Infidelity in College Relationships". Stephanie Cannon, Allison Demb, Courtney Ray, Sherray Simms, and Courtney Wilson were awarded second place for their poster " Marital Status and Its Influence on Parent-Child Relationships". Sarah Dennison, Luz Figueroa, Shira Klayman, and Zuri Park earned third place for their poster "The Effects of Marital Status on Sibling Relationships". Congratulations to the winners and all of the FMSC undergraduate students who participated in this event to display their understanding of research methods.

(Date Added: December 23, 2008)

Dr. Glover will present at NIDA Medications Development Workshop: SMOKING CESSATION & BEYOND on April 2009 at Dublin, Ireland. The title of his presentation is Evaluation of Selegiline Transdermal System for Smoking Cessation: Preliminary Results of NIDA's 246 Subject, Multi-Site Trial. See the link for NIDA workshop information http://www.regonline.com/nidaworkshop.

Dr Glover is Professor & Chair, Department of Public & Community Health, & Director & Founder of the Center for Health Behavior Research at the University of Maryland College Park School of Public Health, College Park, MD. Dr Glover's particular interest remains in the research of cessation aids for individuals interested in quitting tobacco.

(Date Added: December 20, 2008)

Dean Robert Gold emphasizes on the School's commitment to global health through initiatives and partnerships spanning the globe. The School has programs in Costa Rica, Mexico, London, India and China where research is being done that involves either graduate or undergraduate students and many valuable learning experiences.

Dr. Robert Feldman, of Public and Community Health says, "Joint research means the University of Maryland can offer its technical expertise, and the collaborating organization its knowledge of the local situation; collaborations can likewise lead to faculty and student exchanges."

Read the whole article at Maryland International magazine.

(Date Added: December 16, 2008)

The Department of Family Science is seeking Undergraduate students interested in research to become a part of the Couples Abuse Prevention Program (CAPP). CAPP is being conducted with couples who seek therapeutic assistance through the University of Maryland's Center for Healthy Families. The study evaluates the effectiveness of two treatments for couples who have experienced problems with anger control and have the possibility for violence in their relationship. The Department is recruiting motivated and dependable Family Science undergraduate students who are interested in working for two semesters with Drs. Werlinich, Epstein, and LaTaillade. Interviews for the research positions will be held on Friday, December 12th at 3:00pm. If you have any questions, please contact Katie Hrapczynski at katieh@umd.edu.

(Date Added: December 11, 2008)

Researchers from the Vaccine Research Center (VRC), National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health gave a guest lecture on November 18 2008 for the course SPHL498A/698A: Special Topics in Public Health: Introduction to Global Health. Nurse practitioner Sarah Hubka explained the biological mechanism of HIV/AIDS and the process of developing a vaccine. Community Outreach and Recruitment Specialist Nina Berkowitz distributed education materials to the class and students were encouraged to learn more about VRC clinical trial participation. The students enjoyed this opportunity to see a real-world example of public health in action.

The Vaccine Research Center is based on the National Institutes of Health campus in Bethesda, Maryland. The primary mission of the VRC is the development and evaluation of candidate vaccines for HIV, Biodefense, and Emerging and Re-Emerging Infectious Diseases in Phase I clinical trials.

For further information please visit www.vrc.nih.gov or by phone 1-866-833-LIFE (5433).

(Date Added: December 10, 2008)

Tobacco use is a significant health burden within the US and worldwide. New agents to help smokers achieve smoking cessation and avoid relapse are needed: NicVAX is a nicotine conjugate vaccine to stimulate a specific antibody response that binds nicotine to prevent it from crossing the blood-brain barrier and interacting with the central nervous system. Five phase 1-2 clinical trials have demonstrated that NicVAX produced expected increases in anti-nicotine antibody with each of up to 5 doses in a 6-month period, and higher smoking abstinence rates than placebo, with an acceptable safety profile. Preliminary results from an optimized dosing schedule (in an ongoing phase 2 trial, Nabi-4513) confirm that a 6 dose schedule in 6 months is immunologically superior to the 5 dose schedule used in the proof-of-concept study.

The present trial is a pivotal phase 3 study of the efficacy, immunogenicity, and safety of NicVAX in smokers who want to quit, as an aid for smoking cessation and long-term abstinence.

(Date Added: December 08, 2008)

The Physical Education Student Organization (PESO) had another successful Hoops for Heart event raising $3,229 for the American Heart Association's research fund. CONGRATULATIONS... Well done. A special congratulations to Karina Bond who raised $1,000 and a department sponsored trip to the annual AAHPERD convention in Tampa, Fl March 2009.

(Date Added: December 05, 2008)

Samuel "Woodie" Kessel, M.D., M.P.H. has been named Professor of the Practice, an honor which is awarded to individuals who have demonstrated excellence in practice, leadership within their field, and superior teaching abilities. Dr. Kessel has obtained regional and national prominence for his achievements working as a community pediatrician and researcher in public health, public policy, pediatrics, and maternal and child health. His career in the US Public Health Service includes serving as an Assistant Surgeon General and senior program director for applied research, community-based programs, and professional education. Dr. Kessel has taught courses for FMSC including Foundations of Maternal and Child Health and Public Health Politics (an Honors Seminar) and will co-teach the Maternal and Family Health in Adulthood and Aging course this spring. Dr. Kessel has consulted on the development of the new FMSC Maternal and Child Health (MCH) doctoral program, mentors our MCH Ph.D. students, and has worked to establish community-based collaborations for FMSC and our School of Public Health. As Professor of the Practice, he will continue to teach and contribute valuable input into the future direction of the MCH program.

(Date Added: December 05, 2008)

The Department of Family Science, in conjunction with the Student Service Center in the School of Public Health, has instituted 'Change of Major Workshops' for undergraduate students. These workshops will replace individual 'Change of Major' appointments, which previously required that students meet with the FMSC Undergraduate Coordinator and the SPHL Academic Advisor separately in two different locations. The new service offers students an opportunity to complete the entire change of major process, including learning about the FMSC major and requirements, completing an Academic plan, and leaving the workshop as new FMSC students at one time and in one location. The first workshop will be held Wednesday, December 3, 2008, from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. in 1304 SPH Building. The second scheduled workshop will be on December 18, 2008, from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. in 1304 SPH Building. All subsequent 'Change of Major Workshops' will be posted on the FMSC online calendar.

(Date Added: December 04, 2008)

Dr. Stephen Roth, Director of the Department of Kinesiology's Functional Genomics Laboratory, was interviewed for an article that appeared in the NY Times on Sunday, November, 30, 2008. The article highlighted a new test available to parents to assess their child's genetic profile for certain sports. Dr. Roth has done research on ACTN3 and raised reservations about how it could be used to predict a child's athletic capabilities. To read more about the story go to the link provided here.

(Date Added: December 01, 2008)

Investigators Dr. Tongtong Wu, statistical geneticist from the UMCP School of Public Health and Dr. Sharon Gordon from the UMB Dental School, are partnering to study behavioral and molecular-genetic contributions to human pain experience. Dr. Jaime Brahim, who has newly joined the Dental School faculty from the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research, NIH, also serves as a collaborator on the project.

Changes in inflammatory gene expression will be studied relative to the contribution of genetic polymorphisms to pain sensitivity and stress responses This project may lead to better understanding of factors predicting responses to nociceptive stimuli, interpreted as pain, fear/anxiety as a measure of stress, and the interactions between fear/anxiety and pain experience. Results of this study will contribute to future investigations in patients with pre-determined genotypes to validate their relationship to stress responses and pain sensitivity.

(Date Added: November 26, 2008)

Called a "silent epidemic," the diseases and conditions of the mouth and face are adversely affecting ourmost vulnerable members of society - our children, our poor and our elderly.

To learn more aboutthis problem, SPHL 698B: Special Topics in Public Health will examine "Oral Health: A Public Health Case Study." The course will explore the numerous dimensions of oral, dental and craniofacial health, including its relationship to general health and well-being and its implications for family and community-based programs, environmental health, health literacy and public policy.

Students with an interest in local, state and national public health programs, health care delivery, and public policy are especially encouraged to register. The course will be taught by Drs. Alice M. Horowitz and Dushanka V. Kleinman; both have extensive experience in oral and dental health.

The class will meet Thursdays 5:00 - 7:30p.m. in the SPHL Building, Room 0307.

For more information, email Dr. Horowitz at ahorowit@umd.edu or Dr. Kleinman at dushanka@umd.edu.

Register today!

(Date Added: November 25, 2008)

The VIII international conference on Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD VIII) will be co-hosted by the Department of Kinesiology at University of Maryland, College Park and the Department of Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Science at the University of Maryland, Baltimore. The conference will be held in Baltimore June 23-26, 2009, and is being organized by co-conveners, Professors Jane Clark and Jill Whitall. Abstracts for the conference, which brings together researchers from all over the world who study Developmental Coordination Disorder, are now being accepted.

(Date Added: November 23, 2008)

Dennis Vacante, a Prince Georges County teacher and our adjunct faculty member, has been awarded National Board certification. Like board-certified physicians, teachers too can be board-certified if they pass rigorous examination through intensive study, expert evaluation, self-assessment and peer review. Congratulations Dennis, we are pleased to have you teaching our course, KNES 333 Physical Activity for Students with Special Needs

(Date Added: November 22, 2008)

Lindsey Hoskins, a Family Science doctoral student, is the first author on an article published in the September 2008 issue of Families, Systems & Health. The article, "Disclosure of Positive BRCA1/2-Mutation Status in Young Couples: The Journey From Uncertainty to Bonding Through Partner Support," explores the relationship complexities that young women with an increased risk of developing both breast and ovarian cancer face. The study analyzed in-depth interviews of 11 women, aged 26 to 35, to determine perceptions of relationship-bonding and intimacy-building in the course of sharing mutation information. Results indicated that partners' abilities to respond with interest, empathy, and affection are associated with increased future intimacy. Implications for the study include identifying new areas for research and suggesting ways to assist this population with adjustments to being BCRA mutation-positive. Lindsey is currently completing a fellowship in the Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics at the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, Maryland. She plans to graduate in December 2008.

(Date Added: November 21, 2008)

We are celebrating the first anniversary of our School of Public Health. Our mission is to promote and protect the health and well-being of citizens of Maryland, the nation, and the world through interdisciplinary education, research, public policy, and practice.

To celebrate, we had a photo contest where participants could show the impact of Public Health on their lives. Most people don't realize the impact that Public Health, but there are examples all around you.

Click here to check out the photo entries!

(Date Added: November 20, 2008)

Dr. Holt received a Duke University Center for Spirituality, Theology and Health grant titled "Religion-health mechanisms among African American Men and Women"

There is an extensive literature on religious involvement and health, as summarized in several reviews. Most studies suggest a salutary effect of religion on health, though some report negative or no effects, and nearly all are correlational in nature. The field of religion and health has moved beyond the question of IF there is an association between religion and health, to WHY this association exists. The religion-health connection may be particularly relevant for African Americans, who in general are high in religious involvement, and who suffer a disproportionate burden of health problems, termed health disparities. Some promising mechanisms from the literature include social support and healthy lifestyle, but others such as spiritual capital are less well developed. It is important to identify the mechansims of the religion-health connection to advance the scientific study of religion and health, and to apply this knowledge to health promotion and the reduction of health disparities. The aim of this study is to examine what accounts for the relationship between religious involvement and physical health outcomes, using a national sample of African Americans, to test a model of religious involvement and health, involving a set of mechanisms including spiritual capital, social support, and healthy lifestyle.

Dr. Holt is an Associate Professor in Public and Community Health. Her research interests involve community-based and culturally appropriate health communication, and the application of spirituality/religiosity to these interventions.

