Read USF’s latest Coronavirus (COVID-19) updates.
Those in the USF community who have been on campus have been understandably concerned about how compliant students, faculty and staff would be with the university’s face mask mandate. To ensure constructive conflict engagement, Dean Donna Petersen helped develop the Respectful Responders program.

More than 25 years ago, APHA sponsored its first National Public Health Week to honor those working tirelessly (and often behind the scenes) to improve the public’s health. The COPH followed suit, recognizing their own hardworking students, faculty, alumni, staff and other professionals in the field with awards and accolades during the weeklong public health celebration.
The United States has recently seen a rise in attacks targeting the Asian community. While these attacks have been happening since the start of the pandemic, they are now receiving more coverage. An organization called Stop AAPI Hate reported on March 16 that there were 3,795 reported cases of anti-Asian hate crimes across the United States between March 19, 2020, and February 28, 2021.
USF College of Engineering Professor James Mihelcic was visiting Tamatave on the east coast of Madagascar to see the work some of his former graduate students were doing on water sanitation and hygiene. That’s where he stumbled upon local artisans building hand pumps used to access shallow groundwater.
Florida has experienced a relatively mild winter, which typically translates to more mosquitoes in the summer and more birds on which they can feast. If history repeats itself, it’s likely there will be an uptick in West Nile virus cases this year, especially in the outer fringes of the suburbs where much of the nighttime illumination emanates from the sky glow of nearby cities.
World Malaria Day is April 25.

With the support of a five-year, $4.86-million National Institutes of Health grant, Distinguished University/USF Health Professor John Adams, PhD, leads a team of international researchers focused on accelerating the discovery of a vaccine against Plasmodium vivax malaria, a major global health problem.

The Maternal and Child Health Student Organization at the COPH held its 12th annual symposium on March 4-5. The theme of this year’s event was “Creating a Better Tomorrow: Prioritizing the Global Strategy.” Sessions were divided into global strategy themes: survive, thrive and transform.
COPH Dean Donna Petersen is one of six women across Florida who earned the American Council of Education Women’s Network “She Stepped Up Award: Recognizing Extraordinary Leadership in Facing 2020’s Unprecedented Challenges.”
COPH alumnus Ruben Matos demonstrated unwavering determination from his early beginnings as a student in the COPH.
Class Notes

Eliza Carroll, MPH, is an epidemiologist with the Colorado Department of Health in Denver.
 
Rick Cocchieri, MHA, MPH, CPH, is a budget analyst and financial manager at Florida Department of Health- Hendry and Glades Counties in LaBelle, Fla.
 
Sabrina Reyna, BSHS, is the care coordinator at DACCO Behavioral Health in Tampa, Fla.
 
Ashley Souza, MPH, CPH, is the diagnostics manager with Task Force for Global Health in Decatur, Ga.

April 13-16 is Medical Genomics Awareness Week 

Three College of Public Health researchers break down the study of genomics, genomes, DNA and more. They talk about the role that genomes play in being healthy and why some people may be predispositioned to be sick.

Tune in to see how they apply genomics to make life better for people suffering from mental disorders and other illnesses. Then, apply to the University of South Florida and help advance the public's health!

Media Mentions

WFTV 9 - March 29, 2021

Tampa Bay Times - March 30, 2021

10 Tampa Bay - March 31, 2021

10 Tampa Bay - March 31, 2021

WTSP-TV Tampa-St. Petersburg - March 31, 2021

Fox 13 Tampa Bay - April 1, 2021

10 Tampa Bay - April 1, 2021

AP News - April 6, 2021

ABC Action News WFTS Tampa Bay - April 7, 2021

QuantaMagazine - April 8, 2021
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