Faculty/Staff Dean's Message
Our school’s location in the heart of Atlanta creates unparalleled opportunities for engagement with local and international communities. Our second annual Public Health Research Day, which will be held from 1 – 4:30 p.m. on April 17, will highlight how our faculty, staff and students are building and sustaining community partnerships that promote health equity.
Research Day will include a panel discussion on community engaged research featuring the SPH’s Lucy Popova, Ashli Owen-Smith and Christine Stauber. Importantly, members of the communities they are partnering with on research projects in Atlanta, Clarkston and Brazil will participate in the discussion. These projects exemplify how listening to community members to ensure that partnerships meet their specific needs and priorities lays the foundation for sustainable and impactful research.
The panel discussion will be moderated by Tabia Henry Akintobi, Associate Dean for Community Engagement at the Morehouse School of Medicine and principal investigator of its Prevention Research Center. Dr. Henry Akintobi also will deliver a Grand Rounds Lecture during Research Day titled “Principles, Values and Practices Advancing Community-Centered, Equity-Driven Public Health Research.”
In addition to creating opportunities for impactful research, community partnerships can create hands-on learning and applied practice experiences for students. Research Day will conclude with a poster session and reception that will give our students an invaluable opportunity to network with faculty and with each other as they hone their presentation skills.
Fostering partnerships with communities is one of the four broad goals of the Vision 2027 Strategic Plan that our school has adopted. I hope you’ll be able to attend this year’s Public Health Research Day and will encourage your students to do the same.
Working with each other and in partnership with communities, our school is making meaningful contributions to the health and well-being of local and global populations.
Sincerely,
Rodney Lyn, PhD, MS
Dean and Professor
As we continue to mourn the passing of Lynette Reid, who joined the SPH in 2014 and served as our Graduate Recruitment Manager, I have been spending a lot of time reflecting on the value of community and connection, both here within the School of Public Health and across campus.
Lynette was energetic, engaging and an invaluable member of the Office of Academic Assistance and School of Public Health community. In many instances, she was one of the first—if not the first—person from our school that prospective students met. We are honoring Lynette’s memory and her passion for students with the Lynette Forte Reid Memorial Scholarship in Public Health, which will support high-achieving, underrepresented MPH students. In addition, we are planning an on-campus remembrance ceremony that will bring students, faculty and staff together. Details on the event will be announced as soon as they become available. Because your health and well-being are important to me, I want to remind you that private and confidential counseling is available through employee wellness services. Please don’t hesitate to use their services during this difficult time.
Through actions large and small, our faculty and staff continue to foster a sense of community that enhances our school’s working and learning environment. The upcoming MeTa Series networking event, Grand Rounds Lectures and cross-campus collaborations noted in this newsletter are just a few examples of ways our school brings people together to advance public health.
An unwavering dedication to supporting our students and each other is one of the many things that sets our school apart, and I am grateful to each of you for the role you play in our community.
Sincerely,
Rodney Lyn, PhD, MS
Dean and Professor
Thanks to the dedication of our extraordinary faculty and staff, the School of Public Health is expanding educational opportunities for students while also engaging in impactful research and outreach.
At the undergraduate level, faculty and academic leaders are working to develop new concentrations for fall 2024 that will generate additional interest in our programs and better position students for careers in government agencies, businesses, health care facilities and non-profit organizations. At the graduate level, a certificate program in applied biostatistics that is planned for the fall will allow students from the SPH and across campus to get hands-on experience with advanced statistical software used in academic research and agencies such as the CDC. We’re also streamlining our applied practice experience requirements for MPH students to enable them to move more seamlessly from college to career.
Investments at the institutional level in faculty and facilities have led to surging levels of research productivity. The latest data from the National Science Foundation’s HERD survey shows a record of nearly $216 million in research expenditures in FY 22, which exceeds the record set in FY21 by $9 million. For the sixth consecutive year, Georgia State has been among the nation’s top 20% of institutions for research expenditures. Faculty in the SPH are contributing to this record growth through projects such as the CDC-funded Prevention Research Center, which is leveraging its research-based expertise to improve the mental health of refugees, immigrants and migrants across the state. Our statewide outreach also includes the work of units such as Prevent Child Abuse Georgia, which is housed in the SPH and has expanded its capacity and resources to strengthen and support families.