(Date Added: November 19, 2008)

Dr. Jacqueline Wallen is the recipient of a $4000 award from International Education Services at the University of Maryland. This award will be used to develop a new study abroad program, FMSC498N/ 698N: Child and Family Health in Scandinavia, which will take during the 2010 summer term. The undergraduate and graduate level course will educate students about Scandinavia's family and health policies, family-based health services and family and child health research. The Scandinavian countries of both Sweden and Norway are world leaders in developing and evaluating programs and providing technical assistance to programs that improve family and child health world-wide. FMSC498N/698N will meet several undergraduate requirements including a CORE advanced studies course, an upper-level elective course beyond the CORE advanced studies requirement, or one of two required elective courses for Family Science majors. Dr. Wallen brings her international expertise to this project building on her successful University of Maryland winter-term course, Human Services for Latino Clients, in Oaxaca, Mexico.

(Date Added: November 14, 2008)

Shawna Murray, a first-generation college student and double major in Family Science and Criminal Justice, was awarded the Spirit of Maryland Award by President Mote on October 25, 2008. This prestigious honor is granted to a male and female member of the senior class each year who, through individual achievements, has most exemplified the "spirit" of the University of Maryland. Criteria for the award include outstanding scholarship, leadership, campus involvement, community service, and communication skills.

One of Shawna's many contributions to the university is her work involving international leadership development. Most recently, she spoke on a panel at the United Nations in New York on the importance of the Ralph Bunche Society for minority students, which seeks to stimulate racial and ethnic minority student interest in international studies and international leadership careers. Shawna will continue her international work in Egypt during a winter-term study abroad program, Egypt: A Literary Experience. Upon graduation, Shawna plans to attend law school and pursue a career in Human Rights, Juvenile and Family Law.

(Date Added: November 14, 2008)

We are delighted that Dr. Sally Koblinsky has accepted appointment as Assistant President and Chief of Staff. She is filling the position vacated by Dr. Ann Wylie, who will serve as Interim Vice President for Administrative Affairs. Sally will assume her new responsibilities effective November 8, 2008.

Sally's outstanding record as an educator and administrator make her ideally suited for this important position.

Read More Here

(Date Added: November 12, 2008)

Michael Friedman (PhD candidate, D. Andrews, advisor) was awarded the Barbara Brown Outstanding Student Paper Award, awarded annually to the best student-authored, non-published paper, submitted for consideration. This prestigious award comes with up to $1000 toward NASSS conference expenses, plus a waiver of the conference registration fee. The title of Mike's winning submission was: "The Transparency of Democracy: Spectacle and symbolism in the design of Washington's Nationals Park."

Friedman said he was honored when he learned his paper had won the award, but said he couldn't have completed it without the help of his mentors and the support from the kinesiology and sociology departments.

"We have a great graduate program and I wouldn't be surprised to see another Maryland graduate student in my position in the future," he said.

He plans to use his research in future academic and political endeavors. Next week, he plans to testify at the Washington council meeting in regard to a bill that would rename a portion of South Capitol Street SE as "Taxation Without Representation Street."

(Date Added: November 10, 2008)

The Department of Kinesiology's Physical Cultural Studies research cluster presente 9 papers at the annual meeting of the North American Society for Sport Sociology (NASSS) held in Denver, Colorado, November 6-8, 2008. Papers included:

Batts, C., & Andrews, D.L. Paper title: Tactical Athletes: The US Paralympic Military Program and the Strategic Mobilization of the Disabled Body.

Bernstein, S. Paper title: Sport(ing) Matters: Narratives of Life and Death.

Bracey, B. Paper title: A Different World? Rules, Resistance and Black College Sport.

Friedman, M. Paper title: Not in the Plan: Displacement and Washington's New Baseball Stadium.

Gollmann, A. Paper title: Sidelining Sexualities: The Absence of Queers of Color in Sport Studies.

King-White, R. Paper title: Are We Scientists?: Research Concerns in Neoliberal Times.

DeLuca, J. Paper title: Parent-Child Swimming Lessons: Exercising Concerted Cultivation.

Sterling, J. Paper title: Turning to the Visual: Visual Methodology after the Cultural Turn.

Zhang, T. Paper title: Protecting the Olympic Torch for China.

In addition, Callie Batts (PhD student) was voted one of the two graduate student representatives to the NASSS Board.

(Date Added: November 10, 2008)

Dr. Bradley Hatfield gave a lecture on "Exercise and the Aging Brain" at 2nd Annual Billie Showers Alzheimer's Symposium held at the National Capital Area Chapter of the Alzheimer's Association on November 8, 2008.

The Alzheimer's Association is the leading voluntary health organization in Alzheimer care, support and research

(Date Added: November 10, 2008)

Phi Upsilon Omicron is collecting gently used or new books from November 4 through December 11, 2008. The books will be distributed to homeless families with children in grades K through 6 as Christmas presents. Phi Upsilon Omicron, UMCP's International Honor Society in Family and Consumer Science, is a nationally recognized honor society focused toward observing academic excellence, enhancing qualities of leadership by providing opportunities for service, and encouraging lifelong learning and commitment in order to advance family and consumer sciences and related areas. Members participate in monthly community service activities on campus and in the surrounding Metropolitan DC area. The book collection is a collaboration between Phi Upsilon Omicron and the Fairland Nursing & Rehabilitation Center in Silver Spring, MD. Please consider donating age appropriate books to this great cause!

(Date Added: November 04, 2008)

The deadlines for interested persons applying to our graduate programs for the academic year 2009-2010 are as follows: PhD. Family Science and Maternal & Child Health programs: December 1, 2008 - International applicants; December 15, 2008 - Domestic applicants. MS. Couple and Family Therapy program:

January 1, 2009 - International applicants;

January 15, 2009 - Domestic applicants.

To apply to our graduate programs:

(Date Added: November 03, 2008)

On Friday, October 17th, Dr. Ana Palla-Kane, Ms. Susan Kogut and 30 students in the physical education major attended the MAHPERD conference (Maryland Association for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance) at the Sheraton Baltimore North Hotel Towson, MD.

Every year the Physical Education Student Organization (PESO), coordinated by Ms. Susan Kogut, raises money and pays for students to attend the state conference.

Students participated in 6 sessions related to general and adapted physical education, dance, health education and other topics. Students had the opportunity to learn about new materials, teaching strategies and technology applied to physical education. They also networked with students from other universities, teachers, and professionals in the field, including our alumni!

Continuous professional development and involvement in the professional organization is an important value for future teachers.

For more information on PESO, please see the undergraduate student organization page.

(Date Added: November 02, 2008)

On Tuesday, October 28th, the Department of Family Science hosted an Election Party to encourage UMCP students to vote on Election Day. The party was a tremendous success with more than 140 attendees, including undergraduates and graduates students, faculty, and staff members. The event informed participants about the presidential candidates' positions on many family and health issues through distribution of the Family Policy Election Guide for 2008, authored by FMSC Ph.D. students. While clips from the presidential debates played in the background and participants had pictures taken with cardboard presidential candidates, attendees read "Did you know" facts about the presidency and past candidates. Interaction was encouraged through an interview game focusing on political behavior and a presidential mock election was held (Obama, 85%; McCain, 10%; Nader, 5%). Finally prizes were awarded to those who brought food dishes from their home states. We encourage all eligible voters to educate themselves about the candidates and to vote on November 4th!

(Date Added: October 31, 2008)

Dr. Lis Maring is one of 30 people selected to take part in a 2 ½ day training course given by National Environmental Health Association. The course reflects new national priorities for addressing indoor air quality (IAQ) and health impacts resulting from IAQ contaminants, with a particular focus on asthma triggers such as tobacco smoke, mold spores, and radon. Attendees will learn how to develop and implement a comprehensive community action and remediation programs. Participation in this program will enhance Dr. Maring's work with the Healthy Homes program, enabling her to help Maryland Cooperative Extension (MCE) field faculty in working on IAQ issues. Following this training, Dr. Maring and MCE faculty will implement a community outreach program that identifies risk reduction methods for IAQ contaminants, reduces asthma triggers, and encourages residential testing and mitigation for elevated levels of radon gas.

(Date Added: October 31, 2008)

The Alcohol Summit, sponsored by the President's Office, the College of Behavioral and Social Sciences, the School of Public Health, the Division of Student Affairs and the UMAlcohol Coalition, was very well attended by students, faculty and the University Administration.

The problem of alcohol abuse by college age students across this nation is well documented. In spite of sustained and considerable effort by colleges and universities to reduce the amount of high risk drinking and its harmful consequences the problems continue at significant levels. This Summit is intended to engage the campus and extended community in open discussion about the many aspects of alcohol use and abuse in the college environment.

The morning speakers included Robert Gold, Dean of the School of Public Health, James Fell from Alcohol, Policy, and Safety Research Center, Pacific Institute for Research and Evaluation (PIRE), Linda Clement, Vice President for Student Affairs, and President Mote.

The afternoon speakers included a panel of students, including Christy McLellan from Gymkana and Robin Sawyer from the department of Public and Community Health.

(Date Added: October 30, 2008)

Dr. Steve McDaniel and his colleagues at the University of Alberta (G. Smith) and the University of Connecticut (J.Weinstock) have won a competitive award from the Alberta Gaming Research Institute for their research: "Validating the Four Es Scale as a Predictor of Gambling Behaviors and Gambling Problems: A Cross-Cultural Comparison of Canadian and American College Students."

College students are estimated to be two to three times more likely than the general population to develop a gambling problem. The research team will validate a 4 factor gambling instrument that was developed and tested in Australia using a community sample of adults. In addition, the research will compare gambling behaviors as a function of available legal forms of gambling (comparing students at the U. of Alberta and the U. of Maryland).

Dr. McDaniel's teaching and research are focused on marketing and media phenomena, in the area of sport management. His first area of interest is social psychological aspects of sport consumption for spectators and participants.

(Date Added: October 28, 2008)

The Department of Family Science in the School of Public Health seeks an Assistant or Associate Professor to join a dynamic, interdisciplinary department with family science, maternal and child health, and couple and family therapy programs. Candidates for this tenure-track/tenured position should possess a doctoral degree in family science, public health, or a related discipline; a strong record of teaching and published academic research; demonstrated capacity to secure external funding to support research; and an interest in multi-disciplinary collaboration within the Department and School of Public Health, across the University, and with community partners. Applicants with expertise in ethnic minority families and health disparities are particularly encouraged to apply. Email questions about the position to Dr. Norman Epstein, at nbe@umd.edu. For best consideration, applicants should submit via email, by January 8, 2009, a vita, a letter of application with a statement of professional objectives, a short description of the applicant's current research program and future research plans, and the names, addresses and contact information of three references to: Erin McClure, fmsc-searches@umd.edu. See the full position announcement here.

(Date Added: October 24, 2008)

The Maryland Council on Family Relations (MCFR) is sponsoring a Clothing Drive for female victims of sexual assault from September 23rd to October 31st. The drive is collecting sweatpants, t-shirts, and sweatshirts of all sizes for women victims. When women undergo a physical exam following an assault, their clothing is often retained as evidence. Clothing collected during the Drive will be given to victims so that they can return home in comfortable attire. All collected items will be donated to the Sexual Assault Center at Prince George's Hospital in Cheverly, MD. The Center offers no-cost crisis counseling, victim advocacy, and community education to victims of sexual violence. Please donate! You can leave clothing in the Department of Family Science office.

(Date Added: October 24, 2008)

Dr. Pam Clark, of Public and Community Health, has received a National Institute on Drug Abuse grant titled "Physiologic Impact of Variations in Smoke PH".

Dr. Clark's research interests include youth risk behaviors, particularly tobacco initiation, maintenance, and cessation, and evaluation of potentially reduced exposure tobacco products.

(Date Added: October 23, 2008)

Dr. Stacey Daughters, of Public and Community Health, received a National Institute on Drug Abuse grant titled "Behavioral Depression Treatment for African American HIV-infected Substance Users".

