The Weekly Update is available online at www.publichealth.pitt.edu/weeklyupdate.
2/13/15: Student Edition
Student News
NEW! Nominate Faculty for the Dr. James L. Craig Endowed Excellence in Education Award
March 2 deadline
A good education begins with a thoughtful, well-prepared, and eager student, and a committed faculty member for whom
teaching is critically important. The Craig Award gives you an opportunity to think about those faculty whose teaching - in a
classroom, lab, or one-on-one - has made a difference in your life.
The award was established through the generosity of a distinguished alumnus, Dr. James Craig, to recognize teaching
excellence at Pitt Public Health. Students are invited to nominate faculty (with primary appointment at Pitt Public Health) who
have demonstrated excellence in teaching. A committee of students and faculty will review the nominations and the award
will be presented at Convocation. The award consists of a monetary grant to the awardee's department to support travel,
supplies, equipment, or other items in furtherance of teaching activities.
Pick up a ballot in the Office of Student Affairs, 114 Parran Hall. Please take advantage of this opportunity to show
appreciation for a deserving Pitt Public Health faculty member.
DEADLINE TODAY: HRSA Bureau of Maternal and Child Health Graduate Student Epidemiology Programs
February 13 deadline
A unique opportunity to apply your classroom skills to real-world data projects while providing state and local agencies a
valuable technical assistance resource as they work to enhance their epidemiologic capacity. Stop by the Office of Student
Affairs to review a program guide featuring an overview of the program, eligibility information, and a brief synopsis of the 30
summer opportunities being offered this year, or ►Read more
DEADLINE APPROACHING: Randall Family Big Idea Competition
February 15, 11:59 p.m. deadline
Turn your big idea into a startup! Compete to win $100,000 in prizes, including a $25,000 grand prize. ►Read more
DEADLINE APPROACHING: 2015 Dean’s Day Student Research Competition
February 20 deadline for abstract submission
March 31-April 2 poster sessions
The 2015 Dean’s Day student research competition features four poster sessions with selected oral presentations, awards
ceremony, and school-wide celebration on April 10. All students are encouraged to participate and everyone that submits an
abstract will present a poster. Poster sessions and awards ceremony are GR eligible. ►Read more
Students submitting abstracts for Dean’s Day are encouraged to submit applicable work to the Health Disparities Poster
Competition, also by February 20.
DEADLINE APPROACHING: Call for Abstracts: 2015 Health Disparities Poster Competition
February 20 deadline
Disparities are differences in health status in any studied population compared to the comparable majority (or more
commonly studied) population. Expand your professional skill set by presenting work based upon race or ethnicity, gender,
disability, sexual orientation, age, and other parameters. Posters also accepted for community-based initiatives designed to
address health disparities. ►Read more
DEADLINE APPROACHING: CPH Exam Registration Deadline for School Sponsorship
February 20 deadline
Attention second-year students: the deadline to qualify for school sponsorship for the February CPH exam testing cycle is
approaching. Registration is only being accepted for the computer-based exam. ►Read more
NEW! HSLS Update
Read the February issue of the Health Sciences Library System Newsletter including standards for database searching,
changes to the HSLS online collection for 2015, MeSH on Demand – a helpful PubMed search tool, and much more! ►Read
more
Pittsburgh Health Corps Open Enrollment for New Member Positions
PHC is committed to decreasing disparities in local health care delivery systems and promoting health. PHC members
commit to 1700 hours over 46 weeks of service. PHC collaborates with a broad range of sites to ensure that members are
exposed to diverse opportunities in public health. Sites typically include homeless clinics, schools, health centers, and intergenerational community programs. Enrollment currently open, applications reviewed starting February 16. ►Read more
Insider Guide to Peer Review for Applicants
Guide will help new and established applicants submit better applications, CSR asked current and recent study section chairs
to share their personal insights on producing a highly competitive NIH grant application. Jane A. Cauley, DrPH Associate
Dean for Research. ►Read more
Call for Nominations; APHA Awards
April 22 deadline
Nominate a colleague who exemplifies outstanding professionalism, dedication, and contributions in the field of public health.
