SPH CARES
CREATING A GLOCAL IMPACT
Dean
Ashish Joshi, PhD, MBBS, MPH
Communications Team
Meaghan Wolfe
Magdalena Reilly
Jennifer Christian Contact Us sphcommunications@memphis.edu
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ANNUAL REPORT | 2023-2024
University of Memphis School of Public Health
memphis.edu/publichealth
DEAN’S MESSAGE
As I complete my two years as Dean of the School of Public Health, I want to take this moment to thank all the faculty, staff, students, our alumni and community partners for their support toward the vision of making the University of Memphis School of Public Health as one of the most impactful schools of public health in the nation. Prior to my arrival, I had laid out an aspirational plan of making SPH a glocal (local and global) model that will be an engine of social, economic and health impact here in the City of Memphis, state and beyond. The goal is to make SPH a solution-centric school that will be an engine of social and economic growth for the overall good health and wellbeing of individuals, their families and the communities they live in.
The commitment is toward building an impactful School of Public Health that is Community-engaged, Anchor Institute, offering Research-based solutions, supporting Entrepreneurship and innovation while remaining Student-centric (CARES).
This past year has continued to be a period of unwavering commitment toward community engaged scholarship and impact, cross-institutional and cross-sector collaborations and partnerships, creating shared vision and goals, coordination among various stakeholders and ongoing robust communication. This annual report from August 2023-June 2024 highlights the many actions the school has taken and initiatives the school has launched to meet this goal and align itself with the overall strategic plan of the University of Memphis: ASCEND.
The school finalized its new strategic plan SPH CARES 2023-2028 and developed a new vision:
“To achieve excellence in public health education and research while promoting greater community impact in local, national and global settings.”
The School of Public Health is also a recipient of the prestigious ASPPH 2024 Harrison C. Spencer Award for its outstanding work in community engagement.
Additionally, the School of Public Health has launched the Nation’s first public health diplomacy lab and an inaugural public health diplomacy summit is planned for September 25-27, 2024 in collaboration with ASPPH and Global Network of Academic Public Health. Public health experts from more than a dozen countries will be coming to the University of Memphis School of Public Health to discuss key public health diplomacy curriculum competencies and resources to advance this field.
Over the last two years, SPH has shown nearly 18% increase in enrollment and has significantly expanded its research awards from $2 million to about $27 million.
I keenly look forward to another productive year of academic excellence, innovation, sustained growth, opportunity and success. I welcome innovative ideas and community partnerships that can help advance the School of Public Health toward becoming an engine of social, economic growth with a significant health and well-being impact on individuals, their families and the communities not only in Memphis but beyond.
I take this opportunity to share some of the notable milestones accomplished throughout the past year.
Ashish Joshi, PhD, MBBS, MPH Dean & Distinguished University Professor
2023-2024
KEY HIGHLIGHTS
Community Engagement
• Developed meaningful and impactful partnerships with Shelby County Health Department and established the first federally funded Center for Public Health Informatics, Data, Equity, Analytics and Systems in collaboration with Shelby County Health Department.
• Establishment of a second federally funded center by EPA “Memphis Climate Health Environmental Equity Research” in collaboration with eight other regional partners.
• Community partnerships were established with Juvenile and Criminal Court, neighborhood community centers, Veteran Affairs, Tennessee Department of Health and other community-based organizations.
Research Accomplishments
• Significant expansion of research portfolio from about $2 million two years ago to about $27 million at present.
• Created new Office of Research and Innovation with an appointment of new SPH Director of Research Dr. Maryam Karimi.
Entrepreneurship and Innovation
• Launched nation’s first public health dual enrollment program where high school students could take undergraduate public health coursework.
• First School of Public Health to establish Public Health clubs in high schools both here in Memphis and globally toward advancing good health and well-being among youth.
• SPH University of Memphis is now a United Nations Academic partner.
• Public Health in Action, a public health dual enrollment and an undergraduate experiential learning program approved by IEARN network will be available globally to students through IEARN network spread across 140 plus countries, 55,000 teachers and 2 million youth.
Student Centeredness
• Initiated for the first-time SPH scholarships for new incoming graduate students in public health and so far, 45 scholarships have been awarded.
• Offered each School of Public Health student a membership to the American Public Health Association.
• New Office of Experiential Learning and Career Services established at the School of Public Health to support students with their practicum, capstone,
HIGHLIGHTS
placements and job opportunities.
• Had our first public health internship and job fair with participation from 13 amazing community organizations.
• We have initiated interdisciplinary inaugural Doctoral Colloquium.
