Author Archives: Alex Whicker

Professional Growth Through Public Speaking Webinar, March 22

Category : News/Events

This is a live webinar scheduled for March 22, 2022 at 12PM ET.

This session, featuring Gillian Landgraff, Senior Learning Consultant, Learning & Organizational Development, Emory University, is designed to introduce proven techniques to demonstrate confidence when speaking publicly, describe components of an effective presentation, recognize common errors in the use of A/V equipment, PowerPoint, and props, and identify ways to assess and gain control of the audience. Session discussions will focus on preparing participants with presentation techniques and the do’s and don’ts of being an effective presenter. By examining their skill gaps and opportunities for growth, participants can enhance presentation skills for career success. Participants will leave this session with strategies to build their skillsets to deliver the presentations with confidence while captivating the audience!  

Click here to access the training!

Graduate Research Assistant, Emory Prevention Research Center

Category : APE/ILE Student Opportunities

The Emory Prevention Research Center (EPRC) seeks one to two part-time Graduate Research Assistants (10-15 hours/week each) to work over the summer, with the possibility of continuing into the Fall. The position includes the opportunity to work on several EPRC projects: Communications/Dissemination, Training, and the BreatheEasy Georgia Homes Program (BreatheEasy). BreatheEasy promotes smoke-free housing by recognizing apartment communities in Georgia that adopt smoke-free policies. GRA tasks include developing infographics to communicate EPRC research in plain language for a broad audience, managing social media for the EPRC and BreatheEasy Program, including developing content, scheduling posts, and evaluating analytics. A GRA will also help to plan and host one to two EPRC Trainings for public health practitioners. Other Communications tasks include reviewing and assisting with the EPRC website and quarterly newsletter, and, in the Fall, assisting with EPRC research dissemination events. The GRA will also assist the BreatheEasy program manager in planning and hosting meetings for stakeholders across the state, developing educational content to promote smoke-free housing, and managing the BreatheEasy Recognition Program and website.

The EPRC conducts research and evaluation on chronic disease prevention and promotes evidence-based cancer prevention and control. The research and activities of the EPRC are planned with the participation and input of our community partners, in the spirit of community-based participatory research. Our cancer projects are funded by NCI and the CDC to promote the use of evidence-based cancer prevention practices. See http://web1.sph.emory.edu/eprc/ for more information about the EPRC. Information about Healthy Homes Healthy Families 2-1-1 is available at http://web1.sph.emory.edu/eprc/research/healthy-homes.html

Minimum Qualifications: Highly motivated, efficient, organized, detail-oriented and interest or experience working on communications, research, evaluation, or cancer prevention and control. Excellent written and verbal communication skills.

Preferred Qualifications: Prior work experience and desire to continue working through the Fall Semester preferred. Experience with social media campaigns and analytics; Clear Communication or Plain Language practices; graphic design; program coordination; website development; and the ability to write in Spanish. Experience with the following software is preferred: Social media platforms and analytics functions (Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, Hootsuite); Piktochart or Canva; Microsoft Office (esp. PowerPoint and Excel); Constant Contact. 

Please email cover letter and resume to Erin Lebow-Skelley erin [dot] lebow-skelley [at] emory [dot] edu

Multiple Positions, NY State DOH

Category : Alumni

The Office of Public Health (OPH) within the NY State Department of Health is seeking to grow their team.

The science office portfolio includes advanced research projects on cross-cutting and emerging issues (such as our recent work on COVID-19 vaccine effectiveness in NEJM and MMWR), time-sensitive data and policy analyses for the Commissioner’s and Governor’s offices, and public scientific communications via the Department’s website and the media (including our COVID-19 data dashboards). Much of this work has been naturally focused on COVID-19, although the balance is beginning to shift back towards the range of topics within OPH.

Four positions (below) were recently posted, at the recent graduate / early career level, focusing on various aspects of data analysis, synthesis, and communication. These are exciting opportunities to be part of high-impact projects that are truly helping to shape state and national public health, at a leading academic health department and working with great people. The Albany region is central to New York and New England, has four amazing seasons, and has an excellent quality of life.

Click on the links below to read/apply to each position.