Membership is not required for nomination to several awards. Presented at APHA’s 143rd annual meeting October 31November 4, Chicago. ►Read more
Funding Opportunities Page
This joint initiative of the Office of Research and the Office of the Provost is a centralized funding repository to serve graduate
and professional students across the University and includes general and discipline-specific information on external funding
to pursue independent or collaborative research, academic and professional development, or other scholarly undertakings.
Plus a page of tips to help you in the application process. ►Read more
ASPPH Friday Letter
News and information from all the CEPH-accredited schools and programs of public health. Scholarships, fellowships, job
postings, advocacy updates, and much more. ►Read more
Events
Year of Sustainability February Events
Check out the upcoming events, news, and info on the Greening of Pitt as part of this year-long initiative. ►Read more
TODAY: Building a Regional Open Data Infrastructure in Western Pennsylvania: Partnerships, Infrastructure, and
Community Engagement
Friday, February 13, 1-2 p.m., G-47 Amy Knapp Room, Hillman Library
Presented by Bob Gradeck, University Center for Urban Research, Pitt. The City of Pittsburgh and Allegheny County are
partnering with Pitt to create the Regional Data Center to support regional initiatives through the provision of timely and
useful information and related services. The RDC will be home to the Pittsburgh region’s open data portal, and will begin to
host datasets from the City of Pittsburgh, Allegheny County, and other governmental, academic, and nonprofit organizations.
NEW! Special Seminar: Special Delivery: Epidemiology of Cesarean, Induction, and Birth Outcomes in the U.S.
Monday, February 16, noon-1 p.m., A622 Crabtree
Presented by Jonathan M. Snowden, PhD, instructor, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, and Department of Public
Health and Preventive Medicine, Oregon Health and Science University.
NEW! Public Health Dynamics Laboratory Seminar Series: Progress Towards a Life-Course Approach to Influenza
Epidemiology
Tuesday, February 17, 3-4 p.m., 109 Parran
Presented by Justin Lessler, assistant professor of infectious disease epidemiology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of
Public Health, who will give an overview of the progress that has been made in understanding the life-course epidemiology of
influenza and the challenges that remain. While touching on work from other groups, he will particularly focus on what they
have learned in the Fluscape study, an ongoing cohort study of influenza in Southern China.
NEW! EOH Journal Club Seminar: Xanthohumol, a Polyphenol Chalcone Present in Hops, Activating Nrf2 Enzymes
to Confer Protection against Oxidative Damage in PC12 Cells
Thursday, February 19, 11 a.m.-noon, third floor conference room, Bridgeside
Presented by Shaina Stacy. ►Read more
Department of Epidemiology Seminar: Results from the Lifestyle Independence and Interventions for Elders (LIFE)
Multicenter Randomized Clinical Trial
Thursday, February 19, noon-1 p.m., A115 Crabtree
Presented by Nancy W. Glynn, PhD, assistant professor of epidemiology.
Senior Vice Chancellor’s Research Series 12 at 12: Multi-Neuron Approaches to Studying Visual Perception and
Decision Making
Friday, February 20, noon-1 p.m., lecture room 6, Scaife
Presented by Marlene R. Cohen, PhD, assistant professor of neuroscience, Dietrich School of Arts and Sciences.
Documentary Screening: The Power of One Voice – A 50 Year Perspective on the Life of Rachel Carson
Saturday, February 21, 7 p.m., Chatham University Eddy Theater (doors at 6:30)
Followed by a panel discussion led by Falk School of Sustainability Dean Peter Walker. Free to students with ID from
Pittsburgh area colleges and open to the public. Reserve your place and register today!