Over the past decade, our school has produced more than 2,000 engaged alumni and has made meaningful contributions to the health and well-being of populations here in Georgia and around the world. As we begin a new year, I’m inspired by this record of accomplishment and honored to have the opportunity to work with faculty, staff, alumni and other supporters to build on our school’s momentum.
Sincerely,
Rodney Lyn, PhD, MS
Dean and Professor
Our school has held several events this semester to commemorate the 10th anniversary of its founding, and I’ve enjoyed celebrating and reminiscing with members of our growing community. What is perhaps most exciting is the way that faculty, staff, alumni and other supporters are coming together to position our school for even higher levels of excellence and impact in the years ahead.
A time when our nation is seeking to rebuild a public health workforce that has been depleted in the wake of the pandemic, our school is exploring sustainable ways to attract more students to our programs and to ensure they are career ready after graduation. We’re taking a look at our program offerings and seeking ways to minimize barriers, financial and otherwise, that may prevent students from enrolling in or completing programs. At the departmental level, faculty and academic leaders are developing new concentrations and a certificate program to clearly convey the many opportunities that public health provides and to align more closely with evolving workforce needs.
These changes are being made in the context of an ambitious strategic plan that seeks to ensure that the curriculum across all of our degree programs promotes inclusivity and equity to eliminate health disparities. To advance this priority, our faculty are piloting a rubric that encourages them to reflect on the content of their courses and how well it aligns with the complex needs facing diverse local and global populations.
We’re also taking stock of our existing global collaborations and seeking ways to strengthen and expand them. Alumni from organizations such as the CDC and CARE recently visited campus to share their experiences in global health with students. This summer, our school will expand its study abroad offerings to include a course in South Africa.
Through our research and service, our school applies the expertise of our faculty and staff to urgent public health needs. This year marked the fourth consecutive year that sponsored funding for research and service has topped $15 million. Our $17.8 million total in fiscal year 23 represents a nearly 80% increase from the $10 million in sponsored funding just four years ago. This growth is a testament to the tenacity of our faculty in seeking funding opportunities and a reflection of the impact of their research and outreach.
Dedicated people who have devoted their careers to supporting students and improving the health of populations are the heart of our school. We are welcomed four new faculty members this academic year, and searches are underway for a Director of the Center for Leadership in Disability and for a tenure-track professor in the Department of Population Health Sciences. To better support our students, an additional staff position has been added to the Office of Applied Practice Experiences and Career Services.
There’s no doubt about it: Our school is making great strides in educating students, advancing research, and connecting with communities. Thanks to the hard work of our faculty, staff and academic leaders, we have momentum that we continue to build upon.
I look forward to sharing additional updates with you at our faculty/staff meeting on December 8, which will be followed by our annual holiday luncheon. We’re almost at the end of another semester, and I thank you for helping make it such a successful and memorable one.
Sincerely,
Rodney Lyn, PhD, MS
Dean and Professor
In conjunction with the APHA Annual Meeting in Atlanta next month, the School of Public Health will host a 10th Anniversary Homecoming Reception that will bring faculty, staff, doctoral students, alumni and supporters together to celebrate a decade of impact and engagement.
The reception, which will feature refreshments and heavy hors d'oeuvres, will be held from 6 – 8 p.m. on Monday, November 13 at the Georgia World Congress Center. Alumni from across the country who will be in Atlanta for the APHA will be in attendance, making this event an invaluable opportunity to reconnect with former students. You can register here, and I hope you’ll be able to attend.
As we look back on our school’s first decade, it’s clear that we have achieved a record of accomplishment that we can all be proud of. More than 2,000 SPH alumni are now making a difference in communities around the world, and our cumulative funding for research and service over the past decade is nearly $150 million. We are building on our successes with an ambitious strategic plan and work at the departmental level to create concentrations for our BSPH program and to grow enrollment in our graduate programs.
The strategic plan that our school has adopted for itself puts health equity at the core of our teaching, research and service. On November 16 our school will host the 2023 Kreuter Katz Lecture on Health Equity, which will feature the Acting Director of the CDC’s Office of Health Equity, Leandris Liburd. Dr. Liburd plays a critical leadership role in the CDC’s vision for health equity, and I encourage you to attend and to remind students about this opportunity.