Expansion of Faculty and Student Resources
• We have also hired new staff to support our faculty and students with its newly created offices of recruitment and admissions, student engagement, experiential learning and career services, Office of Communication and Events and SPH facilities.
• The school hired 10 new faculty expanding its expertise across different areas of public health. We welcome our newest faculty additions: Dr. Ilias Kavouras, assistant dean of Academic Affairs, Dr. Angelia Sanders, division director of HSMP, Dr. Dale Sanders, MHA program director and professor in the Health Systems Management and Policy division, Dr. Maryam Karimi, the SPH director of research and an associate professor in the School of Public Health, Dr. Fanta Gutema, assistant professor of research in the School of Public Health and Dr. Alex Parkhouse, assistant professor in the Division of Social and Behavioral Sciences in the School of Public Health.
Alumni Engagement
• SPH Alumni network and a social media presence was established.
Recognizing Faculty, Staff and Students
• Initiated the inaugural SPH faculty, staff and student award.
“The goal is to make SPH a solution-centric school that will be an engine of social and economic growth for the overall good health and well-being of individuals, their families and the communities they live in.”
STRATEGIC PLAN 2023-2028
In a world of pressing health concerns, the University of Memphis School of Public Health is committed to addressing the newest challenges by conducting rigorous research, providing evidence-based solutions, promoting health equity and preparing world-class public health leaders to elevate the health of our communities, locally and globally.
VISION VALUES
To achieve excellence in public health education and research while promoting greater community impact in local, national and global settings.
MISSION (SPH-CARES)
To advance health and well-being of all populations while engaging Communities, and being an Anchor institute, offering innovative academic programs, driving Research-based solutions, supporting Entrepreneurship and innovation while remaining Student-centric (CARES).
We strive to adapt ourselves to changes in health needs and priorities of the population in a rapidly changing environment.
We advance diversity, equity and inclusion in our school’s culture and environment.
We define student success beyond earning an academic degree to encompass having a successful and impactful professional career in public health.
We create opportunities for cutting-edge, impactful research that expands the field of public health and responds to the needs of the community.
We aspire to become a trusted resource for public health needs of our local community, the residents of Tennessee and beyond.
We develop and maintain collaborations at the local, national and international levels for advancing health equity.
SPH GOAL 1
Increase awareness of the SPH’s unique value to help grow enrollment and increase access.
SPH GOAL 2
Encourage students to persevere and thrive in their educational experience and careers while creating a meaningful connection with the school.
SPH GOAL 3
Focus on student success and prepare students for the workforce through an innovative yet rigorous, practical, well- rounded and supportive academic experience.
SPH GOAL 4
Support impactful, interdisciplinary scholarship and research with world class infrastructure and researchers motivated to address local and global challenges.
SPH GOAL 5
Provide opportunities for personal growth and professional development while recognizing and rewarding excellence and success and cultivating a respectful and supportive culture.
SPH GOAL 6
Become an example of operational efficiency and effectiveness by creating and upholding high standards and expectations for resource utilization and accountability.
SPH GOAL 7
Increase valuable financial partnerships and improve resource allocation to promote growth through alignment of values, priorities and opportunities with application of best financial practices.
AGGRESSIVELY PROVIDE ACCESS CREATE OPPORTUNITIES TO SUCCEED
STRENGTHEN RESEARCH ENTERPRISE
RECRUIT, RETAIN, REWARD AND RECOGNIZE OUR PEOPLE
EXEMPLIFY OPERATIONAL EXCELLENCE
GENERATE AND STEWARD FINANCIAL RESOURCES
The School of Public Health Strategic Plan was created by a team of staff, faculty, students and alumni who offer extensive experience and perspectives from within their fields.
Scan here to read the full SPH Strategic Plan
Chair, Associate Professor, Division of Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Environmental Health
Abu Mohammed Naser Titu, PhD, MPH, MBBS
Assistant Professor, Division of Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Environmental Health
Pre-Award Coordinator
Co-Chair, Associate Professor, Division of Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Environmental Health
Satish Kedia, PhD, MPH, MS
Associate Dean, Administration & Faculty Affairs, Division of Social Behavioral Sciences
Assistant Professor, Division of Health Systems Management and Policy
Xinhua Yu, MD, PhD, MS
Associate Professor, Division of Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Environmental Health
Coordinator, Recruitment and Admissions
Marian Levy, DrPH, RD, FAND
Associate Dean, Office of the Dean, Professor, Division of Social and Behavioral Sciences
PLANNING TEAM
Fawaz Mzayek, MD, MPH, PhD
Makeda Marie Porter
Ayesha Mukhopadhyay, MBBS MBA MPH Doctoral Student
Asos Mahmood, MBChB, MPH, PhD SPH Alumnus
Meredith Ray, PhD
Courtnee Melton-Fant, PhD
Briana McNeil, MBA, M.Ed
LIFE AT SPH AT A GLANCE
This past year, the School of Public Health continues to evolve, engage and execute a variety of career orientated events, new degree programs, inviting guest speakers with insights into their field and offering new initiatives for its students, to say the least. The School of Public Health remains student-centric as it wraps up another school year exemplifying SPH-CARES.
