Dr. Hakim Appointed Interim Dean
Iman Hakim, MD, PhD, MPH, has been appointed to serve as Interim Dean of The University of Arizona Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health, effective July 1. 

"She is an outstanding leader and was given exceptional support by everyone to serve in this role," said G. Marie Swanson, PhD, MPH, founding dean of the UA Zuckerman College of Public Health who will be stepping down June 30. "It will be a great pleasure for me to work with her during the transition period."

Dr. Hakim is a leader in health promotion, prevention, and education.  Her research interests include cancer and nutrition, women, maternal and child health, alternative medicine, genetic and molecular epidemiology, tobacco use, and cardiovascular disease.  Dr. Hakim’s current research is focused on the chemoprevention effects of tea consumption, with studies on green tea and lung cancer, high tea consumption and smoking-related oxidative stress, and green tea and weight gain prevention among women with breast cancer. 

"I am deeply touched and honored by all the support I received from the College," said Dr. Hakim. "I will do my best to keep the College strong during this transitional period."

Dr. Martínez Receives Award for Excellence in Research
Maria Elena Martínez, MPH, PhD, has been selected to receive the UA Zuckerman College of Public Health 2007 Award for Excellence in Research. She was nominated for her "exemplary dedication to research" and her success in investigative work as demonstrated by the number of large research grants awarded and peer-reviewed journal articles published.

The award, which includes a one-time $1,000 stipend, will be presented to Dr. Martinez, April 17, during the UA Awards of Distinction Ceremony.

Criteria for the award included that research should be characterized by originality and have investigation as a primary objective.  It also should have the potential to produce results that are beneficial towards human well being and improved health, at the individual or community level.

According to her letter of nomination, Dr. Martínez has consistently demonstrated originality in her approach to her work. One example is an investigation of the association between folate intake and colorectal adenoma recurrence. The hypothesis had long been that folate would be protective from colorectal neoplasia; however, Dr. Martínez went further in her investigation by asking whether high intake of folate coupled with fortification of the food supply could actually result in increased risk for colorectal adenoma recurrence. One of her published papers, "Fortification of the US Food Supply, Plasma Folate, Homocysteine, and Colorectal Adenoma Recurrence," demonstrated that indeed, there appears to be no additional benefit to a high intake of folate after folate fortification began. More...

Rural Health Conference Workshop Presentations and Poster Sessions, Due April 6
Workshop presentations and poster sessions for the 34th Annual Arizona Rural Health Conference, Traditions and Technologies: Rural and Public Health Responding to Change, July 31-Aug. 1, in Fountain Hills, Ariz., are due Friday, April 6, by 5 p.m. To access the call for presentations, click here.

The conference, to be held this year at the Radisson Fort McDowell Resort, Fort McDowell Yavapai Nation, is a great opportunity to showcase programs and share with others in Arizona how you are responding to the health trends and health care needs in your community. 

Presentations will be attended by rural, border and tribal participants from various disciplines in the state, including leaders and decision makers in our state government. Attendees represent the diverse areas of health, including service provider, public health, community health, and education sectors.

The statewide planning committee selected a conference title and corresponding themes that would attract people statewide and cross several disciplines to address specific issues related to the following four themes:

• Rural Hospitals and Healthcare Networks
• Healthy Living
• Rural Community Development
• Jobs into Careers

The Rural Health Office at the UA Zuckerman College of Public Health and the Arizona Rural Health Association, Inc. sponsor the conference, along with many other local and statewide co-sponsors.

For more information, contact Rebecca Ruiz at (520) 626-2243. For conference updates, visit the RHO Web site here.

Epidemiology in Arizona Forum, April 6
The UA Zuckerman College of Public Health and the Cancer Prevention and Control Division of the Arizona Cancer Center will host the Epidemiology in Arizona Forum 2007, Friday, April 6, 2 to 5 p.m.

There will be a $100 prize for the best graduate student poster and a $50 prize for the best undergraduate student poster. The forum provides an excellent opportunity to 

• interact with other epidemiologists working and studying in Arizona;
• view the broad scope of research currently being conducted in Arizona;
• bring together potential employers and job seeking students; and
• learn more about the field of epidemiology.

The Epidemiology in Arizona Forum is scheduled for the afternoon of the same day as the Master’s in Public Health (MPH) Internship conference. For more information, please email Claire Venker or Dr. Robin Harris.

Internship Conference Keynote Focuses on Reaching Out to Arizona's Refugee Community, April 6
The UA Zuckerman College of Public Health will host a graduate student internship conference Friday, April 6, 8:45 a.m. to noon, in Roy P. Drachman Hall. The theme for this semester's keynote address is "A Call to Action: Opportunities for Public Health to Reach Out to Arizona's Refugee Community."

Keynote speakers include Chris Koor Garang, CPN, CPhT, one of the first "Lost Boys of Sudan" who came to Tucson in 2001, Paula Hughes, RN, BSHS, CHES, senior program coordinator of the Commitment to Underserved People program at the UA College of Medicine, and Nura Dualeh, MA, representing Iskash*taa Refugee Harvesting Network. The keynote address will be followed by presentations from 22 master of public health students who will describe what they learned from their internship experiences. More...

Gabrielle Giffords to Speak on 'Veterans and Public Health' at Partners in Public Health Luncheon, April 12
U.S. Representative Gabrielle Giffords will speak about "Veterans and Public Health: Caring for Our Heroes in the 21st Century" at the annual Partners in Public Health luncheon, set for Thursday, April 12, at the Arizona Inn, Tucson Room, 2200 East Elm Street, Tucson, Ariz.

For more information about the Partners in Public Health luncheon or to register, please contact Donna Knight, Office of Development, UA Zuckerman College of Public Health, at (520) 626-2948.

Symposium to Address How Social Justice and Human Rights Affect Communities of the Southwest, April 20
A Social Justice in Health Symposium, organized by Center for Health Equality/Project EXPORT fellows at the UA Zuckerman College of Public Health, will address how social justice and human rights affect the health of communities of the Southwest, Friday, April 20, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., Roy P. Drachman Hall.

The keynote speaker will be Richard H. Carmona, MD, MPH, FACS, 17th Surgeon General of the United States and distinguished professor at the UA Zuckerman College of Public Health.

As an innovative strategy to address health disparities, the Symposium will help increase awareness and build a strong community for inclusive dissemination and discussion of recent research and community activities. This one-day symposium will bring together diverse groups of UA students, faculty and staff to collectively address social justice and health in the Southwest. More...