Faculty Workshop: Student Affairs 101
Wednesday, February 25, noon-1:30 p.m., 109 Parran Hall
Whether you are a mentor, advisor, or teacher, this introductory workshop provides an overview of the functions and services
provided by Student Affairs through both Pitt Public Health and the Office of the Provost. Topics include academics and
courses, graduation requirements, career services, counseling services, and disability services. Representatives from the Pitt
Public Health’s Office of Student Affairs and the University’s Division of Student Affairs will describe their roles and resources
that they offer. They will also be available to answer questions. Presented by: Cindy Bryce, Associate Dean for Student
Affairs, Mary Derkach, Assistant Dean for Student Affairs and various Pitt Public Health Student Affairs staff and University
Student Affairs staff. Register at mypublichealth.pitt.edu/faculty/workshops. Part of the Pitt Public Health Faculty
Development Series. Workshop open to faculty, students, post-docs, and staff. Learn more at
www.publichealth.pitt.edu/teaching.
NEW! Center on Race and Social Problems Series: The Collision of Race and Criminal Justice: Lessons from the
Aftermath of Ferguson
Wednesday, February 25, noon-1:30 p.m., 2017 Cathedral of Learning
Presented by David Harris, Distinguished Faculty Scholar and professor of law, Pitt. Lunch will be provided. Registration not
required. ►Read more
NEW! EOH Journal Club Seminar: Cannabis Use is Quantitatively Associated with Nucleus Accumbens and
Amygdala Abnormalities in Young Adult Recreational Users
Thursday, February 26, 11 a.m.-noon, third floor conference room, Bridgeside
Presented by Emilie Castranio. ►Read more
NEW! Department of Epidemiology Seminar: Diabetes Prevention for African-American Populations: Social
Determinants and Translation Interventions
Thursday, February 26, noon-1 p.m., A115 Crabtree
Area of emphasis: prevention, lifestyle & physical activity epidemiology introduction to prevention, lifestyle & physical activity
epidemiology: Andrea Kriska ,PhD & M. Kaye Kramer, DrPH Diabetes Prevention for African-American Populations: Social
Determinants and Translation Interventions Tiffany L. Gary-Webb, PhD Associate Professor, Behavioral & Community Health
Sciences and Epidemiology.
Annual Diversity Colloquium
Friday, February 27, 3-4:30 p.m., Martin Room, 4127 Sennott Square
Presented by Catherine Tamis-LeMonda, PhD, professor of applied psychology, Center for Research on Culture,
Development, and Education, Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development, New York University.
Sponsored by the Department of Psychology.
NEW! Honors Convocation
Saturday, February 28, 10 a.m., Carnegie Music Hall, Oakland
Pitt pays tribute to student and faculty achievements. Ceremony includes installation of Chancellor Gallagher. ►Read more
Global Health and Innovation Conference
March 28-29, Yale University
The world’s leading and largest global health conference as well as the largest social entrepreneurship conference, with
2,200 professionals and students from all 50 states and more than 55 countries. Presented by Unite for Sight. ►Read more
Student Organizations
DEADLINE TODAY: Doctoral Student Organization Looking for Officers
February 13 deadline
Are you invested in supporting your own path and that of your friends and colleagues in Pitt Public Health doctoral programs?
Would you like to develop your leadership skills while serving? The Doctoral Student Organization has three openings on its
executive board. Areas of service include management of organization finances, programming, and publicity. Service would
begin this semester. Eligibility for Executive Board Membership: Enrolled in a Doctoral Program at Pitt Public Health
Successfully completed one semester Contact us at [email protected] to nominate yourself or someone else to be a DSO
officer. The DSO is especially interested in school-wide representation, so students from all departments are encouraged to
apply!
Career Services
NEW! Health Sciences Faculty Professional Development Series: Grantsmanship for Success with the NIH
Wednesday, February 25, 8:30-10:30 a.m., S100A Starzl BST
Presented by Mark D. Nichols, PhD. Register today!
Doctoral and Postdoctoral Professionalism Series: Developing Graduate Fellowship Applicants in the Humanities
Thursday, February 26, 1-3 p.m., O’Hara Student Union Dining Room
Presented by Todd W. Reeser, PhD. Register today!