INAUGURAL PUBLIC HEALTH
CAREER AND INTERNSHIP FAIR
The UofM School of Public Health (SPH) hosted its Inaugural Career and Internship Fair under the direction of Jamecia Richardson, coordinator of Experiential Learning and Career Services for the SPH. Later in the week, master’s students also attended an MPH Practicum Orientation session to gain insights into SPH practicum guidelines, eligibility and available resources.
Jamecia Richardson, Coordinator Office of Experiential Learning and Career Services
The Career and Internship Fair welcomed 50 students and 13 community partners who engaged with students and discussed potential opportunities, such as volunteering, internships and jobs to enhance their professional portfolios. These events showcased the support and opportunities by the SPH to elevate student success while enrolled in our programs.
“Students came prepared with resumes in professional attire and knowledge of how to network and participate in professional events like this from workshops such as the Pep Talk with the Dean, Professional Communication and Resume Building hosted by the SPH Office of Experiential Learning.”
-Jamecia Richardson, Coordinator Office of Experiential Learning and Career Services
Dean’s Faculty Mentorship Award
RISER funding is provided by the dean’s office in the School of Public Health to support early-career faculty to develop innovative research projects leading to the pursuit of scholarly publications and extramural research funding.
Faculty Award Recipients
Wei Lyu, PhD
Project Title: Effects of Community-based Dental Clinics Expansion on Access to Dental Care and Emergency Department Visits for Dental Conditions among Low-income Individuals.
Xichen Mou, PhD
Project Title: Advancing Pooled Data Analysis for Public Health Screening and Biomonitoring.
Abu Mohammed Naser Titu, PhD, MBBS
Project Title: Climate Change and Violence: Exploring the Relationship of Ambient Temperature with Mass Shootings, Fatal Police Encounters and Childhood Firearm Injuries.
Research Initiative Supporting Excellence in Early CareeR Development
Each RISER project is funded up to $7,500
INAUGURAL STUDENT, FACULTY AND STAFF AWARDS
STUDENT MERIT AWARDS
SPH Dean’s Awards are given to students, faculty and staff who contributed in the community settings of Memphis and beyond in the categories of: COMMUNITY SERVICE
Andrea Williams Stubbs
Chengzhou Wu
James Adefisoye
Clarion Harris
Aniya Bonds
Saloni Patel
The School of Public Health hosted the first Inaugural Award Ceremony to recognize great achievements.
FACULTY MERIT AWARDS
TEACHING
COMMUNITY SERVICE & COMMITMENT
STAFF MERIT AWARD
LEADERSHIP RESEARCH
Stella Dockery
Dr. Latrice Pichon
Dr. Chunrong Jia Dr. Xichen Mou
DEAN’S GRAND ROUNDS SERIES
SEPTEMBER | TOPIC
“Public Health Opportunities and Challenges”
Dr. Laura Magaña
President and CEO of the Association of Schools and Programs of Public Health (ASPPH). Magaña is also the founding President of the Global Network for Academic Public Health (GNAPH), an alliance of seven regional associations representing schools and programs of public health worldwide.
OCTOBER | TOPICS
“Peeling the Digital Onion: How the Modern Information Environment Affects Public Health”
Tina Purnat
Visiting Senior Scholar at the University of Memphis School of Public Health. Purnat has worked in Europe and globally for over 25 years in health information systems, digital health, data and analytics, infodemic management and pandemic preparedness, including for World Health Organization, European CDC, University of Munich, University of Illinois at Chicago and Oregon Health & Science University.
Elisabeth Wilhelm
Visiting Senior Scholar at the University of Memphis School of Public Health. Wilhelm has worked in the US and globally for over 15 years on health communication and social and behavior change programs, including for CDC, UNICEF and USAID.
“Interventions Related to HIV from a U.S. and Global Perspective”
Dr. Latrice Pichon | Moderator UOFM SPH | SBS Professor
Dr. Michelle Taylor | Memphis | Director and Health Officer, Shelby County Health Department. HIV Early Intervention Service
Dr. Derek Dangerfield | Maryland/DC Area | Prevention Scientist with expertise in HIV/STI prevention, social and behavioral science and life course theoretical approaches
Dr. Denis Nash | New York | Distinguished Professor, Executive Director, CUNY Institute for Implementation Science in Population Health. Former Director of HIV/AIDS Surveillance at the New York City Department of Health.