COVID-19: Where Are We Now and What Are the Future Trends?, March 16

Category : News/Events

Join us for a virtual interactive event on 16 March 2022 at 1:00–2:00 pm EST with experts from the World Health Organization (WHO), when they will survey the latest information as well as elaborate on the following issues.

Our guest speakers will offer their outlook on the current COVID-19 situation and highlight some upcoming trends. Dr. Soumya Swaminathan, Chief Scientist at the WHO, will provide an update on the global pandemic and highlight how science can contribute to a better future. Also, Dr. Bruce Aylward, Senior Advisor to the Director-General and Lead of the ACT Accelerator Executive Hub at the WHO, will discuss “The ACT-Accelerator: a pathway to equity and ending the pandemic” — how a transformed WHO, and partners, drove the fastest, most coordinated and successful global effort in history to develop tools to fight a disease. The discussion will be moderated by Stewart Simonson, Assistant Director-General at WHO’s New York UN office.

Among other issues covered will be: how is WHO helping to fight COVID-19 and why do we need WHO, and why should we be concerned about global vaccine inequity. The discussion will also look at unequal distribution of vaccines, treatments and tests around the globe, contributing to the emergence of new COVID variants, which could also undermine the global economic recovery.

Be sure to attend and find out how you can engage as well as support the COVID-19 response.

Click here for speaker information for this event

Click here to register for the webinar

Associate Scientist I, American Cancer Society

Category : Alumni

Location Atlanta, Georgia

Position Type Full-time

At the American Cancer Society, we’re leading the fight for a world without cancer. Our employees and 1.5 million volunteers are raising the bar every single day. We actively seek candidates from diverse backgrounds including communities of color, the LGBTQ community, veterans, and people with disabilities. The greater the diversity of our people, the better we can serve our communities.

The people who work at the American Cancer Society focus their diverse talents on our lifesaving mission. It is a  calling. And the people who answer it are fulfilled.
 
Click here to apply!
 

**Final title for position is subject to candidate’s qualifications**

JOB SUMMARY

The Population Science Department uses the collective expertise of epidemiologists, biostatisticians, behavioral scientists, research analysts, and study management experts to better understand the behavioral, social, physical, environmental, and societal factors that affect cancer prevention, risk, treatment, and survivorship. This work is conducted using data and biospecimen resources collected from participants in the American Cancer Society’s long-term prospective cohort studies- Cancer Prevention Study-II (CPS-II) and Cancer Prevention Study-3 (CPS-3), two of the country’s largest cohort studies.

The five Associate Scientist positions will collaborate with Population Science staff, external collaborators, and vendors on to collect, manage or use data or biospecimen resources collected from participants in CPS-II and/or CPS-3 cohorts.

MAJOR RESPONSIBILITIES

Position 1: Work as part of the Biospecimens management team to manage data associated with ongoing tissue acquisition, gut and oral microbiome samples, and other biospecimens. This includes manipulating data from Access databases, merging data from a variety of sources, importing data into a biospecimen tracking system according to standard operating procedures, and providing statistical programming support (information and datasets) for Population Science staff and external collaborators.

Position 2: Provide programming support of medical record data associated with ongoing cancer outcome verification in CPS-3 by assisting with participant consent process, monitoring data collection efforts, receiving and managing data deliveries, manipulating and organizing data, and delivering and maintaining high quality data for analytic use.

Position 3: Provide programming support as part of the study management team that overseeing participant-generated data via a participant web-portal. This includes exporting data from the CPS-3 online survey platform, importing, exporting and converting various files to/from SAS, merging data from various sources, data cleaning and quality control, working in a team environment to explore ways to improve participant engagement and retention.

Positions 4 & 5: Work with ACS doctoral scientists to design and conduct internal research studies using American Cancer Society datasets (primarily the Cancer Prevention Study II and 3), provide statistical programming support (information, datasets, and statistical analysis) for collaborative studies with outside researchers, generate presentations and reports for internal and external use, and contribute to the preparation of papers for publication including conducting scientific literature reviews, and contribute to general data analysis and data management needs of the department.