In addition to highlighting upcoming events, this month’s edition of the faculty/staff newsletter features several examples of impactful collaborations, both within the School of Public Health and beyond. Events such as the Coffee and Connections faculty/staff networking event on November 7 and the recent designation of Tuesday as a common in-office day for staff are part of a broader effort to advance our school’s priorities around belonging, inclusion and community-building.
Our school has accomplished so much over the past decade, and I’m convinced that the best is yet to come. Thank you for contributing to our school’s growing impact, and I look forward to seeing you at one or more of the SPH's events in November.
Sincerely,
Rodney Lyn, PhD, MS
Dean and Professor
Achieving the milestone of 10 years of impact and excellence in the School of Public Health has been a team effort that would not have been possible without the dedication of the school’s extraordinary faculty and staff. With that in mind, I’m excited to invite you to a 10th Anniversary Faculty/Staff Appreciation Event on October 13.
You can register here, and the event will include refreshments, activities, games and prizes. The Faculty/Staff Appreciation Event is part of a series of anniversary celebrations our school is hosting, and you can look back on our school’s history through the 10th Anniversary website that our communications team has created.
There are several additional opportunities to build community in the coming month, including a Coffee and Connections faculty/staff networking event on October 5. Now in its second year, Coffee and Connections is an informal gathering that creates opportunities to catch up with colleagues and to get to know faculty and staff from units across the SPH.
On October 18 the School of Public Health will host the 2023 John R. Lutzker Lecture, which will feature Shahla Alai-Rosales from the University of North Texas College of Health and Public Service. Her talk will provide an overview of practices that nurture joy in the lives of young children with autism, their families and their supporting professionals.
On October 19 our school will host its 11th “Meet and Talk” (MeTa) Series social mixer. This SPH tradition is an invaluable opportunity for students to connect with faculty in an informal setting and to network with alumni and other public health leaders. With several breakout panelists and presentations—plus food, fun, raffles and prizes—this event is not to be missed.
On October 24 our school will host a Grand Rounds Lecture featuring Ruth Shim, Associate Dean of Diverse and Inclusive Education at the University of California, Davis. Her lecture is titled “Dismantling Structural Racism in Public Health: Challenges and Opportunities.”
I hope that you’ll be able to attend several of these events and will encourage students to do so, as well.
Our school is a community of faculty, staff and students who are dedicated to advancing health equity, and we are at our best when we work together. Faculty and staff contributed nearly $5,700 to support scholarships, the SPH's general fund and its centers during this year’s Georgia State Day. Additional gifts from alumni and supporters such as the SPH Board of Advisors brought this year's Georgia State Day total to a phenomenal $25,000. Faculty, staff and students also generously contributed to a school supply drive organized by Dr. Elizabeth Armstrong-Mensah and her students after their study abroad in Ghana. It’s important to note that these efforts and the events mentioned above are accomplished in addition to the daily work of educating students and conducting impactful research and service.
As you can see, we have a lot to be thankful for and a lot to celebrate at the 10th Anniversary Faculty/Staff Appreciation Event on October 13. I hope to see you there!
Sincerely,
Rodney Lyn, PhD, MS
Dean and Professor
In addition to nearly 200 promising new students, this fall the School of Public Health is welcoming new departmental and school-level leaders, new faculty and new staff. We’re also celebrating the 10th anniversary of our school’s founding as we continue to make progress toward our Vision 2027 Strategic Plan.
As you may know, our school has been moving toward a model of greater departmental resources and autonomy. As part of this effort, the SPH’s departments recently appointed new program directors.