Like and follow the Center for Doctoral and Postdoctoral Career Development.
Finding Student Employment at Pitt
The University of Pittsburgh is now requiring that ALL student employment be posted on the University’s Human Resources
website. Therefore, student employment opportunities will NO LONGER be posted on Pitt Bridges or collected by the Career
Services Office. Instead opportunities for students will be posted on www.pittsource.com.
Please make a note of this. All Pitt students will be able to create an account and apply for jobs using this University system.
Career Services Workshops and Important Dates, Spring 2015
Internships, Fellowships, and Postdocs
NEW! APHA Public Health Fellowship in Government, Washington, D.C.
A unique public policy learning experience, demonstrating the value of science-government interaction and allowing fellows
to contribute to enhancing public health science and practical knowledge in government. The overarching goals are to
increase the capacity of public health professionals to inform the discussions and the decisions of the individuals and
institutions that influence or determine policies and to provide relevant expertise and analysis to support decision-makers
confronting increasingly complex issues. ►Read more
DEADLINE TODAY: 2015-16 Pittsburgh Schweitzer Fellowship
February 13 deadline
A one-year interdisciplinary, mentored fellowship program focused on health and human services-related community service
and leadership development. The program strengthens fellows’ resolve to provide health and human service to underserved
and vulnerable populations throughout the Greater Pittsburgh area. Each year, up to 25 students from multiple disciplines are
selected, and fellows design a direct-service project that they implement through a community agency for a few hours a week
while they remain in graduate school. For more information or a copy of the application, see Marissa Kaplan, career services
specialist or ►Read more
Joan Haley, 412-363-0185 x26, executive director of the Pittsburgh Schweitzer Fellows Program, is willing to review
applications and give suggestions to applicants any time before the deadline. And Tyler Rubright, current Pitt Public Health
student and past Schweitzer Fellow, is also willing to answer questions about his experience and give applicants advice.
DEADLINE APPROACHING: Community Health Technical Advisor, Global Health Fellows Program, Arlington, VA
February 18 deadline
Fellows will conduct analysis, provide technical inputs, and strengthen communication and knowledge management to guide
Agency strategies and partnerships focusing on community approaches in health and other relevant systems at the global
and national levels, etc. ►Read more
DEADLINE APPROACHING: Latin America and Caribbean (LAC) Regional HIVAIDS Senior Technical Advisor, Global
Health Fellows Corp, Washington, D.C.
February 20 deadline
Duties include providing technical direction and oversight to the LAC sub-regional and country HIV strategies. This will
include helping develop, monitor and report on evidence-based program activities to achieve results. ►Read more
Call for Applications: PHDL International Fellowships
February 28 deadline
The Public Health Dynamics Lab (PHDL) is offering a $5,000 award for a research experience abroad with a research
institute in Taiwan, Brazil, Myanmar (Burma), Colombia, and South Africa during the summer of 2015 for 8-12 weeks. Work
on exciting infectious disease research while gaining unforgettable and valuable experience and advancing research skills in
global infectious diseases. Students will also gain valuable inter-cultural collaboration skills and will have the opportunity to
explore the culture and environment of their host country. MPH students can use this experience for their internship
requirement. Open to all students in good standing. ►Read more
FDA Tobacco Regulatory Science Fellowship, Washington, DC
March 2 deadline
This regulatory science fellowship is a program between the FDA Center for Tobacco Products (CTP) and the Institute of
Medicine (IOM). It is designed for mid-career professionals to gain experience and expertise to further define and develop the
field of regulatory science as it relates to tobacco products and the FDA's new authorities under the Family Smoking
Prevention and Tobacco Control Act. ►Read more
Courses and Scheduling
EPIDEM 2166 Glbl Ctrl of AIDS/HIV and TB – Cancelled for Summer
Summer 2015 Course Schedule
Summer enrollment begins Monday, February 16. ►Read more
Graduation Information
DEADLINE APPROACHING: Deadlines and Important Dates for April 2015 Graduation
February 24 is next deadline: $15 late fee
The deadline to apply for April graduation without a late fee has passed. The $15 late fee will be in effect until February 24,
after which it will raise to $25. The absolute last deadline to apply for April graduation is Tuesday, March 31. If you’re
graduating in 2015 or 2016, check out the graduation section of My Public Health for deadlines and important dates.
