The Weekly Update is available online at www.publichealth.pitt.edu/weeklyupdate.
3/27/15: Student Edition
Student News
NEW! HSLS April Courses
Check out the calendar of free HSLS courses, including Focus on Behavioral Medicine: Searching in PsycINFO, Painless
PubMed, and Cancer Informatics.
Registration for CPH June Testing Window Is Open
For those eligible students, Pitt Public Health will pay the CPH exam fee. Students graduating this April and August can sit for
the CPH exam during the June testing window (June 1-30). ►Read more
Updates on Public Access to Federally Funded Research
Lately there has been a flurry of activity as federal agencies have been completing their plans for complying with the White
House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) memorandum from 2013, which directed federal agencies with over
$100 million in R&D expenses to make the results of federally funded research publicly available. As they arrive, these plans
are made available on the HSLS Scholarly Communications LibGuide. Click on the Public Access Policies tab and in a box
on the right, you’ll see links to “Public Access Policies – Other Federal Agencies.” AHRQ, DoD, DoE, NASA and NSF have
been added so far.
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
Upcoming CIDDE TA Workshops
All workshops in 815 Alumni Hall, unless otherwise noted.

Teaching a Six-Week Course, March 30, 1-2 p.m., G74 Hillman

Developing a Teaching Portfolio (Part 2), March 30, 2-4 p.m., G74 Hillman

Teaching with PowerPoint, March 31, 11 a.m.-noon
Why Gender Matters to Sustainability: Engaging the Public in a Meaningful Conversation
Monday, March 30, 6-7:30 p.m., 324 Cathedral of Learning
Presented by Maria L. Cruzs-Torres, Arizona State University. Addressing the challenges of assessing the interrelationship
between gender and sustainability. Sponsored by Pitt’s Gender, Sexuality, & Women’s Studies Program. ►Read more
Actress and Transgender Rights Activist Laverne Cox to Speak at Pitt During Pride Week
Monday, March 30, 7-10 p.m., Alumni Hall
Guest speaker, Laverne Cox (from Orange is the New Black) will discuss gender in life, oppression, and politics in a talk
titled, Ain’t I a Woman: My Journey to Womanhood. Cox speaks at universities around the country as a transgender rights
activist to empower individuals to move beyond gender expectations and live more authentically. ►Read more
NEW! Sara Fine Institute Lecture: The Social Life of DNA in the Era of Big Data
Tuesday, March 31, 3 p.m., University Club
Presented by Alondra Nelson, dean of social sciences and professor of sociology and gender studies, Columbia University.
Sponsored by the School of Information Sciences. ►Read more
Dean's Day Student Research Competition Poster Sessions
March 31-April 2
Learn about student research as presenters compete for prizes and students complete peer evaluations for GR credit. See
who is presenting in which session and the title of their abstract on My Public Health.
Epidemiology Seminar: Lower Extremity Atherosclerosis and Pre-clinical Peripheral Artery Disease
Thursday, April 2, noon-1 p.m., A115 Crabtree
Presented by Christina L. Wassel, PhD, MS, FAHA Assistant Professor of epidemiology, Pitt Public Health.
Randall Family Big Idea Competition – Come and See Who Wins!
Thursday, April 2, 4-6 p.m., O’Hara Student Center Ballroom
Awarding $100,000 in prizes to Pitt students with the biggest ideas. Since its inception seven years ago, the competition has
attracted hundreds of interdisciplinary teams, from freshmen to postdocs, who are seeking to bring their big ideas to the
market. Free and open to the public, but registration is required.
Destination Diversity with Dr. Susan Rankin - Register now!
Thursday, April 2, 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m., University Club
CIDDE is pleased to present Out of the Shadows: Building Inclusive Classrooms for Queer Spectrum and Trans Spectrum
Students. Registration is mandatory.
Human Genetics Seminar: Understanding Minority Disengagement in Genetic Studies: Implications for Health
Disparities and Research
Friday, April 3, noon-1 p.m., Pitt Public Health Laboratory Pavilion Auditorium (G23)
Presented by Krystal Tsosie, MA, PhD Student, Vanderbilt Genetics Institute, Department of Epidemiology, Vanderbilt
University.