MARCH | TOPIC
“Public Health Opportunities and Challenges”
Dr. Marcella Wilson
CEO and founder of Transition To Success (TTS), a system of care that changes our understanding and treatment response to the condition of poverty. Wilson’s work and research has been showcased on CBS Evening News, The New York Times, cited in numerous journals and is recognized as a Clinton Global Initiative.
APRIL | TOPIC
“The Skin You’re In” | Racial Health Injustice Overcoming an American Crisis
Dr. Thomas LaVeist
LaVeist seeks to develop an orienting framework in the development of policy and interventions to address race disparities in health-related outcomes. Specific areas of expertise include U.S. health and social policy, the role of race in health research, social factors contributing to mortality, longevity and life expectancy, quantitative and demographic analysis and access and utilization of health services.
DOCTORAL STUDENT COLLOQUIUM
The School of Public Health hosts a monthly seminar series during the fall and spring semesters for doctoral students to share their research projects in a low-stress environment and receive feedback from both their peers and mentors within the SPH. The inaugural PhD Seminar was held in April 2024 and featured presentations from three students.
Student: Namuun Batbaatar
Presentation Topic: “Exposure to Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons Among Adults and Children: Contributions from Multiple Exposure Routes.”
Student: Chengzhou Wu
Presentation Topic: “Asthma Prediction Across Various Life Stages Through the Integration of Clinical and Epigenetic Risk Factors.”
Student: Kiran Kamble
Presentation Topic: “Emergency Department (ED) Payer-Type Variations in the Outcomes of an ED Visit Diagnosed with Pneumonia.”
CENTER FOR PH-IDEAS
Public Health-Informatics, Data, Equity, Analytics, Systems
The center brings together a multidisciplinary team with a wide range of expertise in public health research, practice and health informatics and data analysts, policymakers and evaluation experts along with co-participation of community-based organizations.
VISION: To empower, develop, and equip a resilient, diverse, and dynamic public health workforce capable of addressing current and emerging health challenges, fostering health equity and safeguarding the well-being of communities.
ACADEMIC COLLABORATORS
Christian Brothers University
Memphis Shelby County Schools
Lemoyne Owen College
Meharry Medical College
Rust College
UofM College of Communications and Fine Arts
UofM Loewenberg College of Nursing
MISSION: Advance public health through a trained and dedicated workforce with the essential knowledge and skills to respond to current and emerging public health needs.
COMMUNITY PARTNERS
MICAH Memphis
The Organizing Expert
Code Crew
Stand for Children
Whole Child Strategies
ECOP Economic Opportunities
Abyssinian Community Services
I. THE EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING PROGRAM
aims to strengthen the Public Health workforce pipeline by preparing ten high school students through a 240-hour hybrid program for future careers in Public Health after post-secondary school graduation.
Dr. Michelle Taylor (left) and Dean Ashish Joshi (right) with students who are participating in the inaugural experiential program.
COMPENSATION
Upon completion of the program and having turned in all assignments, students will be awarded a one-time stipend of $4,096.80 (minus any applicable taxes).
II. POPULATION HEALTH DATA ANALYTICS PROGRAM:
The goal of the Population Health Data Analytics Program is to undergraduate students with strong foundational knowledge and data analysis skills that can support their work within the field of population health.
III. SCHD EMPLOYEE SCHOLARS PROGRAM:
The Shelby County Health Department (SCHD) Employee Scholars Program aims to enhance Public Health competencies by offering opportunities for current SCHD staff to pursue graduate certificates and degrees in Public Health.
BENEFITS
Accepted employees receive tuition and $12,000 annually to mitigate for costs associated with returning to school.
STRUCTURE
• Flexibility in work schedules on class days.
• Employees take several classes together as a cohort.
• Having a dedicated space at the University of Memphis to study and complete assignments.
IV. CAPACITY BUILDING WORKSHOP OBJECTIVE: To determine whether emotional literacy, trauma-informed care and collective well-being intervention improved the health and economic outcomes of community members and Shelby County Health Department staff.
COMMUNITY WORKSHOPS
• Empower community members in Memphis.
SHELBY COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT EMPLOYEE WORKSHOPS:
• Augment professional development of Health Department employees.
The Center of PH-IDEAS conceptual framework will address the issues of health inequities through the lens of human-centered design approach combined with principles of learning, behavioral, humanistic theories and information processing theory focused on three key areas:
Workforce Development
Foundational Capabilities
Data Modernization
CENTER FOR MCHEER
Memphis Climate Health Environment Equity Research
MISSION:
The center will expand collaboration, build capacity and engage communities to conduct transdisciplinary and translational research addressing complex health impacts from climate change and environmental pollution on vulnerable populations in the greater Memphis area and beyond.