April 25 is the official date for the award of your degree. Transcripts are available for pickup from the Registrar’s Office (G3
Thackeray) with your ID on May 26. The Registrar will begin mailing diplomas and complimentary transcripts June 12-15.
Tasks Related to your Essay, Thesis, or Dissertation for April 2015 Graduation
Document review deadline of April 13
Prior to Monday, April 13 the document must be reviewed for format. E-mail Joanne Pegher for an appointment. During the
week of April 20 the final copy must be uploaded, along with all required paperwork to Joanne Pegher.
Event Information for Convocation 2015 and Other Events
Pitt Public Health Celebration of Student Awards: Saturday, April 25, 5:30 p.m., O’Hara Student Center
University of Pittsburgh Commencement: Sunday, April 26, 1 p.m., Petersen Events Center
Pitt Public Health Convocation: Sunday, April 26, doors open/line-up begins at 4 p.m., Carnegie Music Hall, Oakland
All June, August, December 2014 and April 2015 graduates are invited to three events during the weekend of April 25-26
(master’s students who plan to graduate in June of 2015 that want to appeal for permission to march in our convocation
ceremony should have their advisor submit a request to Mary Derkach). Graduates are invited to the Celebration of Student
Awards regardless of whether they are selected for an award. Awardees will be notified by the school. For Pitt Public Health
Convocation, no tickets are necessary and there is no limit on the number of guests that a student can invite. The Universitywide commencement ceremony is also held that Sunday. Students must wear academic regalia to both graduation
ceremonies, which you will be able to purchase through Graduation Central. We will notify you when Graduation Central
opens for April. Formal invitations will be e-mailed and sent via U.S. mail in February or March, and detailed instructions will
be sent to graduates via e-mail. Stay tuned to the Weekly Update, e-mails from the Office of Student Affairs, and the My
Public Health Web calendar for further information.
Pitt E-mail Accounts After Graduation
Graduating students: update your e-mail address and have your e-mail forwarded from Pitt for up to one year. Your account
will remain active until the end of the Add/Drop period for fall term, September 5. Contact the 412-624-HELP with questions.
A student account will stay active if you are a student worker. If you work for Pitt and are on the University payroll, your
account will remain active. If the account is going to be disabled, the account owner will receive an e-mail stating the date the
account will be disabled, usually two weeks in advance.
If you’re no longer able to access your account to set up mail forwarding, contact 412-624-HELP, or if they aren’t able to
assist, ask your department student services coordinator to assist you.
ETD Support Has Moved!
Now located in the Hillman Microforms area by the map cases.
Include Bookmarks in your ETD
Those submitting electronic theses and dissertations must include bookmarks. For more information on bookmarks and other
format requirements, ►Read more
Posting Defense Dates
All doctoral students must notify the University Times, the Pitt Chronicle, and various Pitt Public Health staff members of the
date of their dissertation defense. ►Read more
UPDATED! Information on Uploading Your ETD, Submitting the ETD thru D-Scholarship
When using the ETD Online System, you must login using your Pitt username and password. Once you have logged in,
follow the instructions for submitting your ETD documents.
The next ETD workshops are taking place on February 24 at 10 a.m. and February 25 at 2 p.m. More spring dates are
forthcoming. Click here to register.
For walk-in times/days or to make an appointment, see the ETD technical support form.
ETD Support Supporting LaTeX Format and Template
Students can use the ETD Support Form to request assistance with LaTeX. Support staff are working with students to identify
issues with the LaTeX template and will draft patches as needed to address issues or add functionality.
Pitt Public Health Weekly Update is distributed by the Office of Student Affairs.
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