Dr. Daughters research expertise includes the neurobiological and behavioral determinants of addiction and HIV risk behavior, and the translation of this knowledge into effective prevention and intervention programs aimed at reducing health disparities.

Approximately 37-50% of HIV positive individuals suffer from depression, which is associated with substance use, poor adherence to HIV medication, an increase in HIV risk behaviors, and subsequent poor health outcomes (e.g., Asch et al., 2003; Bing et al., 2001; Dew et al., 1997;). Additionally, depressed HIV positive substance users are at an even greater risk for poor medication adherence than non-substance users (Cook, Grey, & Burke-Miller, 2004). Notably, evidence indicates that HIV positive patients who receive treatment for depression exhibit significant improvements in HIV medication adherence and a reduction in risk behaviors that are directly relevant to their health and well being such as risky sexual behavior (e.g., Cook et al., 2006). Despite this link, few interventions targeting depression have been developed to meet the specific needs of HIV-infected substance users. This is especially evident for low income African American HIV positive substance users who often do not receive adequate treatment for any of these conditions due to poverty, lack of access to specialized treatment, low motivation, cognitive impairments, and a lack of coordination between medical, mental health, and substance abuse treatment providers (Calsyn et al., 2004). Thus, the objective of the current study is to test a novel intervention, ACT HEALTHY, in the treatment of depression and HIV medication adherence among 170 African American HIV infected substance users residing in inner-city Washington, DC. ACT HEALTHY combines (1) LET'S ACT, a behavioral activation based treatment for depressed substance users (Daughters et al., 2008), with (2) Life Steps, an HIV medication adherence intervention (Safren, Otto, & Worth, 1999). The purpose of this combined treatment, ACT HEALTHY, will be to compliment standard residential and follow-up outpatient substance use treatment to specifically treat depressive symptoms and HIV medication adherence, with the additional goal of improving substance use and physical health outcomes.

(Date Added: October 23, 2008)

Alice Yan has been invited to serve on a 2009 Grantee Conference Committee of Robert Wood Johnson 6th Active Living Research Grantee Meeting Feb 18-20, 2009 in San Diego, CA. There are 7 persons invited nationwide, 6 of them are professors with Alice being the only student invited. The invitee come from research institutions including MD Anderson cancer center, UNC Chapel Hill and Hopkins, etc. Alice was invited for receiving the RWJ Dissertation grant!

(Date Added: October 21, 2008)

The Baltimore Sun recognized three health professionals, the first of whom is Bonnie Braun, our new Chair of the Herschel S. Horowitz Center for Health Literacy.

Dr. Braun was previously a professor at our department of Family Science. Her research interests are family health policy, low-income, rural family health and well-being; food insecurity and obesity; and program evaluation.

(Date Added: October 21, 2008)

Dr. Harry T. Kwon, DPCH PhD program graduate, and Jamie Lok, DPCH MPH student, were recently elected to serve on the the Asian Pacific Islander Caucus (APIC) executive board of the American Public Health Association. As chair-elect and student representative, respectively, they will strive to uphold APIC's mission to address public health issues specifically affecting Asian American and Pacific Islander in the United States and associated jurisdictions.

Asian/Pacific Islander Health Across the Life Course at the APHA Annual Meeting and Expo.

(Date Added: October 21, 2008)

Dr. Jane Clark was honored at homecoming by the College at Brockport Alumni Association. Clark received the Hall of Heritage Award, the association's highest honor. Dr.Clark graduated from Brockport in 1968 as a health and physical education major. She is pictured here sitting in the rocker given to the Heritage award winner with the College's President, John Halstead (right) and Warren Kozireski, the Alumni President.

(Date Added: October 19, 2008)

The School of Public Health's Herschel S. Horowitz Center for Health Literacy announced Associate Professor and noted scholar Bonnie Braun as the Herschel S. Horowitz Endowed Chair in Health Literacy. Dr. Braun is the first Endowed Chair for the Horowitz Center, which was announced in September 2007 at the launch of the School of Public Health at the University of Maryland. She is also the first Endowed Chair in the new School of Public Health.

As the Endowed Chair, Dr. Braun will lay the foundation for the Horowitz Center in collaboration with the Center's Advisory Board, overseeing the creation of a strategic plan and the implementation of priority research, service and education activities in this burgeoning field of study. Dr. Braun will lead the effort in educating faculty, students and the greater community about health literacy, establishing partnerships with aligned programs within the university and beyond.

"I am delighted that Professor Braun will lead the Horowitz Center and I am committed to ensuring her, her team's and the Center's success. This Center will build on the School of Public Health's strong foundation and contribute to improving the state of health of Marylanders and beyond," says Dr. Robert S. Gold, Dean, School of Public Health. "Health literacy is part and parcel of everything we do to keep society healthy. It is an essential component of securing the public's health and well-being."

Read the complete news release!

(Date Added: October 16, 2008)

Dr. Stephanie Grutzmacher has been named a Research Associate for Maryland Cooperative Extension (MCE) in the Department of Family Science (FMSC). In this position, she will provide leadership for developing MCE family and consumer science programming, working with county educators, 4-H specialists, and other community partners.

Stephanie received her MS and Ph.D. in Family Science at UMCP and spent last year as Evaluation Coordinator/Associate Faculty Agent for the Maryland Food Stamp Nutrition Education Program (FSNEP). She will continue to evaluate this program, as well as conduct independent research investigating nutrition and health literacy issues, health behaviors, and nutrition misconceptions among food stamp clients in Maryland. An engaging educator, Dr. Grutzmacher will also teach an FMSC undergraduate course, FMSC 330, Family Theories and Patterns, and lead an Alternative Spring Break trip to Peru during the spring 2009 semester.

We welcome her to the FMSC and School of Public Health faculty.

(Date Added: October 16, 2008)

In an effort to inform voters about where the two major presidential candidates stand on family-relevant issues, doctoral students in the Department of Family Science at the University of Maryland compiled a family and health policy issues voting guide. The guide presents an objective, non-partisan collection of information comparing candidates on important family/health policies such as national health care, early childhood education, stem-cell research, home ownership, immigration, same-sex marriage, veteran health care, and Medicare. For the full guide

(Date Added: October 14, 2008)

Dr. John Jeka was induced into the American Academy of Kinesiology and Physical Education (AAKPE). Eight individuals were inducted at the September 27th meeting of the Academy. Also inducted were Dr. Deborah Young, chair of SPH Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics and Dr. Jill Whitall (UM PhD '88), a professor at UM Baltimore.

The Academy's membership is considered a "who's who list" of the top individuals in the fields of Kinesiology and Physical Education.

The AAKPE was established in 1926 to recognize outstanding scholars in the study of physical activity. Since 1926, 491 individuals nationwide have been inducted into the Academy as Active Fellows.

With his induction, Dr. Jeka brings the total to 6 AAKPE fellows in the Department (joining Andrews, Clark, Hagberg, Hatfield, Hurley).

For additional information on the AAKPE, refer to the academy's website at www.aakpe.org or call the Business Office at (217) 403-7545.

(Date Added: October 12, 2008)

Dr. Holt received a CDC grant about reasons for low follow-up in black CRC patients.

African Americans have been found to be less likely to receive a post-treatment follow-up colon exam than White patients. In one study, African Americans were found to be more likely to receive a barium enema rather than the recommended colonoscopy. In addition, patients who were older or from poorer neighborhoods were found to be less likely to receive adequate post-treatment surveillance.

The objective of this study is to conduct a qualitative examination of cultural and socioeconomic factors that may be associated with lower rates of CRC post-treatment surveillance among African Americans.

Dr. Holt is an Associate Professor in Public and Community Health. Her research interests involve community-based and culturally appropriate health communication, and the application of spirituality/religiosity to these interventions.

(Date Added: October 10, 2008)

Dr. Robin Sawyer, of Public and Community Health, was the recipient of two 2008 Telly Awards in the categories of Education and Human Sexuality for his recent film production, "Playing the Game 2."

Since 1979 The Telly Awards have recognized the very best in local, regional, national and international television programs and independent films. The competition this year received over 14,000 entries from all 50 states and 5 continents.

(Date Added: October 10, 2008)

The Department of Kinesiology has assistant professor positions in: Occupational Biomechanics and Translational Kinesiology with an emphasis on intervention. Closing date: Oct. 20. Please see the "People" section under "Open Faculty Information" for more information.

(Date Added: October 09, 2008)

Angela Pinzon, MD, a Ph.D. student in the FMSC Maternal and Child Health program, was awarded first prize in the 2007 Biennial Competition of Pediatrics in the Americas for her paper entitled, "The Health of Children Working in the Streets of Latin American Cities: Risks, Accidents, and Maltreatment (La Salud de los Niños que Trabajan en las Calles de Latinoamérica: Riesgos, Accidentes y Maltrato)."

The contest, sponsored by Colsubsidio, is designed to stimulate physician research on child health. Dr. Pinzon will make history in December 2008 when she officially receives this award for a second time (previously received in 2006); she is the first researcher to win the prize more than once. Dr. Pinzon will receive a cash prize of $5,000, present her paper at a ceremony in Colombia, and have her paper published in a professional journal.

(Date Added: October 07, 2008)

Congratulations to our 2008-2009 Wrenn Scholarship winners. These students were selected based on academic achievement and financial need. All are invited to be recognized at the Annual Dean's Scholars Dinner on Thursday, March 26th, 2009.

The Wrenn Scholarship winners are:
Leticia Addo
Amy Kerrick
Christine Schaub
Sherin Mathew
Roxanna Romano
Pia Rose
Nicole Small
Nicole Wilson
Catherine Phillips
Helena Mo
Mike Mules
Theresa Hackford

Applications for awards to 2009-2010 will be posted on our website in May, 2009.

(Date Added: October 01, 2008)

The President's Commission on Disability Issues has focused a series of events to highlight Disabilities Awareness Month. Mary Kivlighan, who will be giving a presentation Healthy Public Policy or Ethical Dilemma October 13th, discusses the Disabilities Act with The Diamondback.

Mary Kivlighan received an M.A. in Public Administration from the University of Virginia and a J.D. from the University of Missouri. She is an Assistant Dean in the Dean's office and will be teaching Public Health Law and working on strategic initiatives for the college.

Read the complete article here, The Diamondback.

(Date Added: October 01, 2008)

Four undergraduate Family Science majors, Therese Hackford, Nina Phillips, Pia Rose (left), and Nicole Small, have been named 2008 Wrenn Scholars.

This scholarship fund honors Dr. Jerry P. Wrenn, a former dean of the College of Health and Human Performance (now the School of Public Health) and a faculty member who was dedicated to serving undergraduate students.

Therese Hackford, a FMSC senior and double major in Criminal Justice, is currently employed at the Institute for Governmental Service and Research, where she is assisting with a project that examines how case workers can work more effectively with juveniles. Nina (Catherine) Phillips, an FMSC senior, completed the CIVICUS living and learning program and has been a Peer Dialogue Leader with the Common Ground Dialogue Program; she also serves on the executive board of the National Residence Hall Honorary. Pia Rose, an FMSC senior is an avid volunteer, contributing her time and talents to Phi Upsilon Omicron honor society, the DC Central Kitchen, Project Linus, and the Making Strides Against Breast Cancer Walk. Nicole Small, another FMSC senior, has been involved with numerous campus and community activities, including CIVICUS, Habitat for Humanity, Phi Upsilon Omicron, and the Big Brothers, Big Sisters Program.

FMSC is very proud of all its Wrenn Scholars!