“Data and Impact Analysis for Greenwood Healthy Homes Production (GHHP) Grant Program”
Dr. Chunrong Jia was awarded a research contract of $42,000 from the City of Greenwood, Miss., with the U.S. Housing and Urban Development Department (HUD). This project titled: “Data and Impact Analysis for Greenwood Healthy Homes Production (GHHP) Grant Program,” will inform and allow refinement of GHHP throughout the grant period and demonstrate outputs, outcomes and impacts of GHHP overall. Dr. Naser Titu is the co-investigator of this project.
“Climate, Environmental and Energy Justice Research (CEEJR)”
Dr. Jia was awarded a grant of $5,000 from the 2023-2024 Communities of Research Scholars (CoRS) Program. Dr. Jia proposed to establish a “Climate, Environmental, and Energy Justice Research (CEEJR)” group at UofM. The long-term goal of CEEJR is to develop the research infrastructure, expand collaboration, build capacity and engage communities to conduct transdisciplinary and translational research addressing climate, environmental and energy justice issues with a focus on vulnerable populations in the Greater Memphis Area.
(top left) Dr. Jia presented REACT4EJ-TN to the Memphis community members.
(right) Dr. Jia and Blake Moseley met with Dr. Cliff Villa, Deputy Assistant Administrator for the U.S. EPA.
“REACT4EJ-TN is Serving Communities in Tennessee”
The Tennessee Office for REACT4EJ (REACT4EJ-TN), housed in the University of Memphis School of Public Health (UofM SPH), started its operations in December 2023.
REACT4EJ (Resource for Assistance and Community Training in Region 4 on Environmental Justice) serves as EPA Region 4’s Environmental Justice (EJ) Center. REACT4EJ-TN offers technical assistance (TA) to communities and community-based organizations in Tennessee to address EJ and energy justice issues.
REACT4EJ-TN is led by Dr. Chunrong Jia, Professor of Environmental Health in SPH. The co-investigators include Dr. Ashish Joshi (Dean and Professor, SPH), Dr. Arleen Hill (Chair and Professor, Earth Sciences) and Dr. Naser Titu (Assistant Professor, SPH). Blake Moseley (MPH student, SPH) is serving as the coordinator for REACT4EJ-TN.
“Presentation on Environmental Justice at UTHSC”
Dr. Jia gave a speech on “Environmental Disparities in Memphis” at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center (UTHSC) on April 10, 2024. Dr. Jia presented his series study that revealed environmental disparities in Memphis and how environmental disparities contributed to health disparities. The audience was a mixture of students, faculty and staff, most of whom are enrolled in the Co-Curricular Certificate on the Social Determinants of Health at UTHSC.
Jess Guthrie, Assistant Director of Leadership and Service at UTHSC, said, “This is an important subject that we have, so far, not touched upon in our series.”
Dr. Titu and Dr. Zhang were awarded a grant of $5,000 from the 2023-2024 Communities of Research Scholars (CoRS) Program titled as “An Eye Toward Cancer Development to Progression: The Role of Environmental Factors and Climate Change” with the collaboration of the West Cancer Center.
The project will preliminary data to evaluate the relationship of environmental factors (e.g., air particulate matter, nitrogen dioxide, ozone, sunlight intensity, sunshine, environmental justice indicators, greenspace) and climatic variables (e.g., ambient temperature, rainfall, humidity) that can be linked to lung cancer progression.
Dr. Titu submitted his first R01 project to the National Institute of Health (NIH) titled, “Ambient temperature and the effectiveness of antihypertensive medications on blood pressure control”.
This is a collaborative project between School of Public Health, University of Memphis, University of Tennessee Health Science Center (UTHSC) and Emory University.
Dr. Titu was awarded $2500 from the American Heart Association (AHA) to attend the Data Bootcamp to address cardiovascular disease disparity in the Southeast United States.
R15
project on Effect of Ambient Health and Meteorological Variable on Chronic Kidney Disease Progression among United States veterans.
We submitted the first-year report to NIH. We have worked on the exposure (e.g., temperature data) so far and have converted the gridded dataset in the zip code data. We will link this data with the VA data in years two and three that will come from the VA health system.
INAUGURAL ALUMNI NETWORK
This year is the inaugural program launch of the SPH M.A.T.C.H., Meet Alumni To Enhance Career Horizons. The SPH MATCH program is designed to connect alumni to students and alumni to other alumni for mentoring opportunities.