In the Department of Health Policy and Behavioral Sciences:
- Elizabeth Armstrong-Mensah has been named the department’s inaugural Director of the BSPH Program
- Ashli Owen-Smith has been named the department’s inaugural Director of the MPH Program
- Amanda Gilmore will continue to serve as the department’s Director of the Ph.D. Program
- Harry Heiman will continue to serve as the SPH’s Director of the DrPH Program
In the Department of Population Health Sciences:
- Roby Greenwald has been named the inaugural Director of the department's MPH Program and the SPH's Graduate Certificate Program
- Adrienne King has been named the department’s inaugural director of the BSPH Program
- Christine Stauber will continue to serve as the department's Associate Chair and Ph.D. Program Director
In addition, Clinical Associate Professor Sarah McCool has been appointed the SPH’s Director of Global Health Initiatives, a new leadership position reporting to the Dean that will support our Vision 2027 Strategic Plan priority initiative of identifying and promoting opportunities for international collaboration.
I am grateful to our faculty for taking on these leadership roles and know that they will contribute greatly to the growth and success of our school. I’m also excited to welcome seven new faculty and staff to the SPH. April Ballard, Zongshuan "Jack" Duan and Natasha Malmin have joined the Department of Population Health Sciences as Assistant Professors, while Anne Marie Schipani-McLaughlin has joined the Department of Health Policy and Behavioral Sciences as a Research Assistant Professor. Andrew Abrams has joined the Center for Leadership in Disability as an Operations Specialist, Mary Manchester has joined HPBS as a Research Coordinator and Raina Mitchell has joined the Dean's Office as an Executive Assistant.
The SPH will celebrate the 10th anniversary of its founding with a series of special events throughout this academic year. On Tuesday, September 12, we’ll host a 10th Anniversary Kick Off Celebration that will include brief remarks from President Blake, Provost Parsons-Pollard and founding Dean Michael Eriksen, plus plenty of time for socializing with faculty, staff, students, alumni and other supporters.
Each of us plays a vital role in advancing the School of Public Health and its teaching, research and service. Our school has so much to celebrate as we look back on past accomplishments and look forward to even higher levels of excellence and impact.
Sincerely,
Rodney Lyn, PhD, MS
Dean and Professor
I recently had the pleasure of attending commencement ceremonies that welcomed more than 100 BSPH, MPH and doctoral students into our school’s growing alumni network. It’s not uncommon for people to refer to the ceremonies as “graduation,” but Georgia State is intentional about referring to them as “commencement” ceremonies because they mark new beginnings.
The past academic year has seen several new beginnings in the School of Public Health, all of which are enhancing the learning environment for students and fostering connection within the school and beyond.
To give students and faculty opportunities to hear perspectives from a range of nationally recognized experts, the Georgia State SPH launched its Ground Rounds Lecture Series this year. This new lecture series complements the annual Kreuter Katz Lecture on Health Equity and the John R. Lutzker Lecture Series. In addition to delivering lectures on their areas of expertise, our invited guests often meet with small groups of students to discuss public health research, engagement and careers. All of the lectures are open to the public, and you can view recordings at the links above.
Georgia State’s status as one of America’s fastest-growing research institutions gives students tremendous opportunities to work on independent projects under the mentorship of SPH faculty. To give students opportunities to share their findings and gain experience discussing their work, last month our school held its inaugural Public Health Research Day, which drew more than 100 enthusiastic students, faculty and staff. We also recognized the academic achievements of our students and the role that the support of Dean’s Society members and other donors plays in transforming their lives through the inaugural Celebration of Student Excellence. Our school has laid the foundation for additional progress through curriculum revisions at the departmental level that center health equity, the recruitment of promising new faculty and ongoing work to foster an environment that enables each and every member of our community to thrive.
Over the summer semester, a number of our students will be studying abroad, completing their applied practice experiences or advancing their research projects. My leadership team and I will continue to make progress on the goals laid out in the SPH’s ambitious Vision 2027 Strategic Plan. We’re also planning several events for the fall that celebrate the 10th anniversary of our school’s founding. Just as with our commencement ceremonies, we’ll celebrate past accomplishments while looking forward to greater things.
Sincerely,
Rodney Lyn, PhD, MS
Dean and Professor
As Dean, I could not be prouder of the accomplishments of our faculty, staff and students this academic year. At our in-person faculty and staff meetings on Friday, I have the privilege of presenting awards to several outstanding members of our community and recognizing those who have received institutional honors.