(Date Added: September 30, 2008)

Dr. Sandra Hofferth, Professor in Family Science and Director of the Maryland Population Research Center, had her research featured on the front page of the Metro section in Sunday's Washington Post (9/28/08). The article, "For Some Busy Kids, It's All Good," summarizes her study examining the stress levels of children involved in multiple out-of-school activities. She found that 9- to 12- year olds with a balanced activity load have the least stress (with highly involved children doing almost as well), and that children with no activities were at risk for lower self esteem, immaturity, and social withdrawal. Dr. Hofferth explains that "only a minority (of children) are heavily scheduled and that organized activities are linked to positive outcomes in school, emotional development, family life and behavior." Dr. Hofferth's research focuses on American children's use of time, work and family, research methods, fathers and fathering, and family policy. She has authored five books and numerous publications. Find information on the story at the University Newsdesk:

(Date Added: September 30, 2008)

Dr. Holt received a NCI grant about religion-health mechanisms among african american men and women.

Dr. Holt is an Associate Professor in Public and Community Health. Her research interests involve community-based and culturally appropriate health communication, and the application of spirituality/religiosity to these interventions.

African Americans are disproportionately affected by cancer when compared to other racial or ethnic groups. There are a number of social and cultural factors that relate to prevention and screening behaviors that impact cancer mortality rates. Religiosity/spirituality (RS) appears to be one of these factors. RS is central to the lives of many African Americans, and is related to cancer screening, risk, and prevention behaviors. RS has been proposed to have salutary effects on health in general through several mediators, including but not limited to performing health-related behaviors or avoiding unhealthy behaviors in accord with scripture, social support, coping with stress, positive affect or mental health, and social influence. However, research to date has not provided empirical evidence for these mediators. Thus, the relationship between RS and health has gone largely unexplained.

(Date Added: September 24, 2008)

Lindsey Hoskins, a Ph.D. student in Family Science, recently co-authored an article, "Sisters in Hereditary Breast and Ovarian Cancer Families: Communal Coping, Social Integration, and Psychological Well-Being", published in the August 2008 edition of Psycho-Oncology. The article addresses the association between psychological distress and indicators of social integration and communal coping among 65 sisters from hereditary breast and ovarian cancer (HBOC) families. Research findings demonstrated that sisters share perceptions of risk and worry about breast cancer but not ovarian cancer. Anxiety levels of the sisters were comparable and sisters with more support persons had lower depression scores. Findings will assist in developing programs to facilitate the adjustment of cancer-prone women. Lindsey is currently completing a fellowship with the Clinical Genetics Branch, Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics at the National Institutes of Health in Rockville, Maryland.

(Date Added: September 23, 2008)

Ndidi Amutha, FMSC doctoral student in Maternal and Child Health (MCH), has been selected as an American Public Health Association (APHA) MCH Section Fellow for 2008-2009. The fellowship recognizes Ndidi's excellent academic record and experience in public health. The Student Fellows Program provides an opportunity for students to learn more about APHA and the MCH Section through participation in business meetings, serving on various Section committees, and working on Section policy statements, among other activities. Student Fellows are also matched with a public health mentor who is a leader in the field of maternal and child health.

(Date Added: September 23, 2008)

The School of Public Health Alumni Chapter at University of Maryland College Park hosted its First Annual Mind Body Games. Janet Anderson, alum, and her team of experts, ran a challenging and fun event that tested some "physical" and "mental" skills.

In a tight competition where competitors did jigsaw puzzles, played Trivial Pursuit, Scrutineyes, Name that Tune, Scene It, Sudoku, among other games, the Black team surged ahead at the end of the day in the Family Feud game with 8 out of 10 correct answers! The Yellow team from PAE was second, the Orange Team was third, the Green Team from Step Aerobics was fourth and the Blue Team from Public Policy was fifth. But everyone was a winner being able to choose from great prizes, Ledo's pizza and lots of fun!

(Date Added: September 22, 2008)

A team of researchers headed by Dr. Bonnie Braun, Associate Professor of Family Science and Maryland Cooperative Extension Specialist, have found that school-based interventions are helping kids eat healthier foods.

Dr. Braun's study is one series of Project FRESH, a school-based nutrition education program designed to increase fruit and vegetable consumption among elementary school children. The project is being conducted by the University of Maryland Cooperative Extension Food Stamp Nutrition Education program. The investigators implemented three interventions and examined the relationship between children's exposure to fruits and vegetables, taste preference, and actual consumption among fourth-graders in the Baltimore-Washington Metro area. Prior to the interventions, 93% of the students were not eating the recommended five fruits and vegetables a day. After the interventions, 60% increased their taste preference for fruits and vegetables, and 50% maintained this higher intake. Dr. Braun's research is especially timely given Governor O'Malley's recent signing of the new Jane Lawson Farm-to-School Program, designed to increase consumption of locally grown farm products in Maryland schools.

(Date Added: September 18, 2008)

Pia Rose, a Family Science Senior and President of Phi Upsilon Omicron, has been working with other students in the family science honorary society to plan community service activities for the coming year. Students in Phi Upsilon Omicron will volunteer their services at SHARE and DC Central Kitchen; make blankets for Project Linus, a program that provides handmade blankets and afghans to children who are seriously ill and/or traumatized; and participate in a food and clothing drive, and a walk for Making Strides Against Breast Cancer. The group will also hold several brown bag events on topics such as: Considering Graduate School?, Women and the Media, Incarceration in Families, and Nutrition and Excercise.

In addition to serving as President of the honorary society, Pia is currently completing an internship with the Office of Military Community and Family Policy in the Office of the Under-Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness. Her work at the Pentagon involves providing content for the Military HomeFRONT website and working with the Office of Children and Youth on service projects for military families. Upon graduating in May 2009, Pia plans to pursue a Master's degree in Public Health with a research focus on nutrition, obesity prevention, and healthy living.

(Date Added: September 15, 2008)

The School of Public Health, the Family Science Department, and University of Maryland Extension are partnering with the Coalition to End Childhood Lead Poisoning to sponsor the first annual National Healthy Homes Festival, Friday through Sunday September 12-14, in Druid Hills Park, Baltimore. This festival will provide valuable information to Maryland residents who face health hazards in the built environment, such as lead, asbestos, pesticides, dangerous gases, and molds. The UMCP Extension booth will provide relevant health materials, games, and prizes. Recently, University of Maryland Extension launched a Healthy Homes website addressing this topic. Check it out at www.extension.umd.edu/family/healthyhomes. Family Science faculty members Dr. Edmond Shenassa and Dr. Lis Maring are also conducting a qualitative study that examines the transition of Baltimore City's Lead Poisoning Prevention program to a more comprehensive Healthy Homes program. This project, funded by the CDC, will produce a guide for other cities seeking to make the transition to a healthy homes focus.

(Date Added: September 10, 2008)

Last fall, more than 100 professionals and caregivers from Maryland and the Washington DC metro area convened at UMCP for a conference entitled, "Male Caregiving: Creating a Research, Programmatic, and Policy Agenda for an Emerging Public Health Issue."

The conference was sponsored by the HSC Foundation and the Department of Family Science, with additional support from the Consumer Health Foundation. National researchers, human service professionals, and male caregivers gave presentations on the unique strengths, challenges, and needs of male caregivers, an understudied group in the family science and public health literature. Presentations addressed evidence-based interventions and promising practices for working with male caregivers of children with special needs, spouses and partners, and the elderly.

A briefing report from this ground-breaking conference (prepared by Drs. Sally Koblinsky and Suzanne Randolph) can be found online at www.hscfoundation.org/aboutus/publications/male_caregivers.pdf

(Date Added: September 08, 2008)

Dr. Colleen (Coke) Farmer is honored with the President's Distinguished Service Award. Dr. Farmer is the Assistant Chair and Director of Undergraduate Programs.

This award recognizes exceptional performance, leadership, and service by a member of the University. Recipients of this award have a record of exemplary performance and distinctive contributions to the operation of an administrative, academic, research, or service unit on campus. They have clearly demonstrated initiative toward the improvement of university programs or campus activities and have shown commitment to the campus community as a whole.

(Date Added: September 04, 2008)

Dr. Andrew Billingsley, Professor Emeritus and former Professor/Chair of the Department of Family Science at UMCP and Senior Scholar at the Institute for Families in Society at the University of South Carolina, is coming to Washington, D.C. to speak about his new book, Yearning to Breathe Free: Robert Smalls of South Carolina and His Families.

He will speak and read from the book at Politics and Prose Bookstore, 5015 Connecticut Avenue, NW, Washington DC, on October 11th at 1:00 pm.

Dr. Billingsley's book describes the life of Robert Smalls and the history of subsequent generations, paying particular attention to the influence of both his biological and master's families. This compelling sociological narrative is a tribute to the heroism and legacy of the statesman, Robert Smalls.

(Date Added: September 02, 2008)

There are currently 2.5 million grandparents who are responsible for the basic needs of one or more grandchildren; millions of other grandparents play an important role in the caregiving of their granddaughters and grandsons. September 7, 2008 is Grandparent's Day -- observed on the first Sunday after Labor Day every year.

Grandparent's Day is the brainchild of Marian McQuade of Fayette County, West Virginia. In 1978 President Jimmy Carter signed the presidential proclamation for the day in hopes that its observance would persuade grandchildren to gain from the wisdom and heritage of their grandparents.

FMSC faculty explore the role of grandparents in children's lives. For example, Dr. Elaine Anderson and Dr. Bonnie Braun are investigating the role of grandparents in family eating behaviors, with a focus on reducing childhood obesity. Dr. Woodie Kessel is collaborating with the American Academy of Pediatrics and Generations United on "Healthy GrandFamilies," a culturally-grounded project that works with trusted health care providers to enhance health promotion and disease prevention for underserved children and their grandparents.

(Date Added: September 02, 2008)

In the spring of 2008, Joy Bauer was featured in a Class Act article for TERP magazine that highlighted her many accomplishments. Joy earned her BS in Kinesiological Sciences from the University of Maryland in 1986 and completed her MS in Nutrition at New York University.

Kinesiological Sciences Alumna Katrina Grant, 2004 BS, Cum Laude, came across the article and was immediately impressed. She felt that they had much in common--both were Kinesiology majors, had some of the same professors, and shared many professional interests. At her mother's urging, Katrina emailed Joy introducing herself and letting her know how enthused she was to read about someone in a profession that she was passionate about. Joy immediately responded, delighted to have a Terp contact her, and extended an invitation to meet with Katrina.

Katrina traveled to New York City this past spring to meet with Joy, and was hired on the spot as an intern at Joy Bauer Nutrition, Inc. Joy has her working on many different projects including doing research for Joy's new book, which is due to come out sometime this fall or winter. Katrina also writes much of the copy for Joy's comment on the TODAY Show.

Joy Bauer, MS, RD, CDN, is founder and Director of Joy Bauer Nutrition, Inc., one of the largest nutrition centers in the country. As a registered dietician and leading nutrition authority, Joy lives and practices by the tagline: Life is hard, food should be easy!SM Her center, which boasts clientele such as high profile professionals, actors, models, and Olympic athletes, provides counseling and expertise for adults and children with nutritional concerns and health issues.

Joy is the author of several best selling books and has parlayed her expertise into high visibility jobs with the TODAY Show, PARADE and SELF magazine, the New York City Ballet, and Yahoo.com. Her passion and main focus is to bring people the latest cutting edge news on health, nutrition, food, and diet--and to present that information in a simple, easy-to-follow style.

(Date Added: August 28, 2008)

The Maryland Cooperative Extension and the Department of Family Science in the School of Public Health seek a Research Associate for a contractual appointment beginning in the fall of 2008. This non-tenure track faculty member will provide leadership of statewide family science programming and research within the Maryland Cooperative Extension (MCE), including instruction of one undergraduate course in the Department of Family Science (FMSC). This is a 11-month appointment (year 1) with the possibility of renewal for an additional 12-month term. A Ph.D. or equivalent doctorate in family science, human development, child development, human ecology, or related field is required. For more information contact: Dr. Kevin Roy, Professor, Department of Family Science, School of Public Health, 1204 Marie Mount Hall, University of Maryland, College Park, College Park, MD 20742, kroy@umd.edu.

