SHE Brochure

Promoting Health and Well-being at the School of Health and Environment

From the Dean The School of Health and Environment is a unique and exciting combination of health professions, community health educators, and public health advocates — all interested in finding ways to advance the health of our region, nation and the world.

We’re excited about all the wonderful accomplishments from the School of Health and Environment and wanted to share a sampling of the good news and accomplishments of our students and faculty. Inside you’ll learn about activities across the school and the connections being made to promote healthier lifestyles and improve health outcomes.

We hope you’ll stay connected to us through our website and electronic newsletter. Let us hear from you about ways you would like to share with us: mentoring students, sharing job postings, speaking to classes or supporting us financially.

All would be welcome.

Shortie McKinney

Educating Tomorrow’s Leaders for a Healthier World

Students Shine at UMass Lowell

Bring Diversity to Nursing Program on Track With the help of federal and state grants, UMass Lowell is providing resources to help diverse students succeed in the nursing program. Twenty-eight students participate in the Bring Diversity to Nursing program that provides scholarships, equipment, tutoring and mentoring. To raise awareness of nursing as a profession, the Bring Diversity to Nursing team has conducted workshops with middle and high school students in Lowell and Lawrence.

“We need nurses who can effectively interact with patients across cultures to deliver the best care possible."

Prof. Karen Devereaux Melillo ’78, Chair of the Nursing Department

Exercise Physiology Students Win Jeopardy-style Quiz Competition The UMass Lowell Exercise Physiology team won the New England American College of Sports Medicine College Bowl Competition, beating 15 universities and colleges in New England. The competition, set up like the Jeopardy quiz show, tested the knowledge of undergraduate student teams on physiology, anatomy, nutrition and pathology. As difficult as the rapid-fire questions were, the UMass Lowell team members of Rachel DeBlois, Adam Potts, Connor Ryan and alternate team member Katelyn McMahon, all seniors, kept their cool and won.

“I credit this win to our professors, who prepared us, and the strength of our exercise physiology program. I sincerely mean it when I say that our class is an intelligent and driven bunch.”

Connor Ryan, Exercise Physiology Student

Educating Tomorrow’s Leaders for a Healthier World

New SHE Living Learning Community in Fox Hall Students who live with others who have similar career interests are more likely to graduate on time with higher grade point averages, according to research reports.

That’s the thinking behind UMass Lowell’s new Health and Environment Academic Living and Learning Community. The newly renovated Fox Hall offers students facultyled study sessions, tutoring services and computer labs – resources to help them succeed.

“With common academic goals, students can support each other and connect with faculty in a relaxed environment. Studies show that students who live and study together are more likely to graduate.”

Shortie McKinney, Dean of the School of Health and Environment

Making a Difference at the School of Health and Environment

New Environmental Health Program Fills Critical Need The Massachusetts Board of Higher Education approved a new Environmental Health bachelor of science degree program in the School of Health and Environment.

The one-of-a-kind program in the Northeast will begin September 2010, meeting a growing demand from the public health field. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that half of current environmental health practitioners will retire within the next 10 years.

“This new environmental health

Physical Therapy Students Screen Special Olympic Athletes at Competition Seventeen physical therapy students helped Special Olympics Massachusetts, an organization that offers a variety of Olympic type programs to enrich the lives of individuals with intellectual disabilities.

The students educated the Special Olympic athletes, families and coaches about improving function and performance at a recent competition. Students tested the athletes for flexibility, functional strength, balance and aerobic condition.

program will offer a new generation of students an opportunity to learn skills that will help them tackle the world’s toughest problems, many of which are preventable.”

“This event was a great opportunity for our students to gain real-world experience working with athletes and their families, helping them improve performance while staying healthy.”

Assoc. Prof. Joel Tickner ’01, Community Health and Sustainability Department

Asst. Prof. Deirdra Murphy ’00, Physical Therapy Department

Students Learn How to Reduce Injuries on the Job Back pain caused by transferring patients is the leading reason that nurses leave the profession prematurely. Improper handling can also injure and distress patients. With the help of $15,000 of donated equipment from Guldmann, Inc., UMass Lowell nursing students are learning how to safely care for patients right from the start of their careers to reduce injuries on the job. The company has provided a ceiling hoist system that serves two hospital beds and a mobile lifter for patients.

“The new equipment will be essential in the educational preparation of safe patient handling for the nursing students.”