NEW! Center for Health Equity Journal Club
Friday, April 3, 1-2 p.m., A216 Crabtree
A monthly journal club to facilitate dialogue about health equity among faculty, students, staff, and community members. We
hope to spark an intellectually enriching discussion regarding ways to research a problem or intervene to contribute to the
solution. April discussion co-facilitated by Gerald Barron, faculty, Winfred Frazier, MPH student, Department of Health Policy
and Management, and James Mercuri, behavioral clinical care manager, UPMC St. Margaret. Article: Kind et al.
Neighborhood Socioeconomic Disadvantage and 30-day Rehospitalization: a retrospective cohort study. (copies on CHE
Bulletin Board, 207J Parran Hall) Annals of Internal Medicine, 2014;161(11): 765-774.
NEW! Construction Update Town Hall Meeting
Monday, April 6, 9-10 a.m., Pitt Public Health Laboratory Pavilion Auditorium (G23)
All students, faculty, and staff are invited to a presentation on the plans for renovation of Parran and Crabtree halls, followed
by a Q and A. Discussion will focus on the first phase of the project; preparatory work is scheduled to being on April 6 with full
renovation of the south end of Parran beginning over the summer. The presentation will include an overview of the timing of
the renovations, a description of what areas will be renovated, and discussion of how the flow of traffic in and around the
building will work (e.g. handicapped entrance, restroom access).
NEW! Environmental and Occupational Health Doctoral Defense: An Appraisal of NOx Passive Sampling
Monday, April 6, 11 a.m., Third floor conference room, Bridgeside
Presented by Leah K. Cambal.
NEW! 2015 Health Disparities Poster Competition
Monday, April 6, noon-4 p.m., Thomas Starzl Biomedical Science Tower South Lobby
Learn about the work our health sciences students are doing in health disparities as they expand their scientific professional
skill set.
Fracking is a Feminist Issue: Women Confronting Fossil Fuels and Petrochemicals in an Age of Climate Emergency
Monday, April 6, 7-8 p.m., William Pitt Union Assembly Room
Presented by Sandra Steingraber, who will explore the role of women in the construction of knowledge about the risks of
extreme fossil fuel extraction, gender disparities in the distribution of economic costs and benefits, the disproportionate
burden of harm that women experience when their communities become targeted for oil and gas extraction, and the rise of
women leaders in the anti-fracking movement. Sponsored by Pitt’s Gender, Sexuality, & Women’s Studies Program. ►Read
more
PHDL Seminar Series: The Conditions of Self-Governance of the Commons
Tuesday, April 7, 3-4 p.m., 109 Parran
When people share common resources or public goods there is a social dilemma. This presentation will synthesize recent
research on the conditions of self-governance that lead to successful outcomes. The lecture will close with some
speculations for public health policy. Presented by Marco Janssen, PhD, associate professor, School of Human Evolution
and Social Change, Arizona State University.
Research Team Experience as a Platform for Leadership Development
Wednesday, April 8, 2015, 9:30-11:30 a.m. with lunch immediately following, University Club Ballroom A
Presented by William Sollecito, DrPH (BIOST ’70). Registration required.
NEW! Epidemiology Dissertation Defense: Change in Physical Activity and Predictors of Success in a CommunityBased Lifestyle Intervention to Reduce Risk for Type 2 Diabetes and Cardiovascular Disease
Thursday, April 9, 10 a.m.-noon, 110 Parran
Presented by Yvonne Eaglehouse, MS, MPH.
NEW! Health Policy and Management Doctoral Defense: The Relationship Between Psychological Attitudes, Health
Behaviors, and Health Care Utilization in Older Women
Thursday, April 9, 10 a.m.-noon, 309B Parran
Presented by Ana Progovac.
NEW! Take a Health Professional to the People Day 2015
Thursday, April 9, 10 a.m.-2 p.m., local barbershops
Each April during National Minority Health Month and National Public Health Week, the Center for Health Equity hosts Take
A Health Professional To The People Day (aka, TADay) in conjunction with African American barbershops. This year’s
barbershops are Bat’s Baber Shop in East Liberty, The Natural Choice in Oakland, Big Tom’s Barber Shop in the Hill District,
Wade’s Barber Shop in Homewood, and Willie Tee’s Barber Shop in Homewood. CHE is seeking health professionals
(doctors, nurses, pharmacists, dentists, nutritionists, health science students, etc.), public health educators, and health
organizations to provide screening services and health education during TADay. If you can spare at least one hour, we can
use your help! Register today!
