11 minute read
Academia
Unsung health care professionals get top billing at knowledge–management event
BEHIND THE SCENES, INFORMATION MANAGERS WIELD DATA TO FIGHT COVID-19
DEBORAH SWAIN, PH.D. Associate professor/ conference chair Health care workers aren’t the only ones to respond when a new virus appears somewhere in the world. Researchers and medical professionals rely on information managers to capture and share new knowledge and information as it is discovered. From there, they use this data to work toward a cure.
The International Conference of Knowledge Management held Dec. 3-5, 2020, and hosted by NCCU’s School of Library and Information Sciences, drew attendees from around the world virtually to discuss current issues in the field.
W. Ed Hammond, Ph.D., a Duke University professor who originated foundational design and implementation strategies for electronic health records and standards, was the keynote speaker.
Hammond said there is still disconnection in data aggregation across health care sites and countries, with different systems and languages leading to misunderstandings and medical errors. This fragmented data makes addressing large-scale problems like a pandemic more difficult.
“We all need to speak the same language; we need to avoid ambiguity,” Hammond said.
He said major stakeholders in health care need quick, reliable data, and they rely on knowledge managers in ways that aren’t entirely transparent to the public.
Knowledge managers – also known as librarians – are trained in skills for collecting data from multiple resources on extensive topics, digitizing and organizing it, and making it accessible to researchers and others. That’s no small task, and there’s no single roadmap for the massive undertaking.
Health information was just one of the topics addressed as global scholars dedicated to streamlining information-sharing in health care and business took part in the 16th annual conference with the theme “Knowledge Commons in the City of Medicine.”
The conference also addressed subjects such as smart cities, social networking and intellectual capital.
Deborah Swain, Ph.D., conference chair and an NCCU associate professor, had hoped to showcase in-person what NCCU and Durham had to offer, but the conference was ultimately forced online due to COVID-19.
Yet the relevance of health care data management was not lost on those who attended, hailing from as far away as Bangladesh, Brazil, South Africa and Singapore.
Hammond warned attendees that Americans are overall less willing to participate in data sharing than some other members of the global community, and he urged his U.S. colleagues to encourage more openness.
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“Collaboration will bring us down the line much quicker,” he said.
If there is a silver lining to COVID-19, it’s the possibility of change to the clinical community and how that shift will positively affect the future of data and its use in health care, Hammond concluded.
BY ROBERT LEWIS '14
School of Education professors Peggy P. Whiting, Ed.D., and Regina Gavin Williams, Ph.D., were honored by the North Carolina Counseling Association (NCCA) on Feb. 25, 2021.
Whiting is a professor in the School of Education and serves as the Counselor Education Program coordinator. She received the NCCA Administrator of the Year award that recognizes a counselor-educator administrator who best advances the philosophy and objectives of the counseling profession.
Whiting has served in numerous positions in higher education and mental health counseling for more than 30 years and has been on NCCU’s faculty for the past 10 years. In 2016, Whiting was honored with the University of North Carolina Board of Governors Award for Excellence in Teaching.
Gavin Williams, assistant professor in the School of Education and the Higher Education Administration Program coordinator, was honored with the NCCA’s Devoted Service Award recognizing a professional who has excelled in leadership and service to NCCA and the counseling field.
Before joining NCCU in 2019, Gavin Williams served as an adjunct faculty member at the University of North Carolina at Pembroke and John Brown University. She was previously a director of Student Engagement and Diversity Affairs at NC State University.
She is a recent recipient of Chi Sigma Iota Honor Society International’s Distinguished Alumni Award.
PEGGY P. WHITING, ED.D. Coordinator Counselor Education Program
REGINA GAVIN WILLIAMS, PH.D. Coordinator Higher Education Administration Program
UN role allows kinesiology professor to preserve, promote international traditions
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(Pictured above) Archery, horse racing and wrestling are the three games that are played during the Nadaam festivals, which is celebrated in Mongolia each year starting July 11. HE HISTORY AND THE CULTURE OF A SPORT ARE KEYS TO ENGAGING FANS. They are part of what spurs us on to cheer the NCCU Eagles when they face their biggest rivals - like the N.C. A&T State University Aggies. Jerono P. Rotich, Ph.D., department chair and professor of Kinesiology and Recreation Administration at North Carolina Central University, is immersed in such issues through her role on a United Nations council dedicated to promoting and preserving traditional sports. “I’m from Kenya, and we want to promote our traditional sports and games so visitors feel more comfortable engaging in them, which brings unity and teaches about our culture,” Rotich said.
Rotich represents the United States on the International Council of Traditional Sports and Games’ Research and Publication Commission, which is responsible for ensuring that the cultural heritage of traditional games is broadened and recognized globally.
The council is part of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization Collective Consultation (UNESCO), an agency that seeks to build international peace through education, science and culture.
COVID-19 temporarily halted planned international visits with colleagues and dignitaries in other countries, Rotich said. During the pandemic, however, she took part in monthly Zoom meetings with United Nations participants. One online meeting she attended was hosted by Kazakhstan and Turkey to discuss publications and literature that promote JERONO P. ROTICH, PH.D. Chair and professor of Kinesiology and Recreation traditional sports and global awareness. Administration
Rotich hopes to leverage her experience to educate others about the differences and similarities exhibited between countries in appreciation of sports.
“In the spirit of health and wellness and promoting peace and unity, we want people to be confident in engaging in their traditional sports and games and others to be more engaged, especially now,” Rotich said.
The kinesiology professor is also co-authoring a book centered on achieving diversity and global awareness through traditional sports.
