Faculty Awards

Jeremy Martinson is recipient of 2022 Craig Teaching Award

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2022 Craig Award winner, Jeremy Martinson, is an assistant professor in the Department of Infectious Diseases and Microbiology (IDM), vice chair for research and program director of the Master of Public Health degree. “As a mentor, Dr. Martinson is extremely friendly and personable. He shows a genuine interest and cares for the well-being of students, and someone can talk to him about anything school or life-related. He is extremely knowledgeabl... 

Gao Wins 2022 JESEE Young Investigator Meeting Award

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EOH’s Peng Gao is an accomplished and respected professional in the field of exposure science. The International Society of Exposure Science (ISES) has recognized Dr. Gao’s work with the 2022 JESEE Young Investigator Meeting Award. This award supports student and new researcher participation at ISES annual meetings. Congratulations!  

BCHS' Richard Garland receives Chancellor's Distinguished Public Service Award

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Congratulations to assistant professor Richard Garland who has been selected to receive the Chancellor’s Distinguished Public Service Award for his exceptional work to reduce gun violence. Dr. Garland was one of 15 faculty members across Pitt recognized by Chancellor Patrick Gallagher and will be honored at the Faculty Honors Convocation on April 1 at 3 p.m. in Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Hall.   

Wenzel, Kagan, Newman are Highly Cited Researchers for 2021

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Congratulations to EOH’s Sally Wenzel and Valerian Kagan and EPI’s Anne Newman for their inclusion in the 2021 list of Highly Cited Researchers. The list identifies researchers who have demonstrated significant influence in their chosen fields through the publication of multiple highly cited papers during the last decade. A total of 18 researchers from Pitt were included in this year's list.   

Gary-Webb accepts award for impact of data from the Black Equity Coalition

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NATIONAL NEIGHBORHOOD INDICATORS PARTNERSHIP - Harnessing interdisciplinary expertise and perspectives, the Black Equity Coalition in Pittsburgh successfully used data to advocate for programs and policies to decrease racial disparities in COVID-19 response and created a forum to tackle other health inequities. "Seeing something happen right away was extremely different from the past - that we saw a problem, advocated for things to be fixed, and... 

Ding wins 2021 Craig Award

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Congratulations to Ying Ding! "As a teacher, Dr. Ding can answer very hard theory questions as well as practical problems that students may have about statistics, and she is also experienced in inspiring a student's interests in statistics," said one nominator. Other nominators said she was accessible both in and out of the classroom and willing to encourage discussion and encourage work outside of the classroom.   

Pitt Public Health team wins third place at Morningside International Global Health Case Competition

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In collaboration with the Center for Global Health, Pitt held its first-ever Global Health Case Competition last fall. Pitt supported the winning team from that competition to enter Emory University's Morningside International Global Health Case Competition. Emily Crisan (BCHS '24) joined five undergraduate students and faculty mentor HPM's Elizabeth Van Nostrand and won third place out of 53 teams from across the U.S. for their plan and strateg... 

Bodnar receives SER Carol J. Hogue Mid-Career Award

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Congratulations to EPI's Lisa Bodnar for receiving the 2021 Society for Epidemiologic Research Carol J. Rowland Hogue Award recognizing a mid-career scientist who has made an exceptional contribution to the practice of epidemiology. Hear from the 2021 awardees at the SER 2021 Virtual Conference June 23-25.   

Wenzel chosen as American Thoracic Society's Amberson Lecturer

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EOH Chair Sally Wenzel has been chosen to be the American Thoracic Society 2021 Amberson Lecturer at this year's ATS Conference May 14-19. The Amberson Lecture recognizes exemplary professionalism, collegiality, and citizenship through mentorship and leadership in the ATS community and the chosen lecturer is an individual with a career of major lifetime contributions to clinical or basic pulmonary research and/or clinical practice.  

Frank receives Alumni Award from Pitt School of Education

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IDM's Linda Frank received the Distinguished Alumni Award from Pitt's School of Education for exceptional professional achievement, public service to the advancement of the educational field, and a commitment to the continued success of the school and the University. Award recipients will be honored at a virtual ceremony on March 25 at 5:30. Congratulations!   

Mendez receives Provost's Award for Diversity in the Curriculum

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PITTWIRE - EPI's Dara Mendez, interim director of the Center for Health Equity, received the award for enhancing Clincial Experience courses for first-year students by introducing a book club which explored the history and ongoing practice of racism within medicine. "Star faculty like Dr. Mendez will help accelerate our efforts in diversity and inclusive excellence in our school," said Dean Maureen Lichtveld. Congratulations!   

Newman awarded AHA Clinical Research Prize (video)

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EPI's Anne Newman received the American Heart Association's 2020 Clinical Research Prize based on her extensive research career focused on aging, including the determinants of physical and cognitive function, as well as successful aging and longevity. She is an expert in the study of cardiovascular disease, aging and body composition, and sarcopenia (muscle loss) and physical functioning.  