(Date Added: August 27, 2008)

Jamie Lok, MPH student in the Department of Public and Community Health, has been awarded an American Public Health Association (APHA) Student Assembly Scholarship to the 2008 APHA Annual Meeting in San Diego, CA. The APHA Student Assembly (APHA-SA) is the nation's largest student-led organization dedicated to furthering the development of the next generation of public health professionals. Lok will be presenting her poster entitled "Gender differences in a smoking cue-provoked craving assessment among African American smokers in the D.C. Metropolitan area" with co-authors Eva Sharma, DPCH doctoral student, and Drs. Rath and Glover.

Ms. Jamie Lok is an interventionist in the Center for Health Behavior Research. She has worked at the Center for Substance Abuse Research (CESAR) and served as a peer educator at the University Health Center for programs concerning sexual health, alcohol and other drugs, and sexual assault and rape prevention. Her interests include reproductive health awareness and health education outreach to the college demographic.

(Date Added: August 27, 2008)

MIAEH has two new Graduate Research Assistants starting this week. Rachel Rosenberg will be working with Dr. Amy Sapkota on a survey on drug usage patterns in Nigeria, and Kristie Trousdale with Dr. Dabney on environmental links with Autism Spectrum Disorder. We are excited to have them with us, and wish them all the best for a successful career with MIAEH!

(Date Added: August 18, 2008)

Dr. Olivia Carter-Pokras and Ms. Sonja Williams of the Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, have been working with Washington Adventist Hospital's Center for Health Disparities, and Montgomery County Government's Latino Health Initiative to plan and conduct health care provider continuing education on national guidelines for the diagnosis and treatment of asthma and cultural competency. As part of this new initiative, continuing education sessions were held for personnel of Washington Adventist Hospital's emergency department in June 2008--WAH in Action: Helping Others Breathe Better. New discharge instructions and a resource guide were developed to assist providers and their patients. The team continues to monitor the impact of the training, and implementation of the asthma guidelines at Washington Adventist Hospital, and plans expansion of the continuing education program. Dr. Carter-Pokras and Ms. Williams gratefully acknowledge support from the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute and the University of Maryland College Park School of Public Health for their involvement in the project. Press coverage of the initiative can be found here:

MetroLatino (Spanish): http://www.metrolatinousa.com/article.cfm?articleID=42937

Channel 9 News

(Date Added: August 15, 2008)

Spanish media article on our asthma emergency department project with Washington Adventist Hospital and the Latino Health Initiative of Montgomery County:

http://www.metrolatinousa.com/article.cfm?articleID=42937

(Date Added: August 15, 2008)

The DC Examiner has an article about Sam Joseph accepting the position of Director of the Maryland Institute for Applied Environmental Health. He is quoted there, "I think there's much more concern about environmental issues. It has captured the imagination of the American Public."

To check out the article, go to the related link below and then go to page 10.

(Date Added: August 15, 2008)

Lindsay Wohlers, graduate student iin exercise physiology, finished in 10:33 in the July 13th Ironman Switzerland. Her time placed her 22/279 females and 404/1940 overall (all finishers, males and females). Well done Lindsay.

(Date Added: August 14, 2008)

Dr. Sandra Hofferth, Professor of Family Science and Director of the Maryland Population Research Center, has been elected Vice-President Elect of the Population Association of America (PAA). The term of Vice President Elect begins in January 2009; Dr. Hofferth will become Vice President in January 2010.

The PAA is a scientific organization of professionals working in the population field to promote research and education on population issues. Dr. Hofferth works with the PAA using quantitative and qualitative data to research problems within the human population and to disseminate these results through a variety of national venues.

(Date Added: August 08, 2008)

Regina Davis, a Ph.D. student in Family Science's Maternal and Child Health program, was recently awarded a 2008-2009 Tylenol Scholarship. This scholarship program, now in its 16th year, presents scholarships to university students who are pursuing health-related careers and who demonstrate exceptional academic performance and outstanding leadership of community and school activities. Regina is now serving as the program manager for the Black Entertainment Television (BET) Foundation's Health Education and Active Learning (H.E.A.L.) Academy, which will launch an after-school health education program for African-American girls in Baltimore's Park Heights community this fall. A partnership of BET and the Aetna Foundation, this multi-level, interactive intervention will teach girls ages 10-18 to make healthy lifestyle choices and empower them to become active health advocates for policy changes in their schools, neighborhoods, and families. The program will include comprehensive physical activity and nutrition education sessions, an innovative educational web site, local obesity prevention public service announcements, and activities for advocating change in public policy.

(Date Added: August 07, 2008)

Hitting the $535 million mark this summer, alumni and friends have invested more than a half a billion dollars in our $1 billion campaign. Support is creating a new reality for students and faculty who will use scholarships, technology, innovative programming and top-tier facilities to make Maryland synonymous with excellence in higher education. Read more about the latest campaign news and learn how you can help Maryland achieve its great expectations.

(Date Added: July 30, 2008)

SUNY Cortland has appointed Philip J. Buckenmeyer of Liverpool, N.Y., as chair of the Kinesiology department in the School of Professional Studies.

Buckenmeyer received his doctorate in exercise physiology from the Kinesiology department at the University of Maryland where he also minored in biochemistry, biomechanics and statistics.

Buckenmeyer, an associate professor of kinesiology who has served SUNY for six years, began his duties on June 30. He frequently presents on topics including childhood obesity, cardiac rehabilitation, wellness, exercise and women's health at professional conferences and public forums. He is the author or co-author of many peer-reviewed journal articles, book chapters and reviews.

Buckenmeyer was included in the Spring 2007 Cambridge Who's Who Among Executives and Professionals "Honors Edition." In Fall 2006, he was recognized as a 25-year member in the American College of Sports Medicine. In Fall 2004, he received a SUNY Promising Inventor Award as a preliminary step to patenting two computer programs, the "K-6 Childhood Obesity Database" and "Interactive Fitness/Weight Control Videogame." His high school in Alexander, N.Y., named him to its 2003 Hall of Fame. The University of Akron presented him with its 1999-2000 Outstanding Researcher Award in the College of Education.

(Date Added: July 30, 2008)

The Latino Health Steering Committee is releasing the report, "Blueprint for Latino Health in Montgomery County, Maryland 2008-2012".

The article quotes Olivia Carter-Pokras discussing aspects of Latino Health, "The Latino community is vibrant, young and fast growing with an enormous capacity to enrich the county and strengthen basic institution."

Carter-Pokras added that the limited data available on the incidence and prevalence of disease among Latinos suggest that Latinos have higher rates of diseases that compromise health and quality of life, such as asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, HIV/AIDS, obesity, suicide and liver disease.

(Date Added: July 30, 2008)

Please welcome Sam Joseph as Director of the Maryland Institute for Applied Environmental Health.

Dr. Joseph has a BSA from the University of Florida, Gainesville in bacteriology and chemistry; MS and PhD from St. John's University in microbiology. Former Professor and Chair, Department of Cell Biology and Molecular Genetics (Microbiology), University of Maryland; Adjunct Professor, Department of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, UMB; and Former Director, Infectious Diseases Program, Naval Medical Research and Development Command, National Naval Medical Center, Bethesda, MD.

He has more than 120 refereed publications currently in press with six additional in preparation; and 15 books and chapters. He is a member of Sigma Xi; Elected Fellow, American Academy of Microbiology; Fellow, American Association for the Advancement of Science. Extensive contract and grant work with FDA, Naval Medical Research and Development Command; Agency for International Development; Agricultural Experiment Station; USDA; Maryland Department of the Environment.

(Date Added: July 21, 2008)

Zainab Okolo, a 2008 alumna of the Family Science undergraduate program, received the 2008 "Undergraduate Outstanding Student Paper Award" from the National Council on Family Relations (NCFR). This national honor recognizes Zainab's excellent study of the hunger and eating behaviors of 350 low-income, predominantly African American children and youth in Baltimore City. Her project has important implications for food and nutrition programs and public policy. Zainab will receive her award at NCFR's 2008 Annual Meeting in Little Rock in November. She will begin a graduate program in marriage and family therapy at Syracuse University this fall.

(Date Added: July 18, 2008)

Dr. Elaine Anderson and Dr. Bonnie Braun are collecting data this summer for their Rural Families Eat for Health project, funded by the Maryland Agricultural Extension Service. The two FMSC faculty members and graduate students Kate Speirs, Nicole Finkbeiner, and Patty Fanflick have been conducting interviews with mothers and grandmothers on the Eastern Shore and in Western Maryland to learn more about the eating habits of families with pre-school children. Of particular interest is their purchasing and preparation of fruits and vegetables. The researchers are partnering with Dr. Virginie Zoumenou in Cooperative Extension and her UMES students.

Findings will inform future development of nutrition education programming.

(Date Added: July 18, 2008)

Please welcome our new Student Services Advisor, Sandra Quinn.

Sandra works primarily with student athletes pursuing majors within the School of Public Health. She also coordinates freshmen and transfer orientation programs.

Sandra comes to UMD with an extensive background in academic advising and student services. She worked as an advisor and instructor at both Old Dominion University and Boise State University. Sandra is an alumna of Boise State University, where she earned a bachelor's degree in Finance and a master's degree in Education with an emphasis in Educational Technology.

(Date Added: July 18, 2008)

Dr. Cheng Shuang Ji, a 2007 graduate of the Family Science Ph.D. program, has accepted a position as a Research Instructor in the Department of Oncology at Georgetown University School of Medicine. She will be working with her mentor, Dr. Wenchi-Liang, on a NIH-funded project to promote communication between physicians and Chinese patients about colorectal cancer prevention. Dr. Ji has also worked with the District of Columbia Public Schools to increase Asian immigrant parents' contact with their children's schools. Her article, "Parental Involvement in Children's Education: An Exploratory Study of Urban Chinese Immigrant Families" (co-authored by Dr. Sally Koblinsky), was recently accepted for publication in the journal, Urban Education.

(Date Added: July 18, 2008)

It is with sadness that we announce that Emeritus Professor James H. Humphrey died July 11, 2008.

Dr. Humphrey an emeritus professor in the Kinesiology Department had moved to Livonia Michigan in recent years. He received his bachelor's degree from Denison University, his master's degree from Case Western Reserve University and his doctorate from Boston University. James taught at all educational levels from elementary school to the college graduate level. During WWII, James served as an Athletic Specialist at the Great Lakes Naval Training Center in Great Lakes, Illinois. He started his career as an assistant professor of physical education at Michigan State University. In 1953, he became as associate professor of physical education and health at the University of Maryland in College Park and was promoted to full professor in 1956. As a notable researcher and author, James was the recipient of numerous honors and awards during his career.

He is survived by his wife of 63 years, Frances, his daughter Joy Rose (Tim) and cousin, Hazeljean Adams. Memorial donations may be made to the James H. Humphrey Graduate Research Writing Award. Payable to UMCP Foundation and sent to Dr. Jane Clark, Department of Kinesiology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742-2611.

(Date Added: July 14, 2008)

Congratulations to Dr. Jaime Schultz for her selection as a campus CTE-Lilly Teaching Fellow.

This program provides the opportunity for up to ten faculty members from the College Park campus to meet regularly during the academic year to discuss and address important issues in undergraduate education. Dr. Schultz joins a distinguished group of campus faculty who have been Lilly Fellows including other faculty from the School of Public Health: Dr. Marvin Scott (Kinesiology) and Dr. Donna Howard (Public and Community Health).

