Department of Global and Community Health

News

REMINDER - What Happens When Water Is Cleaner? Tracking Transitions in Global Health
November 2, 2009 - Dr. Kathryn Jacobsen will present this topic on November 9th at 7:00 pm in the Center for the Arts Concert Hall as part of the Provost's Vision Series.  Reserve your tickets today.

Increasing access to clean drinking water is one of the most important ways to reduce child mortality and to promote population health, but it is not as easy as just drilling new wells. Clean water alone does not necessarily improve child health unless it is accompanied by other interventions. Over time clean water opens up a new set of health concerns as immunity to waterborne infections drops and the risk of outbreaks rises. Using waterborne disease as an example, Jacobsen will describe the shifting mix of threats to community health that are occurring with development and globalization and will raise important questions about planning now for appropriate responses to anticipated health transitions.

International Lectures
October 29, 2009 - Prof. Carlos E. Sluzki conducted on October 16 a day-long seminar/workshop on  “Shame and Humiliation” at the  University of Athens Mental Health Research Institute, Athens, Greece; and, on October 20, another day-long seminar, this time on “Constructing and Deconstructing the Biopsychosocial Model,.” at the Department of Psychology, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy. Finally, on  October 24 he delivered a Keynote presentation on “Immigration and Family Conflict” at the VII Congress of the International Association of Systemic Mediators, Pontificial Universita’ San Tomasso d’Aquino, Rome, Italy.

GCH 583 - Food and Culture Class Field Trip
October 22, 2009 - On October 15, 2009, GCH 583 Food and Culture went to Smith Meadows Farm in Berryville, VA to explore local organic food production. They toured the farm, seeing first hand the conditions in which the cattle, poultry, and other livestock are raised. This gave an up-close understanding of current public health debates on local farming to the students.

Nutrition Education Program Battles Obesity in D.C. Schools:  Outcomes Update
October 19, 2009 - Dr. Lisa Pawlsoki and Dr. Jean Moore have designed and tested a nutrition education program called “Color My Pyramid” to teach students how to evaluate their dietary intake and activity level. The program incorporates the U.S. Department of Agriculture's MyPyramid.gov for Kids Blast-Off Game, an interactive computer game that allows kids to win by fueling their rocket with nutritious foods and a healthy level of physical activity. Read more in the Gazette.
 

GCH Faculty Participate in International Outreach
October 7, 2009 - On July 11 to 20 Carlos D. Sluzki, M.D., Professor at the Department of Global and Community Health (CHHS) was at Monrovia, Liberia, as part of a team organized jointly by George Mason University and the American Association of State Colleges and Universites, focused on training faculty at the University of Liberia. Jointly with Sandra Cheldelin, Professor at ICAR, they developed and carried on a week-long seminar on "Impact of Trauma", as a first step toward developing at that university - strongly decimated by their recent 12-year civil war, and serving an extremely traumatized population of students - a "Trauma Center", managed by their own local resources. Subsequent steps for this project will include the training of those resources - mainly faculty at that university - as well as providing know-how in firming up that center as a stable service and research component within the University of Liberia.

A Green Outing, part 2
September 18, 2009 - A second "green" outing took place on September 18th to follow-up on green alternatives.  This time GCH faculty and staff were joined by Dr. Jean Mielczarek, a GMU physicist, professor emerita,  and veteran bird watcher.  Much was learned regarding wind power (and birds). View pictures from the outing.

GCH Faculty featured on Channel 8
September 18, 2009 - Patrice Winter was featured in a Channel 8 news story regarding Mason's receipt of the AARP award for Best Employers for Workers Over 50.  This is the third year in which the AARP has acknowledged Mason in this national recognition program.  Read the article. Watch the video.

What Happens When Water Is Cleaner? Tracking Transitions in Global Health
September 16, 2009 - Dr. Kathryn Jacobsen will present this topic on November 9th at 7:00 pm in the Center for the Arts Concert Hall.  Reserve your tickets today.

Increasing access to clean drinking water is one of the most important ways to reduce child mortality and to promote population health, but it is not as easy as just drilling new wells. Clean water alone does not necessarily improve child health unless it is accompanied by other interventions. Over time clean water opens up a new set of health concerns as immunity to waterborne infections drops and the risk of outbreaks rises. Using waterborne disease as an example, Jacobsen will describe the shifting mix of threats to community health that are occurring with development and globalization and will raise important questions about planning now for appropriate responses to anticipated health transitions. 

A Green Outing
September 16, 2009 - Several faculty members met to consider "green" energy using only wind power (and just a bit of muscle power) to sail from belle haven marina across the river to national harbour.  Sailing is not only a commune with nature, but also a unique form of community, perhaps even a "Collegium of fellows."  More trips are anticipated.

Skipper Jim Metcalf reports that Drs. Cara Frankenfeld and Dewitt Webster were promoted in rank from "sailor apprentice" to "able sailor." View pictures of the outing.

GCH 2009 Welcome Back to Mason
August 31, 2009 - The Department of Global and Community Health kicked off the 2009-2010 academic year with a Welcome Back to Mason open house on August 31, 2009.  See flyer.  See pictures.

Archive of previous news items.

New Programs in Global and Community Health

Masters of Public Health

Master of Science in Global Health

Certificate in Global Health

Certificate in Epidemiology

Certificate in Nutrition

Certificate in Rehabilitation Science

Job Openings

Associate Professor of Nutrition
The Department of Global and Community Health invites applications for a tenure-track position in nutrition at the level of Associate Professor to begin August, 2009.  Successful candidates will bring an active research program which contributes to significant new developments in the discipline and whose interests complement the strengths and priorities of the Department of Global and Community Health including chronic disease and disability, global health, epidemiology, and community health.

Electronic submissions are required in order to apply for the position described below. Position Number: F6695z.

Read the full job description.

Important Announcement
MS in Health Science, Concentration Gerontology

The Department of Global and Community Health has suspended admission into the Gerontology Program indefinitely.  We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause you.

Although, the MS in Health Science, Concentration Gerontology degree program is "on-hold", students may still be able to enroll in the Graduate Certificate in Gerontology.  For more information on the gerontology certificate please contact Lisa Pawloski.

Student Quote
"We learn not only from the professors, but also from each other.  Everyone attracted to the program has traveled or lived elsewhere and has such a broad knowledge base to share."
--International Health Master's Student, Grace Breidy, quoted by The Mason Gazette.

Faculty Quote
"It's truly a rewarding experience to know that our graduates are working to improve health issues, and subsequently people's lives, all over the world."
--Dr. Lisa Pawloski, Department Chair, quoted by The Mason Gazette on the International Health Program.