Repackaging and Distribution with Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank
Thursday, April 9, shuttle leaves at 3:30 p.m., food bank at 1 N. Linden Street, 15110
Join University faculty, students, and staff for this monthly repackaging event. The University will provide a shuttle leaving
from Bigelow Boulevard by Soldiers and Sailors. Parking is also available at the Food Bank if you choose to drive yourself.
Closed-toed shoes are required. To volunteer, contact Kyle Miller, 412-624-6015 and note if you’ll be riding the shuttle.
NEW! Biostatistics Doctoral Defense: Statistical Learning Methods for Multi-omics Data Integration in Dimension
Reduction, Supervised and Unsupervised Machine Learning
Friday, April 10, 11 a.m.-1 p.m., A622 Crabtree
Presented by SungHwan Kim.
NEW! Epidemiology Doctoral Defense: Depression and HIV Infection: Risk Factors for Cardiovascular Disease
Friday, April 10, 10 a.m.-noon, 109 Parran
Presented by Jessica R. White.
NEW! Human Genetics Seminar: Molecular Genetics and Diagnostics of Thyroid Cancer: Impact of Deep Sequencing
Friday, April 10, noon-1 p.m., Pitt Public Health Pavilion Auditorium (G23)
Presented by Yuri Nikiforov, MD, PhD, Professor, Department of Pathology.
NEW! Biostatistics Doctoral Defense: TWISTed Survival: Identifying Surrogate Endpoints for Mortality using
QTWIST and Conditional Disease Free Survival
Friday, April 10, 12:30-2:30 p.m., A216 Crabtree
Presented by Beth A. Zamboni.
NEW! Epidemiology Doctoral Defense: Peripheral Nervous System Function, Physical Activity, and Physical Fitness
in Older Adults
Friday, April 10, 2 p.m., 330 Bellefield Professional Building (130 N. Bellefield Ave)
Presented by Brittney Lange-Maia.
NEW! Dean's Day Oral Presentations and Awards Ceremony
Friday, April 10, 10 a.m., Pitt Public Health Laboratory Pavilion Auditorium (G23)
Dean Burke invites selected Dean’s Day participants to present their work during the awards ceremony. Followed by a
school-wide celebration.
NEW! Parran Lecture
Friday, April 10, 3-4 p.m., Pitt Public Health Laboratory Pavilion Auditorium (G23)
Presented by Wen-Ta Chiu, MD, MPH, DrPH, PhD, former minister of health and welfare in Taiwan. Register today!
NEW! Epidemiology Spring Seminar: The Dynamic Impact of Adiposity on Reproductive Hormones and Symptoms
in Midlife Women: New Findings Challenging Old Paradigms
Thursday, April 16, noon-1 p.m., A115 Crabtree
Presented by Rebecca C. Thurston, PhD.
NEW! Twelfth Annual C.C. Li Memorial Lecture
Friday, April 17, noon-1 p.m., Pitt Public Health Laboratory Pavilion Auditorium (G23)
Presented by Nancy J. Cox, PhD. Director, Vanderbilt Genetics Institute, Vanderbilt University.
NEW! 7th Summer Institute in Statistics and Modeling in Infectious Diseases
June 8 registration deadline (early bird rate) for July 6-22 event
Workshops designed to introduce infectious disease researchers to modern methods of statistical analysis and mathematical
modeling and to introduce statisticians and mathematical modelers to the statistical and dynamic problems posed by modern
infectious disease data. Individuals attending the Institute will receive certificates of course completion in recognition of their
participation. ►Read more
Student Organizations
TODAY: GPSG Spring Formal: Seven Deadly Sins
Friday, March 27, 8 p.m.-midnight, Omni William Penn (downtown)
Open bar and appetizers. $30 Get your tickets today!
