USF College of Public Health Monday Letter, January 23

Read USF’s latest Coronavirus (COVID-19) updates.

Public health student finds a career in infection control

When Jennifer Davids graduated in 2019 with her bachelor’s degree in public health, she started work promoting a health screening program. Although she loved the people she was helping, she didn’t really feel fulfilled. What she wanted, she realized, was a boots-on-the-ground job in health care, fighting disease and infection.

Health + wellness coaching on a college campus—what’s the impact?

Drs. Rita DeBate and Jennifer Bleck, two USF College of Public Health professors, have received the American College of Lifestyle Medicine Research Award of Excellence.

MPH student educates pharmacists about opioid prescribing

MPH student Deborah Booth recently gave a presentation, held virtually in November, on opioid prescribing to the New Jersey Society of Health-System Pharmacists.

Public transportation agency sees boost in ridership following USF eye-tracking research

One of Florida’s largest passenger rail services is experiencing an increase in ridership – and leaders of a Florida Department of Transportation program attribute some of this success to guidance from an interdisciplinary team of researchers at USF who combined eye-tracking technology and social marketing to improve the impact of marketing campaigns.

Dr. Joe Bo hn honored by the

Pinellas Community Health Action Team

Dr. Joe Bohn received an outstanding honor in public health education and community engagement from the Pinellas Community Health Action Team.

USF researchers aim to address food insecurity post natural disasters using GIS

An interdisciplinary team of USF researchers is competing in stage 1 of the Civic Innovation Challenge for a potential award of up to $1 million to support implementation of “community-driven, research-based pilot projects that address mobility and resilience priorities.”

USF Research & Innovation, Florida High Tech Corridor invest in undergraduate research across USF

Through the newly formed Undergraduate Research Initiative, the Florida High Tech Corridor and USF Research & Innovation will deploy $110,000 to support undergraduate research opportunities across USF.

Class Notes

Natalie D. Hernandez, PhD, MPH, is an associate professor at Morehouse School of Medicine in Atlanta. She also serves as executive director of their Center for Maternal Health Equity.

Shabnam Mehra, PhD, MSPH, is the business intelligence and computer science department chair in the Associate in Science and Technical Programs at Hillsborough Community College, Ybor Campus in Tampa, Fla.

Amruta Mhashilkar, MD, PhD, MPH, MBA, is a group lead scientist at Catalent Pharma Solutions.

Danielle Rankin, PhD, MPH, CIC, is a health scientist with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Introducing the Center for Justice Research & Policy at the University of South Florida

Advocation - Change It Up! is a podcast from the University of South Florida College of Public Health's Activist Lab.

The host, Dr. Karen Liller, is joined each episode by a student co-host from the Activist Lab.

This episode focuses on the USF Center for Justice Research & Policy and features center leaders Drs. Bryanna Fox and Edelyn Verona, who discuss the development of the center, examples of programs, future directions, how to advocate for change and more!