BY CHELSEA TAFT '21
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Camel racing is a traditional sport with origins in the desert culture of the Arabian Peninsula, North Africa, and the Middle East.
Photos by B. Chadraabal and courtesy of the International Council of Traditional Sports and Games.
An open-access handbook for curation of digital-born materials led to a national award for NCCU Assistant Professor Alexandra Chassanoff and co-author Colin Post.
The 2021 Preservation Publication Award was presented to Chassanoff and Post by the Society of American Archivists, who recognized it as an “outstanding published work related to archives preservation.”
Post is a faculty member at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, while Chassanoff teaches at NCCU's School of Library and Information Sciences.
The pair created the handbook, OSSArcFlow Guide to Documenting Born-Digital Archival Workflows, over the summer of 2020 to address the challenges of preserving information created and disseminated using online resources.
Digital Preservation Handbook Earns National Archivist Award
ALEXANDRA CHASSANOFF
Assistant professor
Library and Information Sciences “A good example is a communications department creating all sorts of documentation of things happening at the university,” Chassanoff said. “All that information used to be in print and get dropped off at the university archives. Now it’s mostly digital. Our guide can help archivists and librarians work with borndigital information at any institution or could be used by anyone needing to archive their personal digital files.” The guide outlines steps for creating workflows to handle borndigital archival materials, including selection, acquisition, accessibility and preservation using OSSArcFlow, an earlier project that analyzed digital preservation at a dozen institutions over three years. The Society of American Archivists called workflow implementation an “under-discussed element of digital preservation.” The guide, published by Educopia Institute, received support from the Institute for Museum and Library Services.
School of Business Unveils Cutting-edge Cybersecurity Lab
DEANNE CRANFORD-WESLEY Director, Cybersecurity Program School of Business
DONNA GRANT, PH.D. Chair, Computer Information Systems Program School of Business HE SCHOOL OF BUSINESS
recently launched a cybersecurity lab for information technology students.
The lab, which opened on October 20, 2020, is a response to the global need for increased cyber protection, particularly as more and more interactions and transactions are happening digitally.
“There have been more than three major hacks since the beginning of the year,” said Deanne CranfordWesley, director of the cybersecurity program. “The details are still unfolding, but what we do know is that we need to tighten up our cyber defense mandates and institute additional security protocols at private companies.”
The number of openings for cybersecurity specialists has grown by 350% since 2013 and is continuing to expand, said Donna Grant, Ph.D., chair of the Computer Information Systems program.
The worldwide information security market is expected to reach $170.4 billion in 2022, according to Gartner business research and advisory firm.
“Before organization can hire good talent, we must train students to become cybersecurity professionals,” Grant said.
Among recent cybersecurity hacks was disruption at a technology firm, Solar Winds, in December 2020, an attack on the Texas electricity grid in February 2021, and a ransomware assault on the Colonial gas pipeline that caused panic on the East Coast in May 2021. All three were linked to criminals in Russia, Cranford-Wesley said.
With incidents on the rise, the companies are eager to find knowledgeable, well-trained workers to serve in digital security positions, said School of Business Dean Anthony Nelson, Ph.D.
“At North Carolina Central University, with this new lab, we are well positioned to answer the call,” Nelson added.
Organizations concerned about the security of their online information can mitigate the risk by following best-practices for cyber security defense, such as creating secure passwords with two-step authorization requirements, Cranford-Wesley said.
BY KEISHA WILLIAMS
Breaking New Ground
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SCHOOL OF BUSINESS
Summer 2021 saw construction begin on a new School of Business at the northeastern edge of campus. The spacious building, set to open in fall 2022, will have innovative features, including a business incubator and live stock-trading room.
LAWSON STREET APARTMENTS
The new Lawson Street Residence Hall is expected to be move-in ready at the end of Fall 2021. The five-story structure can accommodate 406 students, as well as retail amenities on the ground floor.
COLLABORATIVE HUB
The 24/7 Collaborative Learning and Research Center will include a mix of study areas, multi-purpose rooms, retail space, and an inviting indoor-outdoor lounge. Construction is set to start in early 2022 at the corner of Fayetteville and Lawson streets.
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TIKTOK EMPOWERS NCCU WITH $1 MILLION GIFT
TIKTOK, a leading app for short-form mobile video, awarded $1 million to assist students pursuing degrees in health care. The donation was one of 10 across the country given to academic institutions that train public health workers and other medical and health care personnel where enrollment includes a significant number of underrepresented students.
TikTok announced its commitment to supporting the health care workers in early 2021 with creation of a $150 million Health Heroes Relief Fund.
The recent scholarship program focuses on individuals from underrepresented groups studying medicine, science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) and who are planning to enter careers in medicine, science, biotechnology and pharmaceutical industries.
“Health care workers are the heroes of the global pandemic,” said Belinda Frazier, head of Culture and Diversity for TikTok North America.
“The TikTok Health Heroes Relief Fund was created to support their efforts, and we are honored to be able to continue our commitment to the health care community. We believe the next generation of health heroes should be reflective of the world around us, and we are proud to support medical and health education programs that serve Black, Latinx, and Indigenous students.”
Chancellor Johnson O. Akinleye said NCCU and TikTok share a commitment to inspiring creativity as a means of improving our society.
“This investment will ensure our students who aspire to serve on the front lines of care can complete their education and pursue solutions for some of the most challenging medical issues confronting our society, including COVID-19,” Akinleye said.
“NCCU graduates are leaders in the health sciences and provide valuable services to vulnerable citizens in North Carolina and around the country. We are grateful to TikTok for demonstrating the value of this critical workforce with a significant gift that furthers the education of healthcare professionals at our university.”
BY AYANA D. HERNANDEZ