Alumni mentors find mentoring to be a rewarding experience that offers a sense of fulfillment and satisfaction personally, professionally academically to your alma mater. Mentoring enhances leadership skills, promotes career growth and creates legacy building.
By leveraging the wisdom and connections of alumni mentors, students gain a competitive edge in the job market and are better equipped to achieve their career aspirations and develop relationships with other public health professionals.
Alumni mentoring programs offer numerous benefits for both students and alumni, fostering personal and professional growth, networking opportunities and community engagement.
PEER MENTORING CIRCLES
MENTORING
“The SPH M.A.T.C.H. program is designed to connect alumni to students and alumni to other alumni for mentoring opportunities.”
PUBLIC HEALTH DIPLOMACY LAB
Health issues are becoming increasingly global in nature.
The world has become more interconnected and health issues such as pandemics, antimicrobial resistance, and the impact of climate change on health threatens the global population. COVID-19 pandemic highlighted inequalities particularly related to healthcare access and vaccination rates across diverse geographic settings and espe-
cially among populations living in under-resourced settings. This leads to calls for greater coordinated international diplomatic efforts and coordinated policy measures.
The proposed Public Health Diplomacy lab at SPH will focus on concepts and theories that can be applied at the intersection of international relations, global health and policy towards attaining Sustainable
Development Goals through understanding of broad stakeholder engagement, consensus building, negotiations and outcomes.
Public Health diplomacy lab at UofM SPH will bring together multiple stakeholders including governments, international organizations, non-governmental organizations and academic and research institutions.
It aims to:
ENHANCE POPULATION
HEALTH, IMPROVE COLLABORATION AND COORDINATION
among all actors to promote health and will support advancement of fair and equitable access to healthcare resources attaining equitable results,
enhance equality, good health and well-being.
“BRING TOGETHER MULTIPLE STAKEHOLDERS”
SCHOOL OF PUBLIC HEALTH | Community Partnerships
SHELBY COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT
Shelby County Health Department (SCHD) exists to promote and help others maintain a healthy lifestyle and environment, provide core public health services and strive to assure accessibility of personal health services for all within available resources.
Projected funded by SCHD:
COVID-19 Health Disparities in Communities that are at High-Risk and Underserved
Lead PI: Marian Levy
Field Validation Mini Thermal Desorption Samplers
Lead PI: Chunrong Jia
MEMPHIS & SHELBY COUNTY JUVENILE
COURT
The juvenile court delivers interventions that result in positive outcomes, addressing family matters with dignity and respect, while holding youth accountable in developmentally appropriate ways. MCSJC is committed to providing fair and effective justice for families and children, supporting a thriving community. Their youth court is a juvenile delinquency diversion and peer-justice program that works to destroy the damaged relationship between youthful offenders, their victims, families and the community.
Programs: Healthy Start works to improve health outcomes before, during and after pregnancy.
MEMPHIS SHELBY COUNTY SCHOOLS
MSCS is a public school district serving schools in Shelby County, Tennessee. It is the 23rd largest school district in the United States and the largest in Tennessee. MSCS directly operates optional and non-optional schools and oversees many charter schools.
• High School Students in 11th and 12th grades can participate in Dual Enrollment by taking college courses.
• Students participating in Public Health Clubs will be facilitated to come up with solutions to address common public health challenges in local and global settings.
MCFARLAND COMMUNITY CENTER
McFarland Community Center is a Center and Park in the heart of the Parkway Village neighborhood in Memphis, TN. The Parkway Village neighborhood is prone to violent crimes and high poverty. The community center provides a safe place for children and adults alike.
School of Public Health
Harrison C. Spencer
Award Recipient
“The University of Memphis (UofM) School of Public Health (SPH) has been tirelessly working to leverage our community’s rich heritage to uplift and unite our University, community and local stakeholders,” reflects Dean Joshi.
“Through our trusted and deep community partnerships with the Shelby County Health Department (SCHD), local hospitals, Memphis Veterans Healthcare, Memphis and Shelby County School System, Memphis and Shelby County Juvenile Courts and the City of Memphis, we aim to serve the growing public health needs of our highly vulnerable and impoverished communities.
“Our innovative approaches have demonstrably strengthened the public health workforce and helped develop and implement community-based solutions to promote health equity and social
justice in the area,” he added.
“With our various initiatives, the School of Public Health continues to grow as a community-engaged, impactful and innovative school of public health that strives to improve overall population health.”
“By working with the school system and various local organizations, the UofM SPH is tending to the future of public health in the community.”