You can learn more about the School of Public Health’s 2023 faculty and staff honorees on this page. I want to emphasize how grateful I am to all of this year’s winners for their dedication to our school. I also want to recognize the faculty and staff who took the time to nominate their colleagues for recognition this year, as well as the members of the selection committees who carefully reviewed the nominations and had to make some very difficult decisions. All faculty and staff are invited to a celebration that will be held on Friday from 5 – 7 p.m. at the New Realm Brewing Co., along Atlanta’s Eastside Beltline Trail. You can register here.
To recognize academic excellence among students and the transformative role that scholarships have in their lives and careers, our school hosted its inaugural Celebration of Student Excellence Ceremony last week. We also had more than 100 faculty, staff and students attend the school’s inaugural Public Health Research Day, which concluded with a plenary Grand Rounds Lecture that featured Dr. Jeffrey Koplan.
These new programs bolster student engagement and success, and our school has laid the foundation for additional progress toward our strategic plan through curriculum revisions at the departmental level, the recruitment of new faculty and ongoing work to foster an environment that enables each and every member of our community to thrive.
Our strides have not gone unnoticed. The Georgia State SPH has jumped 11 spots in the latest U.S. News and World Report ranking of Best Public Health Schools. Our school is now ranked in the top 25 among America’s public institutions, and this accomplishment is a testament to the dedication of our faculty and staff.
Next month, I have the honor of conferring public health degrees to undergraduate, master’s and doctoral students. Seeing the excitement of students as they earn their degrees—and looking into the audience to see their family and friends beaming with pride—is one of the highlights of the year for me. I know that the successes of our students wouldn’t be possible without our outstanding faculty and staff, and for that I am extremely grateful.
I know that many of you will continue to work over the summer, but I hope that you also find time to rest and rejuvenate. As a school, we have a lot to be proud of and tremendous momentum to build on.
Sincerely,
Rodney Lyn, PhD, MS
Dean and Professor
This semester I have been inspired by the heightened sense of community among our students, faculty and staff. It has been exciting to witness the many examples of diverse and talented teams working collaboratively to move our school forward.
The 10th installment of the SPH’s MeTa Series—which is overseen by Dr. Elizabeth Armstrong-Mensah and supported by several faculty, staff and students—drew more than 100 people to the Urban Life Building earlier this month for networking, breakout sessions, food and fun. Our students and alumni benefit immensely from opportunities to network with faculty and with each other, and I am deeply grateful to everyone who works to make the MeTa Series such a success.
Last month the School of Public Health also hosted a Society for Epidemiologic Research SERvisit that brought faculty from the University of Florida and Boston University to campus to discuss their research and meet with students and faculty. Our Grand Rounds Lecture Series continues to bring distinguished speakers to campus to share their ideas and insights. The final Grand Rounds Lecture of the 2022–2023 academic year will be held on April 18 and will feature a conversation with Dr. Jeffrey Koplan, Vice President for Global Health at the Emory Global Health Institute.
Dr. Koplan’s Grand Rounds lecture also serves as the plenary session for the School of Public Health’s inaugural Research Day. Held from 1 – 4:30 p.m. in Veteran’s Memorial Hall in Dahlberg Hall, Research Day will feature student poster presentations as well as presentations from faculty. Events such as Research Day play an important role in advancing the SPH’s Vision 2027 Strategic Plan, which seeks to make our school a national leader in preparing the next generation of public health leaders.
Faculty, staff and students are also coming together in other ways, including through their work on search committees, on grant proposals and Works in Progress discussions, and through the SPH’s Enrollment Task Force and Strategic Plan Implementation Committee. Events such as Coffee and Connections have created new opportunities to socialize, and today we’ll celebrate the Mark Chaffin Center for Healthy Development’s move to the Urban Life Building with an open house and ribbon cutting ceremony.
Next month our school will host a site visit as part of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Transforming Academia for Equity project, which is overseen by a guiding team led by Dr. Lia Scott and is working with the JEDI Council led by Dr. Carlos Pavão. Dr. Pavão has also organized an April 10 webinar on affirmative action in higher education with the College of Law that I hope you’ll be able to attend.
Our collaborations and connections, both within the SPH and with partners on campus and beyond, facilitate the kind of impactful teaching, research and service that we all strive for. We’re stronger together, and I’m grateful for everything that our faculty and staff do to build and nurture our community.