Prof. Karen Devereaux Melillo ’78, Chair of the Nursing Department

Stay Connected – Sign up for the SHE Newsletter at www.uml.edu/SHE

Helping Communities Through Education and Outreach

Nursing Students Without Borders Learn the Power of Prevention in Ghana, Africa Ten nursing seniors traveled to Ghana, Africa during winter break with Asst.

Prof. Valerie King to provide care to the people of the Kpando district. The Nursing Students Without Borders (NSWB) group brought 400 pounds of supplies and returned home with a renewed appreciation for the power of teaching and promoting good health.

“I now recognize that educating the nurses of Ghana is more important than any blood pressure clinic or day spent working in a hospital setting. While these interventions were important, it was in teaching our patients and colleagues that I think we made the greatest impact.”

Jody Roper, UMass Lowell Senior Nursing Student

Preventing Diabetes in Lowell Area Youth

Reducing Stress Key to Improving Health

Non-insulin-dependent diabetes is a disease that typically occurs in older adults but has recently shown a spike in younger individuals.

To help reverse this trend, UMass Lowell faculty and UMass Medical Center are developing nutrition and physical activity programs for children in the local area.

The researchers are collaborating with the Lowell Community Health Center and the Boys and Girls Club of Greater Lowell with the support of a $200,000 grant from the UMass President’s office.

A new Stress@Work web site available at www.uml.edu/jobstress, suggests ways for employees and employers to identify sources of stress to tackle issues head on for both health and financial reasons. Although being overworked is one cause of stress, the real culprits are when employees feel that they have little control and no support from their work environment. The site was created

by SHE’s Center for the Promotion of Health in the New England Workplace.

“A preventable disease that can have devastating consequences, diabetes can lead to impaired eyesight and kidney and nerve damage. We’re especially worried about young kids because the longer a person has diabetes, the greater the risk of complications throughout their lives.”

Prof. Garry Handelman, Clinical Laboratory and Nutritional Sciences Department

Educating Tomorrow’s Leaders for a Healthier World

“Stressful working conditions cannot only lead to heart disease and other chronic illnesses, they cost American companies more than $300 billion a year in health costs.

Assoc. Prof. Nicole Champagne, Community Health and Sustainability Department Photo above: Nicole Champagne, project manager Suzanne Nobrega and graduate student Julie Brodie.

Alumni Giving Back

Alumna Helps Spread the Word about Shortage of Medical Technologists

Healer of Boston Athletes Shares Words of Wisdom with Students

The shortage of skilled laboratory workers is a crisis in the making says Prof. Kay Doyle, Chair of Clinical Laboratory and Nutritional Sciences. Most high school students don’t learn about the profession until they’re in college but Sarah Roddy Themelis ‘04 is trying to change that. She raises awareness of the field of medical technology through job shadowing with high school students and teaching blood bank students during their rotations.

As a rehabilitation coordinator, physical therapist and athletic trainer for both the Red Sox and Bruins, Scott Waugh ’90 remembers his roots. During an on-campus discussion, he said he discovered the passion for his profession at UMass Lowell, thanks to the relationships he created as a student beginning with an internship as a student trainer at the Costello Gym.

Work Environment Department Alumni were on campus to join in the evaluation of a five-year renewal application for a $2,068,000 doctoral student grant from the U.S. National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH). NIOSH has funded a training program with the Department of Work Environment since 1990 in five-year cycles that has provided tuition and stipends to approximately 95 Work Environment graduate students.

“Twenty-three years ago, when I first came here, I sat in these same seats.

I made some strategic decisions back then that set some things in motion for me so that I can enjoy the success that I have now.”

“Our alumni keep us connected and relevant to the changing needs of the global economy. Their willingness to give back is tremendously gratifying.”

“I try to promote my career as much as possible. The job shortage not only affects me as a worker but it also affects me as a patient.”

Sarah Roddy Themelis ’04, Clinical Laboratory and Nutritional Sciences Alumna

Scott Waugh ’90, Physical Therapy Alumnus

Work Environment Alumni Evaluate Federal Grant

Prof. David Kriebel, Chair of the Work Environment Department

Stay Connected – Sign up for the SHE Newsletter at www.uml.edu/SHE

Outstanding Teaching Excellence

Kay Doyle Earns UMass President’s Public Service Award Prof. Kay Doyle grew up in a time when many women didn't attend college and even fewer pursued careers in the sciences. But from an early age, Kay was intrigued by science. It helped her find ways to make the world a better place.

She was recently recognized for enhancing lives through developing strong partnerships between science and people with the UMass President‘s Public Service award that honors faculty who have provided exemplary public service to the Commonwealth.