The ASPPH Harrison C. Spencer Award for Outstanding Community Service was created to honor Dr. Spencer, who had a long-standing commitment to principles of social justice with a focus on community engagement to address the social determinants of health.
(left to right) Annette Brown, Dr. Satish Kedia, Dean Ashish Joshi, Dr. Nichole Saulsberry-Scarboro, Dr. Michelle Taylor, Dr. Marian Levy, Dr. Debra Bartelli, Aniya Bonds, Hannah Badley at the ASPPH Annual Meeting in Arlington, VA.
HCS Award celebration gathering of faculty, staff and students at the University of Memphis campus reception hall.
Celebrating along with Community Partners
PI (Principal Investigator) Millionaire Awards
Every year the University of Memphis celebrates those faculty who have attained $1 million or more as Principal Investigator on externally supported sponsored projects.
Class of 2024 PI Millionaires
Dr. Ashish Joshi, Dean and Distinguished University Professor
FY23 First-Time Principal Investigators
Dr. Ashish Joshi, Dean and Distinguished University Professor
University of Memphis RESEARCH AWARDS
FACULTY & STAFF
RESEARCH HIGHLIGHTS
Dr. Hongmei Zhang receives an R21 award
Dr. Hongmei Zhang, Professor of Biostatistics and Division Director, and her team received an R21 award from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) in the National Institutes of Health (NIH). The focus of the study is on epigenetic network clusters at birth and their association with asthma incidence.
In the US, 8% of adults and 7% of children (~25 million) have asthma, and asthma is the leading chronic disease in children. Detecting markers associated with the asthma incidence have a strong potential for asthma prediction and prevention. Currently studies focus on individual contributions of CpGs on asthma development, which takes a high risk of concluding incomplete and/or misleading findings. Such limitations have been widely agreed upon and
methods to address joint activities among genes have been proposed, including approaches to identify differentially methylated regions and those for detection of gene networks, but no methods available that address heterogeneity while building networks and thus substantially circumscribing the ability of disease prediction and prevention, due to potential reverse-causation on gene activities.
Dr. Zhang and her team proposed a statistical technique to detect distinct epigenetic networks (DENs) with each unique to a group of subjects via network clustering using epigenetic data (e.g., DNA methylation data; DNAm) before disease manifestation, e.g., at-birth DNAm and childhood asthma. They will evaluate the longitudinal association of DENs at birth with asthma incidence in children, post-adolescence, and young adulthood, assess the role of age, sex, and race in this association, and examine the benefit of evaluating joint rather than individual activities of CpGs on the risk of asthma incidence. At the University of Memphis, Dr. Yu (Joyce) Jiang, Associate Professor of Biostatistics, Dr. Xichen Mou, Assistant Professor of Biostatistics, and Dr. Bernie Daigle, Associate Professor of Biology, are co-investigators on this research project. Other collaborators are Dr. Hasan Arshad, Professor in Allergy and Clinical Immunology, and Dr. John Holloway, Professor in Allergy and Respiratory Genetics, at the University of Southampton in the United Kingdom.
Dr. Abu Mohammed Nasar Titu
Dr. Abu Mohammed Naser Titu’s salinity and heat research has been featured in the Friday, May 24, 2024, edition of The Guardian. The piece titled, “It’s in our rivers and in our cups. There’s
SCAN HERE FOR SPH RESEARCH PROJECT NEWS.
Dr. Matthew Smeltzer
Local online newspaper, Daily Memphian, featured an article written by Jane Roberts titled, “Gene Therapies Help Lung Cancer Victims - But Not if They Aren’t Tested.” In this article, the above-mentioned research from UofM SPH, Associate Professor
no escape: the deadly spread of salt water in Bangladesh” discusses kidney disease being on the rise in coastal communities of Bangladesh. Regarding this topic, Dr. Titu says, “Most people with CKD don’t even know they have it,” says Dr Abu Mohammed Naser, an environmental health professor at the University of Memphis. “Many miss early diagnosis, as often they don’t experience symptoms until the disease has already advanced considerably.”
Matthew Smeltzer, and Baptist Cancer Center is highlighted. The article addresses the inequity of biomarker testing for lung cancer patients, “Biomarker testing determines the presence of a particular protein or gene mutation in a person’s lung cancer. Research shows it can be a vital step in matching a patient to the right treatment.” When discussing inequities, Dr. Smeltzer says, “First of all, let’s make sure that we all agree we should be doing it, and that we’re all aware that it’s recommended. And then No. 2, let’s figure out how we can improve the process so that it always happens.”