Sincerely,
Rodney Lyn, PhD, MS
Dean and Professor
One of my priorities as dean is to not only ensure that our school excels in teaching, research and service but to foster an environment in which these three critical mission areas complement each other to create a whole that’s greater than the sum of its parts.
Dr. Elizabeth Armstrong-Mensah’s selection as the 2023 ASPPH Early Career Teaching Excellence Award winner is an example of this kind of synergy. She was chosen for this international honor for her outstanding classroom instruction but also for fostering research skills among students through the Undergraduate and Graduate Research and Publications Club. She builds connections among students, faculty and the broader public health community through the MeTa Series, which will reach a milestone by holding its 10th social mixer on Thursday, March 9. Through its panel discussions and networking opportunities, the MeTa Series benefits our students and alumni tremendously. I hope to see many of you there next week.
Similarly, the research conducted by faculty in the Prevention Research Center played an important role in helping secure federal funding to expand Georgia State’s Community Based English Program in Clarkston. The ability to read, write and speak English fluently is a key determinant of health and well-being for refugees, immigrants and migrants—as well as for their children and families. Without a doubt, our faculty and staff are making a difference in the lives of the people from around the world who call Clarkston home.
Finally, the students featured in the Student Spotlight profiles this month point out that their time as teaching assistants and as research assistants for the Center for Leadership in Disability and the Mindful Living Lab have been formative experiences that help prepare them for impactful careers in public health after graduation.
It’s hard to believe, but today is the midpoint of Spring Semester. We have plenty of accomplishments to celebrate already and plenty more to look forward to in the months ahead. Thanks to all of you for your dedication to our teaching, research and service missions.
Sincerely,
Rodney Lyn, PhD, MS
Dean and Professor
In recent weeks a number of deeply disturbing events have caused anguish among our students, faculty and staff. The killing of Tyre Nichols by police officers in Memphis and mass shootings in California and elsewhere are among many painful reminders of the physical and emotional toll of violence that is all too often directed at people of color in America. I want to begin by echoing the words of President Blake and acknowledging the hurt and frustration that many of us feel. As a community, let’s continue to support each other and also to practice self-care as we carry on our work to advance justice, equity, diversity and inclusion.
January 2023 SPH Updates
Three faculty searches are underway in the Department of Population Health Sciences, including the search for a founding director of the Center for Health Equity. The establishment of the center is a key component of our school’s Vision 2027 Strategic Plan, which seeks to expand interdisciplinary and applied research. We seek to recruit the very best talent to the School of Public Health, and I encourage faculty to engage with the candidates during their campus visits.
Both at the School of Public Health and at the university as a whole, our research activity has grown dramatically. Georgia State’s research and development activity has set a new record, with $206 million in fiscal year 2021 expenditures. I’m grateful to the many School of Public Health faculty and staff who have contributed to this record and am excited to see the impact that we are making in our profession and on local and global communities.
The Spring Semester Grand Rounds Lecture Series kicked off last month with a visit from Michael Kramer, Director of the Emory Maternal and Child Health Center of Excellence. It continues with a February 13 lecture delivered by Columbia University’s Jennifer Hirsch. Dr. Hirsch’s talk is titled “It Doesn’t Have to be ‘1-in-3’: A Public Health Approach to Campus Sexual Violence Prevention,” and I hope to see many faculty, staff and students in attendance.
A call for proposals is forthcoming for the School of Public Health’s inaugural Research Day, which will highlight faculty and student scholarship. By giving students opportunities to showcase their research, we help position them for career success and advance our strategic goal of becoming a national leader in preparing students to advance health equity.
Vision 2027 Strategic Plan implementation meetings are being held throughout the semester. I am encouraged by the progress our school is making and grateful to all of you for advancing the School of Public Health’s mission and vision.
Sincerely,
Rodney Lyn, PhD, MS
Dean and Professor
Prior Year Messages
Commencement is a time to celebrate the accomplishments of our graduating students. It is also a time to reflect on the many ways that outstanding teaching and mentorship significantly impact the careers and lives of our students every day.
This week, 90 undergraduate and graduate School of Public Health students will earn their degrees. A number of them have had to overcome significant challenges, and we know that their successes would not have been possible without a supportive network that includes family, friends, faculty, and staff.