Opresko selected for scientific leadership award

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EOH's Patricia Opresko is the 2020 recipient of the Merrill J. Egorin Excellence in Scientific Leadership Award.  This award honors a faculty member that exemplifies scientific passion and scholastic dedication. Patricia is recognized as an outstanding mentor, and for her exceptional leadership in cancer research, including her work with the Genome Stability Program at UPMC Hillman Cancer Center.  

Mendez receives national recognition for maternal and child health research

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PITTWIRE - The Coalition for Excellence in Maternal and Child Health Epidemiology and 15 national health organizations selected EPI's Dara Mendez as the recipient of the 2020 Award for Effective Practice at the Community Level. Mendez specializes in understanding and addressing racial and socioeconomic inequity in pregnancy, birth, and women's health. The award recognizes her significant work toward improving public health practice through effec... 

EOH's Wenzel named winner of ATS AII Scientific Accomplishment Award

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EOH's Sally Wenzel has won the American Thoracic Society's AII Scientific Accomplishment Award.Dr. Wenzel’s remarkable research contributions over the years have significantly improved our understanding of asthma pathogenesis and directly impacted approach to treatment. Dr. Wenzel has developed an unparalleled translational program to study asthma’s pathobiology and mechanisms and is one of the key scientists who established the concept of asthm... 

Shaffer selected for the 2020 Craig Award for Excellence in Teaching

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Congratulations to Dr. John Shaffer (HUGEN '08), assistant professor of human genetics and oral biology, on being selected for the 2020 James L. Craig Award for Teaching Excellence. Craig awardees are nominated annually by students and selected by a committee of students and past awardees.   

Garland selected for PA Trauma Prevention Recognition Award

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BCHS's Richard Garland was selected to receive a Trauma Prevention Recognition Award from the American Trauma Society, Pennsylvania Division. Awards are granted annually to individuals or groups who have gone beyond the call of duty in trauma prevention and who exemplify the goals of the ATSPA in preventing needless deaths and injuries.   

Felter and Baumann receive Best Paper of the Year Award

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Congrats to BCHS's Elizabeth Felter and Sara Baumann (BCHS '19). Their article "Development of a Community-Engaged Classroom for Teaching Health Communications: Lessons Learned from Nine Semesters of Implementation," has been selected as a Pedagogy in Health Promotion's 2019 Best Paper of the Year Award. This is a great honor!   

Marsh wins Innovator Award

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BIOST's Gary Marsh received the Innovator Award at the 14th annual Celebration of Innovation. The award is related to sales of the Occupational Cohort Mortality Analysis Program, a software package he developed with the assistance of biostatistics faculty and staff including Ada Youk, Roslyn Stone, and Chuck Alcorn. Years earlier, Harvey Co Chien (BIOST MS '87) completed his master's thesis developing an analytic module for this same software.  ... 

Baumann and Burke receive Hewlett Award from UCIS

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BCHS’s Jessie Burke and Sara Baumann (BCHS '19) received a Hewlett Award from the University Center for International Studies for their project entitled, “Painting a way forward: Investigating the role of community art on mental health outcomes in the aftermath of the 2015 earthquakes in Nepal.”  The work extends ongoing research efforts in Nepal.  

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Faculty News

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Gao Wins 2022 JESEE Young Investigator Meeting Award 

Gao Wins 2022 JESEE Young Investigator Meeting Award

EOH’s Peng Gao is an accomplished and respected professional in the field of exposure science. The International Society of Exposure Science (ISES) has recognized Dr. Gao’s work with the 2022 JESEE Young Investigator Meeting Award. This award supports student and new researcher participation at ISE... (07/29/2022)
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Peter Salk says newest U.S. case of polio sounds a warning 

Peter Salk says newest U.S. case of polio sounds a warning

PITTSBURGH POST-GAZETTE - After a man in Rockland County, New York, became the first patient to contract polio in the U.S. in nearly a decade, experts such as IDM’s Peter Salk — whose late father, Jonas, developed a vaccine for the disease — said the public shouldn’t be alarmed but warned that chil... (07/26/2022)
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Flu making a comeback, could strain hospitals filled with Covid patients 

Flu making a comeback, could strain hospitals filled with Covid patients

NBC NEWS – HPM’s Mark Roberts, director of the Public Health Dynamics Laboratory, said he’s concerned that regions of the country that currently don’t have mitigation measures for Covid will see a large increase in flu cases in the coming weeks. “What I think is worrisome now is that there are many... (01/04/2022)
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Self-compassion can be good for the heart, Thurston finds 

Self-compassion can be good for the heart, Thurston finds

PITTSBURGH POST-GAZETTE - New research from secondary EPI faculty Rebecca Thurston sheds light on the ways that being kinder to yourself may be good for your heart. The study found that women who practice self-compassion overall have stronger cardiovascular health, further cementing the correlation... (01/04/2022)
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