NEW! Presentation by Karen Hacker: The Importance of Collaboration and Community Partnerships in Public Health
Tuesday, April 7, noon-1 p.m., A115 Crabtree
Have you ever wondered how you can play a role in aligning academic interest, community interests, and government
interests within public health? Or what career paths individuals who begin at entry-level positions in public health
organizations follow? And what opportunities exist for advancement with increased experience in education? What do public
health organizations look for in hiring?
Hear from Karen Hacker, MD, MPH, director of the Allegheny County Health Department, and other potential guest speakers
from the PA Department of Health, as she discusses the importance of collaboration and community partnerships in public
health and qualities public health governmental agencies look for when hiring.
UPDATED! Professional Panel with the Association of Women in Public Health
Tuesday, April 7, 3:30-5 p.m., A115 Crabtree
Panelists include: Catherine Walsh Vockley, Research Genetic Counselor, Children’s Hospital
Katie Horowitz, MPH, CPH, VP for Education, Planned Parenthood of Western Pennsylvania
Annie Nagy, MPH, Pittsburgh Health Corps Director, Allegheny County Health Department and AmeriCorps
Kristen Mertz, MD, MPH Epidemiologist, Allegheny County Health Department and Assistant Professor Department of
Epidemiology
Susan Ott, Attorney, Rhoades & Owen, LLC
Susan White, MPIA, MPH, Program Director, Country Regional Operations, Pathfinder International
NEW! Pitt Public Health Blood Drive
Wednesday, April 8, noon-5 p.m., Pitt Public Health Community Commons (118 Parran)
Every two seconds, someone needs blood. Donate blood and support life during National Public Health Week with SGA and
the Central Blood Bank. Register with code CU190022 or contact [email protected]. Walk-ins also welcome. Bring photo
ID, eat well, and stay hydrated on day of donation. Be the giving type!
NEW! Second Annual National Public Health Week Trivia Night – Faculty and Staff Welcome!
Thursday, April 9, 7-10:30 p.m., Steel Cactus Shadyside
Join the Pitt Public Health student organizations for trivia, prizes, food, drinks, and fun. Everyone must RSVP. All students,
faculty, staff, and guests are welcome. Like SGA on Facebook and join the event to get all the exclusive details. Donations
benefiting PLEA, a non-profit organization striving to improve the lives of the developmentally disabled.
NEW! Global Health Film Series: Unnatural Causes: Place Matters and In Sickness and in Wealth
Tuesday, April 12, noon- 2 p.m., 109 Parran
Health is determined by far more than genes or bad habits. Seven production teams, filming across America, weave together
human stories with scientific data to reveal how each step down the class pyramid affects health. On average, the rich live
seven years longer than the poor and two years longer than middle-income Americans. The Global Health Film Series
provides an opportunity for students, faculty, and anyone with an interest to learn more about emerging health issues. Each
program includes a featured film, post-film discussion, and light refreshments.
Scholarships and Awards
NEW! Turkish Cultural Center Pittsburgh Scholarship
May 1 deadline
For students wishing to study to promote academic and cross-cultural interactions between Turkish and U.S. universities.
►Read more
Career Services
UPDATED! This Week in Pitt Bridges
We’ve added 17 new opportunities to Pitt Bridges this week! To see our newest postings, login to Pitt Bridges and click on
Posted by Pitt Public Health Career Services. Opportunities include a survey specialist for Mathematica Policy Research, Inc.,
a community health specialist for Last Mile/Tiyatien Health, and a senior influenza specialist for the Associations of Public
Health Laboratories.
Dollars & Sense: The Value of Asking for What You Want
Tuesday, April 7, 6:30 pm, 2017 Cathedral
A workshop on salary negotiation presented by Ayana Ledford, Founding Executive Director of PROGRESS (Program for
Research & Outreach on Gender Equity in Society), H. John Heinz III College, School of Public Policy and Management,
Carnegie Mellon University. Light refreshments will be served. Space is limited. Don’t miss this “golden” opportunity to hear
from an expert at no cost to you! Register today!
NEW! Mock Interview Sessions/No Regular Walk-In Hours on April 15
Schedule a mock interview with Joan Anson on April 15 from 2-4 p.m. or April 17 from 9 a.m.-noon. You must sign up in
advance be e-mailing [email protected] and requesting a half-hour time slot. Normal Walk-In Hours will resume on
Wednesday, April 22.