SPH WELCOMES NEW HIRES
NEW FACULTY | 2023-2024
Ilias Kavouras | Professor and Assistant Dean, Academic Affairs
Shafi Bhuiyan | Assistant Professor and Coordinator, Undergraduate Programs
John Jefferies | Affiliate Research Professor
Angelia Sanders | Professor and Director, HSMP
Maryam Karimi | AssoCiate Professor and Director of Research
Fanta Gutema | Research Assistant Professor
Alex Parkhouse | Assistant Professor, SBS
NEW STAFF & ROLES | 2023-2024
Stella Dockery | Project Manager, PH-IDEAS (promoted from Coordinator)
Donny Ramier | Software Programmer, PH-IDEAS
Brenda Ballance | Research Associate, PH-IDEAS
Annette Rhodes | Financial Services Associate
Rebecca Kronenberg | Coordinator, Student Engagement and Advising
Jamecia Richardson | Coordinator, Experiential Learning and Career Services
Laura Granack | Administrative Associate II
Meaghan Wolfe | Coordinator, Communications and Events
Nyshi Taylor | Pre-Award Coordinator
Sarah Johnson | Communications and Events Associate
SPH NEW PROGRAMS
INCREASE IN ENROLLMENT INCREASE IN FULL-TIME EQUIVALENT
INCREASE IN ENROLLMENT OVER THE LAST 2 YEARS
SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENTS AVG.
MASTER
MASTER
MASTER
3.68
3.66 3.94
$24 MILLION $27 MILLION $6,580,058
(2023-2024) NEW AWARDS
CUMULATIVE FUNDED AWARDS
NEW RESEARCH AWARDS
GRANTED FOR FUNDING OVER THE LAST 2 YEARS
Membership to American Public Health Association (APHA) for all Public Health students
Scholarships for new, incoming students
Teaching assistantships for doctoral students
School of Public Health Student Ambassador Initiative
16 PhD Students
4 Student Ambassadors
ADVISORY BOARD DEAN’S
The purpose of the Dean’s Advisory Board is to support the Dean in its effort toward building University of Memphis School of Public Health as an impactful, community-engaged solution-centric anchor institute.
The board members will help the school to reach its maximum potential in public health innovations, providing highest level of education and workforce development, research and community engagement.
David L. Pool
Judge of Division 6 Criminal Court of Tennessee 30th Judicial District
Dr. Michelle Taylor
Director, Shelby County Health Department
Donna Fudale
Manager, Global Occupational Health Program, International Paper
Dr. Robin Womeodu
Chief Academic Officer, Methodist LeBonheur Healthcare
Scott Laster
CEO, Micare Path
Susan R. Cooper
Chief Integration Officer and Senior Vice President for Regional One Health in Memphis
Dr. Jan Young
Executive Director, The Assisi Foundation of Memphis, Inc
Janet Boscarino
Executive Director, Clean Memphis
Jill Turner
Chief Operating Officer, New Memphis
Dr. Stephanie Hill
Deputy CAO, Juvenile Court of Memphis and Shelby County
Steve Shular
Special Assistant to Mayor Paul Young
Dr. D.D. Sidhu
CEO and Medical Director, Senatobia & Desoto Children’s Clinics
The advisory members will help connect to community to raise SPH awareness, disseminate SPH efforts towards creating a meaningful community impact and garner philanthropic support.
12-MONTH SPH
SPH Strategic Plan
• Ensure successful implementation of the strategic plan SPH CARES 2023-2028.
Community Engagement
• Expand community capacity building through collaborative research centers developed in partnership with community partners.
Research Based Solutions
• Finalize structure of the newly established SPH Office of Research and Innovation.
• Identify SPH research priorities to expand and diversify grant funding opportunities.
Academic Innovation and Curriculum Excellence
• Review of the graduate level academic programs towards preparing a skilled and employment ready public health workforce.
• Develop an academic advisory committee to identify areas of curriculum enhancement.
• Develop a centralized data system that can guide evidence informed academic and administrative decision-making.
Alumni Engagement
• Strengthen SPH Alumni network through community events, networking and partnerships.
STRATEGIC PRIORITIES
• Launch SPH MATCH initiative (Meet Alumni To Enhance Career Horizons).
• Initiate Distinguished Alumni Awards across various categories: Research, Practice, Community Engagement and Public Health Leadership
Entrepreneurship and Innovation
• Expand model of public health education in high schools through academic excellence, innovation, and community outreach in local and global settings.
• Initiate public health diplomacy lab.
• Develop sustainability hub within SPH by bringing all university partners together contributing towards all 17 Sustainable Development Goals.
Student Centeredness
• Expand student scholarships and student experiential learning opportunities.
• Implement SPH wide digital portfolio of students.
• Continue to respond to student needs identified through ongoing periodic student surveys.