(Date Added: July 13, 2008)

Dr. Sean Deeny, (PhD'05), received the Alzheimer's Association "Best Paper" for the New Investigator Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Award at the annual meeting of ICAD in Chicago this month. This award was in recognition of Dr.Deeny's paper in Biological Psychology "Exercise, APOE, and working memory: MEG and behavioral evidence for benefit of exercise in epsilon4 carriers." Other authors on the paper were: David Poeppel, Jo B. Zimmerman, Stephen M. Roth, Josef Brandauer,Sarah Witkowski, Joseph W. Hearn, Andrew T. Ludlowa, José L. Contreras-Vidal, Jason Brandt, and Bradley D. Hatfield

(Date Added: July 13, 2008)

Dr. Robin Sawyer, of the department of Public and Community Health, spoke yesterday on The Morning Show. The subject was "How can married couples keep the 'sizzle' in their sex life?". A couple spoke about having sex 101 days in a row and Robin was the sex expert for the show. His book, Sexpertise, was also shown.

(Date Added: July 01, 2008)

Jane Clark, professor and chair of Kinesiology, discusses her studies in posture control and balance in babies in Terp Magazine. "My research is focused on how the brain connects to the muscles to do the things we do almost automatically".

Dr. Clarks research focus is developmental motor control, motor development, and movement disorders.

Using a dynamic systems approach, Dr. Clark and her colleagues have demonstrated that the newly walking infants limbs, like those of the adult walker, act like coupled nonlinear limit cycle oscillators at both the intralimb and interlimb levels of coordination. Her current work examines the role of sensory information in the development of upright posture and locomotion in infants.

(Date Added: June 30, 2008)

Terp Magazine featured several Kinesiology professors on the story "Strong at Any Age". Dr. Jim Hagberg discusses his early work and the way that it directs his current research. Dr. Ben Hurley talks about gene combinations that affect muscle mass. Dr. Steven Roth looks into DNA changes that exercise brings about. Dr. John Jeka researches balance and aging. And Jo Zimmerman offers tips on keeping your brain and body young.

(Date Added: June 30, 2008)

Olivia Carter-Pokras of the Department of Epidemiology, is quoted in a Washington Post article "County Must Help Improve Latino Health".

Dr. Carter-Pokras has conducted health disparities research in the Federal government (21+ years) and academia (4+ years). Her research has mainly focused on the intersection of epidemiology and health policy to address Latino health and children's environmental health.

(Date Added: June 30, 2008)

Ndidi Amutah, FMSC Doctoral Student in Maternal and Child Health (MCH), was one of 40 professionals and doctoral students selected to complete the Maternal and Child Health Bureau (MCHB) and Center for Disease Control's (CDC) 2008 Training Course in MCH Epidemiology held in Chicago from June 2nd - 7th. This national program is aimed primarily at MCH professionals who have significant responsibility for collecting, processing, analyzing, and reporting maternal and child health data. The course combines an intensive five-day program of hands-on data analysis experience with continuing access to expert consultation through September 2008. Ms. Amutah received a scholarship to cover all expenses related to her training.

(Date Added: June 27, 2008)

Three Family Science undergraduates have been named Ronald E. McNair Post-Baccalaureate Achievement Program Scholars for 2008. The McNair program prepares undergraduate students from disadvantaged backgrounds for doctoral study by providing opportunities for research and scholarship. Rashida Ali-Mubarak, a first-year Scholar mentored by Dr. Kevin Roy and associate mentor Megan Fitzgerald, is examining ways to reduce food insecurity and improve nutritional outcomes among families participating in the WIC (Women, Infants, and Children) program. Sharelle Law, a first-year scholar mentored by Dr. Southerland in the McNair Program, is investigating how the mother-son relationship influences spousal relationships among African American men. Shauntia White (left), a first-year scholar mentored by Dr. Blanchard in the Psychology Department, is examining genetic and environmental factors in social anhedonia and schizophrenic-spectrum disorder. FMSC faculty member Dr. Kevin Roy is also mentoring Valencia Morton, a third-year scholar and Sociology major, who is exploring low-income young men's relationships with their nonresidential fathers over time.

(Date Added: June 27, 2008)

Congratulations to Trent Bradberry, doctoral student in Bioengineering working with Dr. Jose L. Contreras-Vidal, who was named a finalist in the student paper competition of the IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology. Trent's award winning paper is on "Decoding of hand and cursor kinematics from magnetoencephalographic signals during tool use."

(Date Added: June 19, 2008)

J. Corey Williams, Kinesiological Sciences Honors student (Class of '09) has been named as 2008-09 Merrill Presidential scholar. The Merrill Presidential Scholars Program honors the University of Maryland's most successful seniors and their designated University faculty and K-12 teachers for their mentorship. Corey named Dr. Steven Roth from the Department of Kinesiology as his UM mentor who most influenced him. Congratulations Corey. Well done!

(Date Added: June 14, 2008)

David Bates, Kinesiological Sciences Honors student (Class of '09), has been named as a Howard Hughes Medical Institute fellow. David is working this summer as an NIH intern and in the fall will return to work in Dr. Jae Shim's Neuromechanics Lab group. Congratulations, David.

(Date Added: June 14, 2008)

Dr. Seppo Iso-Ahola and his doctoral student, Jay Goldstein's research on soccer parents emotions before and after their child's game is featured on the MSNBC website. The article published in the June issue of the Journal of Applied and Social Psychology reports the results of questionnaires that measured, among other factors, stress and pressure, levels of anger and aggression and aspects of their personality related to "what makes them tick." The research focused on two personality types: control and autonomy orientations.

(Date Added: June 13, 2008)

On Monday, June 9, 2008 the Washington Post featured a story on the successful joint partnership between the University of Maryland School of Public Health with Seat Pleasant Maryland, a lower income community that understands health care disparity. As the Post notes, one of the keys to the program's success is that after approaching skeptical community leaders who had seen well-intentioned university programs come and go, our faculty and students remain committed to the program and the residents 10 years later. This program exemplifies our commitment to translating research into public health application. For the full story click below.

(Date Added: June 10, 2008)

From the School of Public Health Graduate Student Organization:

We would like to thank all of you who have submitted the survey, and remind those who have not done so that the deadline for all survey submission is June 30, 2008. We look forward to receiving additional surveys.

If you did not receive the survey, please contact us at umdsphgso@gmail.com

Erinna K. & Joanne P

_________________________________________________

This original message was sent to all graduate students on May 28, 2008:

Greetings,

Although it has been a long and arduous semester for all of us, we hope that the semester has faired well for everyone. We want to first thank those who came out to the first Graduate Student Organization (GSO) planning meeting back in April. Continuing in the same vein, we would like to further push forward in our goal for the formation of the GSO effective Fall 2008. Attached are the following:

1. Student interest survey

2. Minutes of April's meeting

3. Power point slides of April's meeting

We encourage graduate students of the School of Public Health to be fully engaged in this process. In order to meet the goals of the organization, we will be meeting over this summer break. Individuals interested in helping in this endeavor, please contact us at umdsphgso@gmail.com with your availabilities for this summer. As well, send survey responses, questions, and comments to the above contact.

We look forward to hearing back from you!!!

Erinna Kinney and Joanne Perodin

(Date Added: June 10, 2008)

Dr. Stephen Roth, a professor in the department of Kinesiology, was presented with the Leda Amick Wilson award at the Faculty Research retreat at the University Golf Course.

This award was established in 2003 to honor a former faculty member in Family Science who was an advocate for undergraduate students and mentoring their progress toward the completion of their degree requirements. It is presented to a faculty member who has done an outstanding job of mentoring students in the department or School.

Dr. Roth's areas of interest include understanding the role of genetic variation (and environmental interaction) in determining inter-individual differences in body composition, sarcopenia risk, exercise responses, and other health-related phenotypes.

(Date Added: June 06, 2008)

John Jeka, a professor the department of Kinesiology, received the Research and Development Award at the Faculty Research retreat. The award is presented to a faculty member who has been recognized for doing an outstanding job in research and/or development.

John Jeka studies the way the brain combines sensory information about the environment and one's own body movement to better understand patient populations with neurological disease and injury that lead to balance problems.

(Date Added: June 06, 2008)

Family Science welcomes Wen Ji, a transfer student from Prince Georges Community College (PGCC), to our department. Ms. Ji earned her Associates Degree in General Studies and will become a UMCP student in Fall 2008. Recently she received the "Transfer Academic Excellence Scholarship," a full-tuition award given to only 12 incoming, academically outstanding transfer students from Maryland community colleges. Originally from China, Ms. Ji came to the United States three years ago and has mastered the English language within this short time period. During her time at PGCC, Wen volunteered at the International Educational Center and was a student ambassador to the College's important guests and visitors. Upon graduation from Family Science, Wen is pursuing a career in Social Work, where she plans to work with new immigrant families and promote cultural competency and sensitivity! She is very active in her church community and enjoys reading for relaxation; she credits her success to her religious faith and her older sister, Amy. Family Science is proud to have Wen join us in the fall.

(Date Added: June 02, 2008)

Dr. Suzanne Randolph, Associate Professor in Family Science, accepted the Muriel R. Sloan Communtarian Award at the School of Public Health faculty retreat for her significant contributions to outreach programs in Maryland and its surrounding areas. Her outreach efforts involve the implementation of culturally appropriate programs to train and educate parents and early childhood educators on issues involving community violence and effective parenting, evaluation of a male caregiving advocacy support group, and evaluation of the Ward 8 Drug-Free Youth Coalition project. The Communitarian Award recognizes Muriel Sloan's desire to support faculty that assist in educating youth and families in public school systems.

(Date Added: May 28, 2008)

Dr. Sharon Desmond, Associate Professor of Public and Community Health, was awarded the Jerry P. Wrenn Outstanding Service Award. This award is presented to a faculty member who has demonstrated outstanding service in general and specifically to the University Community. Special attention is given to noteworthy advising at both the graduate and undergraduate levels and it is our highest award for service to students.

(Date Added: May 28, 2008)

Graduate students and faculty of the Department presented papers at this year's North American Society for Sport History (NASSH) held at Lake Placid, NY. Dr. Damion Thomas gave a paper on: "Spreading the Gospel of Democracy: The Harlem Globetrotters and the State Department. " Dr. Jaime Schultz's paper was on "The Physical is Political: Women's Suffrage, Pilgrim Hikes, and the Public Sphere." Three graduate students, Bryan Bracey, Jennifer Sterling, and Jessica Chin also gave papers at the conference.

(Date Added: May 27, 2008)

Dr. Damion Thomas gave a paper "Crossing the Picket Line: Arthur Ashe and the Anti-Apartheid Movement," at the "To Remember is to Resist: 40 Years of Sport and Social Change, 1968-2008" conference at the University of Toronto.

(Date Added: May 27, 2008)

Dr. Jose (Pepe) Contreras-Vidal has been invited to join the editorial board of the International Journal of Mobile Human Computer Interaction (IJMHCI). This journal brings together a comprehensive collection of research articles from international experts on the design, evaluation, and use of innovative handheld, mobile, and wearable technologies. The journal also considers issues associated with the social and/or organizational impacts of such technologies. Emerging theories, methods, and interaction designs are included and complemented with case studies which demonstrate the practical application of these new ideas.

(Date Added: May 27, 2008)

Dr. Bonnie Braun, Associate Professor and Extension Family Policy Specialist, Maryland Cooperative Extension was awarded the George F. Kramer "Practitioner of the Year" award at the faculty retreat. Dr. Braun's research efforts include family health policy, health and well-being of low-income rural families, food insecurity, and obesity.

This award was established in honor of Dr. George Kramer for his involvement with the University of Maryland and the College of Health and Human Performance from 1950 through 1998. During his 48 years on campus, he served as Student, Gymkana Performer, Full Professor, Acting Dean and directed and coached the Gymkana Troupe for 33 years. Dr. Kramer was a visionary who was instrumental in planning the Health and Human Performance Building and in developing this 20,000 square foot gymnasium into one of the best gymnastic teaching and training facilities in the nation.

(Date Added: May 27, 2008)

Dr. Donna Howard, Associate Professor for Public and Community Health, was given the Doris Sands "Excellent Teaching" award at the faculty retreat. This award is presented to a faculty member who has been evaluated by the department chair, peers and students as being an excellent teacher in his/her area of expertise.