This edition of our monthly newsletter puts our students front and center. As faculty and staff, we share in their successes. Thanks to all of you for embodying our commitment to educating and preparing the next generation of public health leaders to advance health equity.
I look forward to continuing our vital work together in the new year. In the meantime, may your holiday break be filled with the warmth of loved ones and community.
Sincerely,
Rodney Lyn, PhD, MS
Dean and Professor
We are in the final stretch of a fall semester in which our school has made significant progress on several strategic priorities.
A recently completed implementation plan puts our Vision 2027 Strategic Plan into action by setting timelines for completion and assigning implementation leads for each priority initiative. The establishment of the Office of Applied Practice and Career Services, the search for the founding Director of the Center for Health Equity, and ongoing work at the departmental level to review and enhance curriculum are among several examples of how we are working together to become a premier urban school of public health dedicated to advancing health equity.
The SPH community articulated several core values through the strategic planning process, including a respect and appreciation for all aspects of diversity. To help inform the creation of a strategic plan focused on justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion, Assistant Professor Lia Scott and Carlos Pavão, Assistant Dean for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, hosted a town hall earlier this month for faculty, staff, and students. Dr. Scott is the principal investigator on a grant from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation that is supporting this effort. Members of the JEDI Council that Dr. Pavão chairs are also supporting the effort, which is overseen by Dr. Scott and the nine-member guiding team she has convened. Faculty, staff, and students will have additional opportunities to provide input and feedback on the JEDI Strategic Plan in the coming months, and I am grateful to all the members of the School of Public Health community who are putting our values into action.
Sincerely,
Rodney Lyn, PhD, MS
Dean and Professor
Our school recently marked a milestone in its Vision 2027 Strategic Plan with the establishment of the new Office of Applied Practice Experiences and Career Services. APECS is led by Associate Professor Sheri Strasser and builds upon the dedication of Evalye Alexander, who has been named Career Services Manager. The establishment and planned growth of APECS will better position our students for success during their time at Georgia State and after graduation. By providing support to students that is aligned with the University’s College to Career initiative, it also advances a priority initiative of our strategic plan.
I also want to extend my appreciation to Associate Professor Jalayne Arias and the Grand Rounds Planning Committee for the successful launch of a lecture series that is helping enhance interdisciplinary connections among faculty and students. Dayna Bowen Matthew, Dean of the George Washington University Law School, delivered an outstanding lecture titled “Just Health: Treating Structural Racism to Heal America” that is now archived for your viewing. I also want to thank Clinical Associate Professor Elizabeth Armstrong-Mensah and her committee of students for hosting the first in-person MeTa Series social mixer since 2019. It was great to see students, faculty, and alumni gathered for an evening of networking and fun.
I hope that you will be able to attend the 2022 Kreuter Katz Lecture on Health Equity on November 15. This year’s lecture is co-sponsored by the Georgia Health Policy Center and will feature journalist and educator Linda Villarosa, whose most recent book is titled “Under the Skin: The Hidden Toll of Racism on American Lives and on the Health of Our Nation.” The lecture will be held in the Centennial Hall Auditorium, with mask wearing encouraged, and it will be streamed online for people who are unable to attend. This is our first in-person Kreuter Katz Lecture since 2019, and I encourage you to invite your colleagues and students to participate in-person to help demonstrate our school’s engagement and commitment to advancing health equity.
School of Public Health faculty, staff, and students are also encouraged to participate in a Virtual Town Hall on Thursday, November 3, that is part of a Robert Wood Johnson Foundation funded initiative known as Transforming Academia for Equity. The town hall is hosted by Assistant Professor Lia Scott and Carlos Pavão, Clinical Associate Professor and Assistant Dean for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. It provides participants an opportunity to contribute to the development of a Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Strategic Plan for the School of Public Health that has the potential to be a national model for promoting inclusive academic excellence.
Finally, I want emphasize how excited I was to see so many of our faculty and staff honored during this year’s Celebrating Faculty Excellence event. We also have a number of additional honors listed in the Noteworthy section of this newsletter, and I invite you to submit your accomplishments using this form. Seeing these accomplishments highlighted each month underscores how our school continues to make progress in its teaching, research, and outreach thanks to the dedication of our extraordinary faculty and staff.