“My work in a public university is important to my life as an educator and member of this community, where I can make a difference in students’ lives.”

Prof. Kay Doyle ’77, Chair of Clinical Laboratory and Nutritional Sciences Department

Ken Geiser Awarded University Professorship

May Futrell Wins Living Legend Nursing Award

Known worldwide as a visionary environmental policy expert Prof.

Ken Geiser of Work Environment was awarded the honor of “University Professor,” the most esteemed title bestowed on a faculty member.

The honor is conferred specifically for excellence in teaching, research and service. Ken will deliver a University-wide lecture during each year of the three-year appointment.

He served as the director of the Toxics Use Reduction Institute at UMass Lowell from 1990 until 2003. He currently co-directs the University’s Lowell Center for Sustainable Production.

As an avid educator, researcher and author, May Futrell infused the study of gerontology into nursing degrees to improve health care for older adults.

To honor her legacy, the Massachusetts Association of Registered Nurses recently recognized May with the “Living Legend in Massachusetts Nursing Award.”

Among her many contributions to the field, May was the primary author for the text “Primary Health Care of the Older Adult,” a blueprint for master's level education for nurse practitioners in the area of gerontology.

“I always try to encourage my students to question what is given, to dream of better solutions, and to find in themselves the capacity to make a more just and sustainable world."

“I’ve known what I was meant to do in the world. And I’ve done it. And I’ll just keep doing whatever I can, as long as I can.”

Prof. Ken Geiser, Work Environment Department

Educating Tomorrow’s Leaders for a Healthier World

Prof. May Futrell, Emerita of UMass Lowell and Former Chair of the Nursing Department

National Academy of Sciences Names David Wegman Committee Chairman The National Academy of Sciences, whose members serve as advisers to the nation on science, engineering and medicine, named Prof. David Wegman chair of a new committee that will evaluate the grant selection process as well as the relevance and quality of funded research for the National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research.

The government institution awards more than $100 million annually in research and training grants to improve the lives of individuals with disabilities from birth through adulthood.

“It is an honor to be asked by the National Academy of Sciences to lead this effort to assess the quality and performance of grant projects.”

Prof. David Wegman, Emeritus of UMass Lowell and Former Dean

The Power of Possibility The Annual Campaign for UMass Lowell A HISTORY OF LEADERSHIP AND COLLABORATIVE INNOVATION The School of Health and Environment at UMass Lowell has a long tradition of excellence in a highly collaborative atmosphere within the School, across the University, and throughout Massachusetts and beyond. Today’s enormous health and environmental problems demand creative solutions. With hands-on learning, community programs, real-world research opportunities and top-notch faculty, the School helps students see how the power of collaboration can lead to excellence in prevention and treatment.

EDUCATING TOMORROW’S LEADERS THROUGH MEANINGFUL, SERVICE-FOCUSED EDUCATION Every day, SHE students are given educational opportunities that allow them to learn while accomplishing healthoriented community service. Physical Therapy students recently educated Special Olympic athletes, families and coaches about improving function and performance at a competition. Ten nursing seniors traveled to Ghana, Africa to provide care to the people of the Kpando district.

The Nursing Students Without Borders (NSWB) group brought 400 pounds of supplies and returned home with a renewed appreciation for the power of teaching and promoting good health.

SUSTAINING A FOUNDATION OF EXCELLENCE To sustain the School's excellence while embracing the changing needs of our students, community and world, we will begin offering this year the only Environmental Health bachelor of science degree program in the Northeast. We continue to attract the best faculty and students to all of the School's disciplines and equip them with what is needed to enable effective and meaningful education, service and research. Please join us in supporting this excellence.

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University of Massachusetts Lowell School of Health and Environment 3 Solomont Way, Suite One Lowell, MA 01854-5121

NONPROFIT ORG US POSTAGE

Help Students at the School of Health and Environment Gain a Deeper Knowledge Student Research: Many undergraduate students are eager to become involved with faculty research.

They become beginning apprentices in the quest to improve health. We are establishing a Student Research Scholarship Fund to assist these students with the expenses involved with conducting research.

Student Global Experiences: The world has become a smaller place over the past 25 years and our students are excited about learning more. Health professions students have a very tight curriculum due to all the information needed to be an effective practitioner. To give our students international experience without a long-term commitment, we are developing short-term experiences in various countries to help them understand health in a global context. Your contributions could assist students with the financial challenges world travel presents.

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Educating Tomorrow’s Leaders for a Healthier World

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