Dr. Doris Sands was a renowned sexuality educator who was recognized for her tremendous teaching skills and ability to reach students.

(Date Added: May 27, 2008)

Eighty-four undergraduate students in the Department of Family Science graduated with their Bachelor of Science degrees this week. Students completed a rigorous family science curriculum that required each student to complete a small group, empirical research project and an intensive, semester-long internship in the human services. The graduating class of 2008 is distinguished by its scholarship, community service, and student leadership. Seniors were actively engaged in activities of the Maryland Council on Family Relations and Phi Upsilon Omicron (family science honorary) during the 2007-08 academic year. Graduates are heading off to a wide variety of graduate schools and the world of work. For example, this fall Mallory Hanfling will begin a graduate program in Social Work at the University of Pennsylvania, Zainab Okolo will be a graduate student in Marriage and Family Therapy at Syracuse University, and Katherine Hancock will start a graduate Nursing program at the University of Maryland, Baltimore.

Other graduates plan to begin full-time employment including Melba Malpass (pictured second from the left), who will work for the Department of Juvenile Services with the State of Maryland and Jasmine Foreman, who has accepted a legal assistant position with the legal offices of Wiley Rein in Washington, DC. Heartfelt congratulations to all our graduates! We wish you success and happiness in all your future endeavors and hope that you will stay in touch!

(Date Added: May 23, 2008)

Family Science Ph.D. candidate Wakina Scott has been awarded a 2008-09 Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education (ORISE) Research Fellowship with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Her dual appointment with the Office of the Secretary and Office of Minority Health will allow her to work on a variety of health issues addressing health disparities and health equity. This prestigious fellowship recognizes Wakina's outstanding academic achievements and excellent contributions to family science and public health, and will support Wakina's dissertation study during the 2008-09 academic year. Wakina's doctoral dissertation examines socio-cultural determinants of physical activity among African American and White female adolescents.

(Date Added: May 23, 2008)

We are pleased to announce the awardees of this year's Public Health Seed Money Research Program. The focus of this program is on stimulating multi- and inter-disciplinary research that has a high likelihood of increasing future external support for research. This year, junior investigators were the only ones eligible to serve as PIs.

The three projects selected for funding this year include:

PI: Amy J. Haufler: Collaborators: Jane Clark, Nathan Fox, Bradley Hatfield, John VanMeter

Title: Motor ability and the developing brain: Examination of neural tissue density employing the NIH MRI Normal Brain Development Database

A relationship between fitness and improvements in cognition across a range of ages has been established. Higher levels of physical activity and aerobic fitness appear to confer a particular benefit to neuro-anatomical areas which mediate executive processes and emotional regulation. Begin to examine physical activity's contribution of the developing brain by examining motor ability performance, executive function and brain tissue density using the unique NIH MRI database.

PI: Marcio Alves Oliveira: Collaborators: Jose Contreras-Vidal, Nathan Fox, Amanda Woodward

Title: Neural correlates of action understanding and production in infants

This project will collect pilot data to characterize a neural network, the so-called mirror neuron system (MNS), which is thought to be involved in action understanding and production. We will investigate electrophysiological correlates of MNS functioning in infants, and characterize its plasticity during early experience First found in monkey the MNS has created considerable excitement about how this system may underlie infants understanding of others actions, and lead to their ability to produce the same actions.

PI: Jessica M. Rath: Collaborators: Amy Haufler, Pamela Clark, Elbert Glover, Bradley Hatfield

Title: Physiologic impact of variation in pH of new smokeless, spitless tobacco products

Rates of cigarette smoking are declining, but smokeless use is increasing. This is a pilot study to provid data for an RFA to be announced in June. The study will determine if variation in the proportion of free-base nicotine in new smokeless, spitless tobacco products influences perceptions of the products, plasma nicotine boost, cardiovascular reactivity, and/or speed of nicotine delivery to the brain.

Please join me in congratulating the awardees!

(Date Added: May 23, 2008)

Dr. Jaime Schultz gave a paper at the conference: "To remember is to resist:"* 40 Years of Sport and Social Change, 1968-2008 University of Toronto. May 20-22. Uniting academy and practise - The Sport and Social Change Conference brings together academics and activists, practitioners and scholars from a variety of disciplines and perspectives whose research interests touch upon issues of sport and physical activity, human rights and social change.

(Date Added: May 22, 2008)

It was a great pleasure to participate at the University of Maryland Alumni Association's Ninth Annual Awards Gala on April 12th. We were delighted to honor Kevin Clair in a room full of family and friends.

Kevin M. Clair, M.S., M.A., FAWHP, is co-owner and President of the Health Solutions group of companies. The Health Solutions companies deliver worksite health services in all 50 states, conducting health risk screenings and providing health risk reduction programs. Health Solutions was founded in 1991 by Bill Clair, Kevin's brother, and Kevin joined the organization in 1994. Programs served by Health Solutions have received national recognition including the C. Everett Koop National Health Award granted by The Health Project at Stanford University. Previously, Mr. Clair managed a variety of outpatient services and affiliated enterprises for several hospital systems. He was recognized as a Fellow of the Association for Worksite Health Promotion. Mr. Clair's writings, which have focused on the design and financial management of health promotion programs, have been published in North America and Europe.

Mr. Clair earned a B.S., Magna Cum Laude, from the University of Maryland in 1982, receiving the Fraley Award, which honors the most outstanding graduating senior in the School of Public Health.

As always, we encourage you to nominate alumni for the Alumni Association's awards, in addition to honoring your own alumnus of the year.

(Date Added: May 21, 2008)

Four student from the School of Public Health are recipients of Graduate Student Summer Research Fellowships for summer 2008.

Kinesiology is represented by Jaebum Park (advisor: Jae Shim) and Xihe Zhu (advisor: Ang Chen) and NACS is represented by Melissa Pangelinan (advisor: Jane Clark) and Yuanfen Zhang (advisor: John Jeka).

This is the pilot year for this fellowship program, a companion program to the Flagship Fellowships and the Wylie Dissertation Fellowships. Summer Research Fellowships are intended to provide support to doctoral students at "mid-career," that is, in the period approximately before, during, or after achievement of candidacy.

The Fellowships will enable doctoral students to devote a summer of focused work to preparing for or completing a benchmark in their program's requirements. The specific goal of the program is to help doctoral students take a significant step forward in their studies in a timely manner; the overall goals are to reduce time-to-degree, to increase degree completion, and to enhance the quality of the graduate student experience.

(Date Added: May 21, 2008)

Each semester Football Coach Ralph Friedgen and his wife, Gloria, our own Alumni Affairs and Outreach Coordinator, issue a CHALLENGE to all the grads. We ask that each one donate back to his department gift fund $5.00 (cash or check payable to UMCP Foundation - tax deductible!!). The Friedgens' match the gift.

This year's matching totals: FMSC -$50, KNES - $356, DPCH - $447, and PHED - $130.

We are very pleased by the generosity of our students in answering this challenge.

Check out the link for names and more photos!

(Date Added: May 20, 2008)

Judy Schinogle, Damion Thomas, and Guangyu Zhang on receipt of General Research Board and Creative and Performing Arts awards for academic year 2008-2009.

Congratulations to each and every one of these recipients. Well done.

"The General Research Board was created in 1957 to provide summer salaries, equipment and even publication costs ... Designed largely to promote research in the humanities and social sciences -- which did not share proportionately in the vast research contracts from government and industry -- the board sought to encourage promising young faculty members as well as established scholars."

(Date Added: May 16, 2008)

Congratulations to the following graduate students who call Kinesiology "home" -- they were each awarded a $5000 summer fellowship from the Graduate School.

Jaebum Park (Kinesiology; Advisor: Dr. Jae Shim) Xihe Zhu (Kinesiology; Advisor: Dr. Ang Chen) Melissa Pangelinan (NACS; Advisor: Dr. Jane Clark) Yuanfeng Zhang (NACS: Advisor: Dr. John Jeka)

WOW!!! WELL DONE ALL!!!

The Fellowships are intended to enable doctoral students to devote a summer of focused work to preparing for or completing a benchmark in their program's requirements. The specific goal of the program is to help doctoral students to take a significant step forward in their studies in a timely manner; the overall goals are to reduce time-to-degree, to increase degree completion, and to enhance the quality of the graduate student experience.

(Date Added: May 15, 2008)

Family Science is pleased to announce that Dr. Kevin Roy has been promoted to Associate Professor with tenure at UMCP. Since joining our department, Dr. Roy has been an outstanding teacher, scholar, mentor, and colleague. Currently a national W.T. Grant Scholar, much of his research focuses on low income fathers and the social policies that affect their lives. His work examines fathers' paternal identities, their relationships with their own fathers, and their patterns of involvement with their children and their children's mothers--identifying fathers' strengths as well as their challenges. Dr. Roy has made exceptional contributions to the family science instructional program through his teaching of our undergraduate course on Poverty and Affluence in Families and graduate courses in Family Theories and Qualitative Methods in Family and Health Research. He has earned a campus-wide reputation as a superior mentor; receiving the Ronald E. McNair Mentor of the Year Award in 2005 and 2007 and the School of Public Health Leda Amick Wilson Mentoring Award in 2006. Dr. Roy will continue to play an important role in our family science programs and in developing a top-ranked School of Public Health.

(Date Added: May 15, 2008)

On May 6th, the Washington Post published the article "Should You Trust Your Body Fat". Andy Ludlow was the primary advisor and offered many related comments. The reporter worked with Andy to understand and determine his own body fat. Finally, on video the reporter is put into a dunk tank to determine his body fat and Andy Ludlow further explains the process and results.

(Date Added: May 13, 2008)

Graduate student instructors Lisa Benson, Megan Fitzgerald, Elizabeth (Liz) Pollock, and Wakina Scott were selected as 2007-08 Distinguished Teaching Assistants by the Center for Teaching Excellence (CTE).

This prestigious award is given only to the top 10% of graduate student instructors, recognizing their excellent teaching and strong commitment to working with students in a professional and creative way. Lisa and Wakina have been instructors of our undergraduate course, Children in Families; Megan has taught Delivery of Human Services to Families; and Liz has been the instructor for the Individuals in Families course. All four Ph.D. students, who have been participants in FMSC's Preparing Future Faculty and Family Professionals program, will be honored by the CTE, the Office of Undergraduate Studies, and the Graduate School at the annual Distinguished Teaching Assistant Ceremony on Wednesday, May 14th at the Samuel Riggs IV Alumni Center.

(Date Added: May 13, 2008)

Kinesiology professor Bradley Hatfield uses advanced brain imaging to study the benefits of exercise on the aging brain. Early results show that moderate physical activity may help maintain memory function longer--maybe even for years--in people who are genetically predisposed to Alzheimer's disease.

(Date Added: May 08, 2008)

University researchers take on food safety - It's dinner time. Do you know where your food has been? If you're eating shrimp tonight, there's a 90 percent chance it was pulled from another country's waters and processed in a place where food safety might not have the priority it does in the United States.

(Date Added: May 08, 2008)

Dr. Robyn Zeiger, FMSC Senior Lecturer, has been named the recipient of the 2008 Lesbian and Gay Staff and Faculty Award, "Champion of Our Community." This honor recognizes Dr. Zeiger's outstanding contributions to the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender (LGBT) community. Dr. Zeiger has worked tirelessly to secure equal rights for LGBT individuals and families at both the university and state levels. She recently testified before the State Senate in support of domestic partnership benefits and civil marriage, describing her 25 year relationship with her partner, Dori Anne Steele. Dr. Zeiger will receive her award at the annual Lavendar Graduation on May 22, from 3:00 to 5:00 pm in the Stamp Student Union.

(Date Added: May 05, 2008)

Andrea Loreg, FMSC Couple and Family Therapy student, received the Scholars Foundation and Russ Griffith Memorial Scholarships from Datatel, Inc. These awards, totaling $3,600, recognize an outstanding student who returned to school after a five or more year absence. Andrea, a former Accountant, is finishing her first year in our clinical masters program. The awards recognize her academic excellence and contributions to the Family Science Department.