Sincerely,
Rodney Lyn, PhD, MS
Dean and Professor
Fall semester is off to a great start, with our students back on campus and several opportunities for connecting with colleagues.
This Wednesday, the school is hosting a new event called “Coffee and Connections.” All interested faculty and staff are invited to drop by Urban Life 233 from 10 to 11 a.m. for coffee, bagels, pastries, and some great conversation.
As part of a broader effort to build connections with other institutions, the School of Public Health is sponsoring a new Grand Rounds Lecture Series that will bring nationally recognized thought leaders to campus for dialogues that contribute to our mission of advancing health equity. Our first speaker is Dayna Bowen Matthew, Dean and Harold H. Greene Professor of Law at the George Washington University Law School. Dean Matthew will deliver a talk titled “Just Health: Treating Structural Racism to Heal America” on October 18.
On October 20, the school will hold its ninth MeTa Series social mixer for students, faculty, staff, and alumni. The event was held virtually in 2020 and 2021, but MeTa 9 is the first in-person event in the series since 2019. It will include networking with public health leaders, breakout sessions, and activities. I’m hoping for a great turnout for this event and hope to see many of you there.
I am deeply grateful to all of the faculty and staff who work to organize these events, which enrich the learning experiences of students and strengthen professional connections. I also want to recognize two members of the School of Public Health community—Carlos Pavao and Ashley Salmon—for receiving the faculty and staff Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (JEDI) Awards from the Provost’s Office.
With these programs, honors, and several initiatives underway to advance our Vision 2027 Strategic Plan, the School of Public Health is building on its very strong foundation. Thanks to all of you for your dedication to our school and its vital mission.
Sincerely,
Rodney Lyn, PhD, MS
Dean and Professor
It is my distinct pleasure to welcome our new and returning faculty and staff as we begin the 2022 – 2023 academic year. I hope each of you were able to find time for rest and rejuvenation over the summer. As we begin the new academic year, I have several updates to share with you.
Our school is on a remarkable trajectory, and our recently adopted strategic plan seeks to further expand our reach and impact as a premier urban school of public health, dedicated to advancing health equity and solving contemporary and emerging health issues through education, research, and community engagement. The plan was the result of an iterative and collaborative process, and each of us play a role in its success.
Our research and outreach activity has set a new record, with $21 million in sponsored funding in fiscal year 2022. That $21 million figure is double our sponsored funding total from just four years ago, and it would not be possible without the dedication and talent of our extraordinary faculty. Just last week, Congressman Hank Johnson visited Clarkston to see first-hand the impact that faculty and staff in our Prevention Research Center are making on the health of refugees, migrants, and other community members.
This semester we are welcoming more than 200 outstanding incoming students at the undergraduate and graduate levels, and they hail from across America and 12 international countries. Guided by your support and mentorship, they are poised to make a difference in the health of communities near and far. This fall we are also welcoming 12 new staff members and congratulating two faculty members on being named to leadership positions: Kathleen Baggett was recently appointed Director of the Mark Chaffin Center for Healthy Development after serving as Interim Director since 2018, and Carlos Pavão was named Assistant Dean for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion.
One of the goals of our strategic plan is to ensure operational excellence throughout the School of Public Health. Regular communications play an essential role in fostering a culture of belonging and inclusion, so I plan on sharing the accomplishments of faculty and staff and providing updates on key initiatives each month during the academic year through this newsletter. Please share your academic and professional accomplishments for inclusion in the faculty/staff newsletter by emailing Communications Director Sam Fahmy at [email protected].
As always, you can reach me at [email protected]. I welcome your feedback and am excited about the possibilities this new academic year brings.
Rodney Lyn, PhD, MS
Dean and Professor
Office of Academic Assistance
Urban Life Building
140 Decatur Street
Suite 300
Mailing Addresses
School of Public Health
Georgia State University
P.O. Box 3995
Atlanta, GA 30302-3995
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Name of Faculty or Staff
School of Public Health
Georgia State University
140 Decatur Street - Suite 400
Atlanta, GA 30303