News and Announcements - HBS PhD Newsletter - September 2, 2021

We are excited to announce that CU Denver alumna Itzel Cervantes will be starting as the Administrative Assistant on Tuesday, September 7th. Itzel wrote a short introduction below. Please stop by the office and introduce yourself.

"My name is Itzel and I am a Colorado Native with proud Hispanic roots. I come from a background in finance and am eager to commence my career with CU Denver. My experience has allowed for me grow in many work areas from non-profit work to sales to customer service. I enjoy helping others and wish to continue my professional career assisting with the needs of others. In my free time, I enjoy listening to podcasts, hanging out with my family and friends, and explore new places to eat. I also love to travel and wish to visit as many places as possible. I love meeting new people and am very excited to start getting to know you all!"

Please mark your calendar for Sunday, September 12th at 4:00pm for the HBS Fall Party. This is an opportunity for us to get together at the start of the Fall semester and connect with the HBS community. Students, Faculty, Staff, and their families are all invited! We will meet up by the playground at Jefferson Park (Directions Below). The park has a playground, shelter, and restrooms. Out of an abundance of caution and with COVID-19 restrictions still in place, we ask that you please bring your own food, we will provide beverages. We hope to see you and your families there!

Jefferson Park on Google Maps

Sept 3, 2:30-4:00pm, NC 1130: "Insights from USC's National COVID-19 Tracking Survey" - Dr. Wandi Bruine de Bruin, University of Southern California

Abstract: From March 10, 2020, the University of Southern California's Center for Economic and Social Research has been running a bi-monthly national longitudinal survey to track US residents' experiences with the pandemic. Wändi Bruine de Bruin will be presenting three psychological studies she has conducted as part of this survey, about (1) perceived analogies of COVID-19, (2) age differences in mental health, and (3) the effect of vaccine allocation strategies on vaccination refusal. She will share how to access these publicly available data, and discuss implications for health communications and interventions. 

• Sept 24 2:30pm, Zoom: Population Health: Looking Under the Skin and Down the Street - Adam Lippert, PhD, University of Colorado Denver, Department of Sociology. Please contact HBSAdminSupport@ucdenver.edu for the Zoom meeting information.
• Oct 8, 2:30pm, North Classroom 1130: Community Disaster Recovery: Moving from Vulnerability to Resilience - Daserai A. Crow, PhD, University of Colorado Denver, school of Public Affairs.
• Oct 15, 2:30pm, North Classroom 1130: Legal Epidemiology as a Tool for Mapping Structural Stigma - Daniel Goldberg, JD, PhD, Universtiy of Colorado Anschutz, Center for Bioethics and Humanities.

We are excited to announce that Dr. Ivan Ramirez (pictured right) has been promoted to Assistant Professor Clinical Teaching Track and Department Chair Dr. Sara Yeatman has been promoted to full Professor. Congratulations to both of you on these exciting steps in your careers!

Congratulations Stephanie Chamberlin on her first-author publication "How HIV Clients Find Their Way Back to the ART Clinic: A Qualitative Study of Disengagement and Re-engagement with HIV Care in Malawi" in AIDS and Behavior. The research was in collaboration with HBS alumna Kathryn Dovel. Stephanie said, "I am very grateful to the mentorship of Sara Yeatman and Jean Scandlyn during this project. Thank you to everyone in the Qualitative Research Working Group who provided such insightful feedback on a draft of this manuscript!"

The goal of the Student Leaders in Public Health program is to enhance the public health workforce in the Rocky Mountain region, specifically in rural and under-served communities and populations, by supporting students conducting applied health projects and providing opportunities for mentoring and professional development. During the 2021 – 2022 academic year (summer, fall, spring semesters), the Rocky Mountain Public Health Training Center will award 27 students in higher education $3,500 in financial support to assist with public health field placements and faculty-student collaborative projects. The program is funded by the Health Resources and Services Administration. Upcoming application deadlines are September 15 and December 15.

Learn More and Apply Online

HBS PhD student Marisa Westbrook has previously received funding through this opportunity and would be happy to answer questions you might have - reach out to her by email at marisa.westbook@ucdenver.edu.

The National Research Center on Hispanic Children and Families created an excellent selection of resources for navigating graduate school in the social sciences and for preparing for the job market. Be sure to take a look.

Learn More Online

All PhD students are eligible to have access to the Gompertz analytical server. Gompertz has access to statistical software including Stata, Mplus, and SPSS, and we are open to installing other software if there is interest. The department supports this server to provide you with computational resources for coursework, dissertation research, research with faculty, or other independent research. If you do not currently have an account, but would like access to the server, please reach out to Patrick at Patrick.Krueger@ucdenver.edu.

• Sept 14, 6:00pm, Zoom: Health Equity Learning Series Fireside Chat with Tamika Mallory, esteemed social justice leader, political activist and next-generation advocate for human rights, equal rights for women, health care, gun restrictions and ethical police conduct. Register online.
• Sept 28, 3:30pm, Zoom: Fireside Chat with Dr. Mona Hanna-Attisha, acclaimed pediatrician, scientist, activist, and author of “What the Eyes Don’t See,” a story about uncovering the Flint Water Crisis and leading recovery efforts. The event will discuss public health issues that adversely affect underrepresented and underserved communities within the United States and locally. Register online.

All students, faculty, and staff are required to get a COVID-19 vaccine or file for an exemption on the basis of medical, religious, or personal reasons. To fulfill this requirement, you should have self-disclose your vaccination status by using the online form. As a reminder, all individuals regardless of vaccination status must wear a mask at all times indoors. If you have not already done this, please submit the form ASAP.

For more information about COVID-19 guidelines, please visit the CU Denver Coronavirus page.

If you have not yet been vaccinated, you can schedule a vaccine on campus. All COVID-19 vaccines are free. For vaccine questions, the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment provides a toll-free hotline available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Call 1-877-COVAXCO (1-877-268-2926). Click the link below to schedule your vaccine on campus.

Schedule on Campus

If you submit for a vaccine exemption, you will automatically be routed into a mandatory COVID-19 weekly testing program through Primary Bio. The testing program offers both on- and off-campus locations to conduct saliva or nasal testing (the type of test is dependent on the testing location) free of charge. If you are part of the routine testing program, you will receive an email from Primary Health each week with the link to schedule your test.

Schedule a Rapid Test

If you do test positive for COVID-19 or have an exposure regardless of your vaccination status, please report the exposure to the school using this form. If you have been exposed and you are fully vaccinated (with NO symptoms), you do not need to quarantine at this time and you may return to campus. You must be diligent and symptom watch for the 2 weeks following exposure. It is HIGHLY recommended that you be tested on day 5 after your last day of exposure. If any new symptoms arise, or if you are tested and receive a positive COVID-19 diagnosis, you must isolate and fill out a new self-report form indicating a positive test.