(Date Added: May 05, 2008)

HLTH 688C: Tobacco: an exemplar complex public health problem. (3 credits)

Mondays 4:00-6:45, Room SPH 0303, seats 8, Instructor: Clark, Pam

This is a seminar course that examines the complex problem of tobacco use. Lessons learned from tobacco control can be applied to addiction to other substances of abuse, as well as to other complex public health problems such as obesity. The class will be fully participatory in that both learning and teaching will be done by the group. The broad goal of the course is to take a transdisciplinary approach to understanding the social, biologic, economic, and genetic bases of tobacco use. The classic epidemiologic model of agent (tobacco products), host (smoker, chewer, involuntary smoker), vector (tobacco product manufacturers) and environment (cultural, political, economic, historical) will guide the exploration. A strong emphasis will be placed on enhancing your skills as a critical thinker, communicator and life-long learner.

(Date Added: May 05, 2008)

Davi Mázala (a Kinesiology major, pictured here) has been awarded a Senior Summer Scholar grant to work with Dr. Marcio Oliveira on "The effect of practice on grip-load force coordination in children with Developmental Coordination Disorder." Pallavi Nadendla, a Bioengineering senior, also was awarded a grant to work with Dr. Stephen Roth, a faculty member in Kinesiology. Pallavi's project will be on the "Influence of physical activity on hippocampus epigenetic regulation."

(Date Added: May 04, 2008)

Darryl Hill, who in 1963 became the first African-American football player at the University of Maryland and in the ACC, spoke in KNES 293 History of Sport in America (Instructor: Dr. Jaime Schultz). Mr. Hill, currently back on campus as the Director of Major Gifts in the Athletics Department, was the subject of a recent ESPN documentary, "BlackMan, White Field: Darrly Hill's Run to Victory."

(Date Added: May 04, 2008)

Today four students from the School of Public Health were inducted into Tau Sigma National Honor Society for transfer students. To be invited to join, students must have at least a 3.5 in their first semester at UMCP after attending another school for at least two semesters.

Kudos to:

Jennifer Drilea (HLTH)

Kelly Ringer (FMSC)

Ivan Ivovic (KNES)

Andrew Vaky (KNES)

(Date Added: April 29, 2008)

Congratulations to Dr. Amy Haufler. She has been awarded a CTE instructional improvement grant for her proposal, "Implementation of learning style methods to enhance student achievement in a cooperative learning environment."

This is great news! Amy will be working to implement these methods in our introductory Kinesiology course (KNES 200).

Well done, Amy!!

(Date Added: April 29, 2008)

Dr. Sandra Hofferth, Professor, has been named the Associate Director of the Maryland Population Research Center, a multidisciplinary center dedicated to population-related research. The Center brings together faculty and graduate students from multiple departments, including those in the School of Public Health, and is housed in the College of Behavioral and Social Sciences (BSOS) at UMCP. Dr. Hofferth has also been nominated to the Vice Presidency of the Population Association of America (PAA), an organization of professionals working in the population field. Dr. Hofferth works with the PAA using quantitative and qualitative data to research problems within the human population and to disseminate these results through a variety of national venues.

(Date Added: April 28, 2008)

Marriage and Family Therapy (MFT) faculty and students were actively involved in shaping State laws governing treatment of mental health problems. They testified for two bills which passed in the 2008 Maryland legislative session. One bill enables MFTs to seek emergency petitions for clients who need treatment in hospital facilities, keeping this critical treatment decision in the hands of mental health professionals rather than having to rely on the police force to determine the need for hospitalization. The second successful bill revised the state law that originally created professional licensing for MFTs and counselors, restructuring the Board of Professional Counselors and Therapists (BPCT) that oversees implementation of the licensing law. The BPCT will now have two additional MFT members, giving the profession a broader voice. MFTs are extremely grateful to Delegate James Hubbard (left), an outstanding advocate for Maryland families and a member of the School of Public Health Board of Visitors, for his sponsorship of the bills and unwavering encouragement in these efforts.

(Date Added: April 28, 2008)

Shauntia White, a Family Science junior and Hillman Entrepreneurs Scholar, is a member of one of two Hillman teams that are finalists in the 2008 University of Maryland Maryland Technology Enterprise Institute (MTECH) Business Plan Competition. Shauntia's group project proposes the creation of a new, high quality child care center on campus. The team developed an online needs assessment survey for faculty, staff, and students to assess their needs for child care for children birth through age 6. Shauntia and her team will present their proposal and survey findings at the final MTECH Business Plan competition on May 9, 2008. FMSC Chair Sally Koblinsky and Ph.D. student Kate Riera consulted with Shauntia's team in developing their project survey.

(Date Added: April 25, 2008)

Sherry Starr, Clinical Administrative Professional in the Center for Healthy Families, has completed 25 years of dedicated service with UMCP. Sherry helped to create the Center (formerly known as the Family Service Center) when she began her service with the University and has contributed to its growing impact over the years. The Center now provides couple and family therapy for more than 500 families annually, making it a major mental health service provider for families in Prince George's County and other nearby areas. In addition to her excellent administrative work, Sherry has been an outstanding advisor, mentor, and friend to hundreds of Couple and Family Therapy Master's students, motivating and helping them to become skilled family professionals. FMSC faculty, staff and students praise her numerous contributions to the Center's productivity, collegial spirit, and high morale.

(Date Added: April 25, 2008)

The Center for Civic Literacy in the Department of Health Services Administration conducted a Forum for fifteen civic leaders on Ethnic Tensions in the U.S.: How Can We Live and Work Together on April 23. Research from this forum will be used by the Kettering Foundation in its U.S. Russia 4th New Dartmouth Conference in later 2008. This Conference first met in October 1960 and is the longest continuous bilateral dialog among citizens of the Soviet Union, now Russia, and the United States. Sharon P. Simson, PhD and Doris Goodlett, MLS are co-directors of the Center for Civic Literacy, a component of the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute, UMD.

(Date Added: April 24, 2008)

Laura Evans (left) and Katie Hrapczynski, FMSC Marriage and Family Therapy students, received awards in the Human Behavior and the Cognitive Mind category at the UMCP 2008 Graduate Research Interaction Day (GRID). The campus-wide conference, held on on April 17th, is designed to highlight graduate student research. Both students presented posters. Katie's poster, "The Impact of Couples Therapy for Abusive Behavior on Partners' Negative Attributions about Each Other, Relationship Satisfaction, Communication Behavior, and Psychological Abuse," won second place, and Laura's poster, "Partner Positive Behavior and Recipient Satisfaction in Clinic Couples as Moderated by Attachment Style," won third place. Dr. Norman Epstein, FMSC Professor, served as both students' faculty research mentor.

(Date Added: April 23, 2008)

UM STAR (Summer Training and Research program) newly funded by NIH/NHLBI 10-week summer program for under-represented minorities undergraduate students proposing to pursue graduate degrees. Students in this program will receive stipends, housing, and extensive research experience and career development.

Congratulations to Drs. James Hagberg, Deborah Young, Kim Nickerson for their efforts in putting together this wonderful program and winning this award from NIH! Well done.

Interested in this program or know someone who might be: please contact Dr. James Hagberg, email: hagberg@umd.edu

(Date Added: April 23, 2008)

Three graduate students working in Kinesiology won awards at the 2008 campus-wide Graduate Research Interaction Day (GRID).

1st prize in the Health Theme went to Jo Zimmerman (advisor: B. Hatfield) for her paper on "Executive and memory performance are moderated by APOE and physical activity."

2nd place in that same category went to Anusha Venkatakrishnan (advisor: J. Contreras-Vidal) who present her work on "A case study of visuomotor adaptation of vertical handwriting size in individuals with Parkinson's Disease."

Trent Bradberry, a doctoral student in Bioengineering who is also advised by Dr. Contreras-Vidal was awarded 4th place in the Human Behavior and the Cognitive Mind theme for his paper on "Non-invasive neural decoding of hand movement." Congratulations to all.

Over 200 presenters participated in this year's GRID. Well done Kinesiology.

(Date Added: April 23, 2008)

Ndidi Amutah, FMSC Doctoral Student in Maternal and Child Health (MCH), has been selected as a Metropolitan Washington Public Health Association (MWPHA) Charles Hayman Memorial Scholarship recipient.

This award honors the legacy of Dr. Hayman, a founding member of MWPHA. Recognized as an emerging public health leader, Ndidi will use her scholarship to seek additional training in the field.

(Date Added: April 18, 2008)

Ph.D. Candidates Kate Riera, Katherine Speirs, and Colleen Vesely were chosen to receive a 2008-2009 Jewell L. Taylor National Graduate Fellowship for $5,000 from the American Association of Family and Consumer Sciences (AAFCS). This award recognizes their outstanding academic achievements and potential contributions to the family and consumer sciences profession. Kate Riera also received the Mary Faulkner Scholarship ($1,000) from the Maryland chapter of the AAFCS for excellent academic record, dedication to AAFCS, and potential to fulfill a leadership role within the organization.

(Date Added: April 18, 2008)

Dr. Elaine Anderson, FMSC Professor, received a Distinguished Service Award from the Society for the Psychological Study of Social Issues/SPSSI (Division 9 of the American Psychological Association). This honor recognizes Dr. Anderson for her scholarship and service in the areas of family and health policy. SPSSI expressed appreciation for her contributions to the continued growth and effectiveness of the society.

(Date Added: April 17, 2008)

Ashley Southard, FMSC doctoral candidate and Graduate Instructor, received the 2008 Academy of Academic Excellence Award from the Office of Multi-Ethnic Student Education. This award honors individuals who have made outstanding contributions to the academic excellence of multi-ethnic students. Ashley was nominated by a Family Science undergraduate student for her work in FMSC 332, Children in Families.

(Date Added: April 17, 2008)

Robert S. Gold, Dean of the School of Public Health, honored 14 undergraduate and 7 graduate students in the Department of Kinesiology at a Scholar's Dinner held on March 28. Sarah Tabia (KS, Dec '07) (pictured here with Dean Gold) was honored with the SPH Fraley, the highest academic honor the School confirms. Dean's Senior Scholars from the Department included: Michael Auriemma (also NASPE KS Major of the Year); Whitney Chapman, Sarah Friedman (Also NASPE PE Major of the Year and Love Scholar); Matthew Holz; Erin Howie; William Kool; Brian McCarty (also Quinn & Love Scholars); Shelly McDuff; Sarah Tabia; and Jennifer Thackston (also Quinn & Love Scholars). Also honored at the dinner were this year's Alice Morgan Love scholars: Daniel Beneditti, Nicholas Cometa, Erin Flynn, Timothy Lowe, Ralph Schwartback,Phillip Szumlaski, Alexander Theoharis, and Emily Trycinski.

The Dean's Graduate Scholar from Kinesiology was Sarah Witkowski (PhD student). Also honored were the Clarke Fellows: Callie Batts and Brad King; Phillips Dissertation Fellow: Jessica Chin; and, Humphrey Award winners: Jay Goldstein and Yuanfen Zhang.

To see the list of awardees, click here

For pictures of the event please see .....

(Date Added: April 13, 2008)

Kevin M. Clair, a Magna Cum Laude 1982 Kinesiological Sciences graduate and Fraley Award winner, has been named the School of Public Health 2008 Distinguished Alumnus. Mr. Clair is co-owner and President of Health Solutions which provides worksite health promotion services for employers and managed care plans nationwide, conducting health risk screenings and providing health risk reduction programs.

(Date Added: April 13, 2008)

Professor John Jeka has been invited to give a talk at Johns Hopkins University's Center for Hearing and Balance. On April 17, he will give a lecture on "Estimation and multisegment control of human posture."