NEW! Doctoral and Postdoctoral Professionalism Series: Writing Productivity: Creating Effective Writing Habits
Tuesday, April 17, 3-5 p.m., 100A Starzl Biomedical Science Tower
Presented by Natasha Tokowicz. Register today!
Like and follow the Center for Doctoral and Postdoctoral Career Development.
Internships, Fellowships, and Postdocs
DEADLINE APPROACHING: BioMedX Innovation Center Post-Doctoral Researchers, Heidelberg, Germany
March 29 deadline
The BioMed X Innovation Center is an exciting new collaboration model at the interface between academia and industry. At
our center, distinguished early career scientists recruited from all over the world are working jointly on novel pre-clinical
research projects in the fields of biomedicine, molecular biology, cell biology, diagnostics and bioinformatics. ►Read more
NEW! Postdoctoral Research Fellowship in Cancer Epidemiology, Channing Division of Network Medicine, Boston
At the Brigham and Women's Hospital and the Department of Epidemiology at the Harvard School of Public Health with
opportunities to study breast, colon, ovarian, uterine, prostate, or a variety of other cancers. ►Read more
Area Agency on Aging Intern, Allegheny County Department of Human Services
Assist the AAA in answering the following question: What is the variation in outcome/how do participants fare compared to
similar populations who receive certain care managed services? ►Read more
Outcomes Measurement & Quality Improvement Project Intern, Allegheny County Department of Human Services
The Area Agency on Aging is in the process of developing performance measures for the services it provides directly through
an ongoing project called as the Outcomes Measurement & Quality Improvement Project under the direction of its Director of
Quality. ►Read more
Courses and Scheduling
NEW! Fall 2015 Course Schedule Now Available Online
►Read more
Instructor Added to EPIDEM 2183 RDNG ANALZNG INTRPTG PH MEDL LIT
Anthony Fabio will also be listed as an instructor.
Pre-reqs for EPIDEM 2220 Apld Spatial/Community Epidem
BCHS 3015 and EPIDEM 2110 and (BIOST 2011 or BIOST 2041)
Summer 2015 Course Schedule
Graduation Information
UPDATED! Deadlines and Important Dates for April and June 2015 Graduation
March 31 is final deadline to apply for April graduation
The absolute last deadline to apply for April graduation is Tuesday, March 31. You will not be able to apply after this. The
current late fee is $35. 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.
Apply for June graduation by April 23 to avoid a late fee. The final deadline to apply for June graduation is June 5. ►Read
more
Important Dates for June 2015 Graduation
June 20 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 July 10. The Registrar will begin mailing diplomas and complimentary transcripts June 29.
Graduation Central
Tuesday, April 7 and Wednesday, April 8, 11 a.m.-7 p.m., Connolly Ballroom, Alumni Hall
Purchase your academic regalia for the University of Pittsburgh Commencement and Pitt Public Health Convocation
ceremonies. Graduates must wear academic regalia to both ceremonies and those attending Commencement must attend
Graduation Central for instructions. ►Read more
UPDATED! Tasks Related to your Essay, Thesis, or Dissertation for April and June 2015 Graduation
April graduation: Initial upload deadline is April 6
Prior to Monday, April 13 the document must be reviewed for format. During the week of April 20 the final copy must be
uploaded, along with all required paperwork to Joanne Pegher.
June graduation: Initial upload deadline is June 3
Prior to Friday, June 12 the document must be reviewed for format. During the week of June 15 the final copy must be
uploaded, along with all required paperwork to Joanne Pegher.
E-mail Joanne Pegher for an appointment to review formatting. ►Read more
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 on April 7 and 8. Formal invitations will be emailed and sent via U.S. mail next week, and detailed instructions will be sent to graduates via e-mail. Stay tuned to the
Weekly Update and e-mails from the Office of Student Affairs for further information.
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
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.
University of Pittsburgh | Graduate School of Public Health | Office of Student Affairs | 114 Parran Hall, 130 DeSoto Street | Pittsburgh, PA 15261