Position Requirements

Master’s Degree in Epidemiology (MPH) or related field
 

SKILLS   

  • Strong problem-solving skills and ability to produce high quality work independently.
  • Highly motivated with strong attention to detail and organization skills.
  • Proficient in SAS and/or R required. Ability to learn additional programming languages as needed.
  • Strong quantitative skills.
  • Adept at obtaining, manipulating, and processing electronic data.
  • Exceptional teamwork and interpersonal skills; ability to communicate in a cross-functional environment with strong oral/written communication skills.
  • Ability to manage multiple tasks simultaneously and efficiently.
  • Experience in electronic data management

SPECIALIZED TRAINING OR KNOWLEDGE (varies by positions)

  • Programming experience in analytic work, preferably in a scientific or epidemiologic research environment.
  • Additional analytic skills related to bioinformatics linkages with “omics” databases are preferred, but not required.
  • For select positions, knowledge of additional programming languages (e.g. Python, MPlus) or experience with a LIMS (laboratory information management system), Shiny applications, advanced graphics design, bioinformatics, text analytics and/or latent variable analysis preferred.

SPECIAL MENTAL OR PHYSICAL DEMANDS

Office desk work with extensive time spent typing, using a mouse, and viewing screens.

 

The American Cancer Society has adopted a vaccination policy that requires all staff, regardless of position or work location, to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 (except where prohibited by state law).

ACS provides staff a generous paid time off policy; medical, dental, retirement benefits, wellness programs, and professional development programs to enhance staff skills. Further details on our benefits can be found on our careers site at: jobs.cancer.org/benefits. We are a proud equal opportunity employer.

Statistician, Piedmont Healthcare

Category : Alumni

JOB PURPOSE:
Advances quality and process improvement initiatives by leading and conducting data analytics projects involving statistical analysis, data manipulation and presentation, operational optimization, benchmarking, dashboard design, and financial modeling.

MINIMUM EDUCATION REQUIRED:
Master’s degree in Industrial Engineering, Health Systems Engineering, Statistics, or Operations Research.

MINIMUM EXPERIENCE REQUIRED:
Three (3) years of progressively responsible data analytics and statistics experience. Previous experience in quality & process improvement and related healthcare experience is required. Certification in Lean, Six Sigma or CPHQ preferred. Proficiency in statistical methods such as hypothesis testing, linear regression analysis, and statistical
process control is required. Advanced knowledge of Microsoft Office software, including Word, Excel (Visual Basic),
PowerPoint, Visio (or other flowcharting application), and statistical software, such as Minitab and R, is required.

MINIMUM LICENSURE/CERTIFICATION REQUIRED BY LAW:
None.

ADDITIONAL QUALIFICATIONS:
Superior written and verbal communication skills including the ability to present ideas and data in a clear and compelling manner are requested. Experience with Tableau and Epic is strongly preferred. Certifications in Tableau and Epic are also strongly preferred.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:
1. Responsible for the collation, evaluation, interpretation, and presentation of quality data. Provides insight and recommendations for improvement.
2. Leads and conducts analytics projects to support various quality and process improvement initiatives involving data collection and statistical analysis, data visualization, as well as preparing and updating score cards, benchmarking, and progress reports.
3. Develops decision supporting tools, including MIS, Tableau and Epic dashboards, balanced scorecards and drill-down/roll-up type reporting.
4. Provides analytical and statistical expertise to Quality Department by creating and demonstrating templates and other statistical tools. Assists team members with their data analysis and shares knowledge and expertise.
5. Drives continuous improvement activity around quality, safety and patient experience. Acts as a change agent.
6. Trains and mentors more junior members of the team in process improvement, data analysis, and statistical methods.
7. Researches statistical modeling & analytical tools and how it can be applied to healthcare to drive improvement within organization.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, ABILITIES
 Strong critical thinking skills.
 Ability to improve and expand knowledge through self-learning, with resources and materials available both within the organization and externally.
 Understanding of process improvement/quality management methodologies.
 Ability to develop effective relationships with a broad variety of people from diverse backgrounds.
 Strong project management and organizational skills.
 Ability to work with minimal supervision.

Disclaimer
The above information is intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by people assigned to this job. It is not intended to be an exhaustive list of responsibilities, duties and skills required of personnel so classified.

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee Graduate Assistant Position

Category : Student Opportunities

The Department of Epidemiology’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee (DEDEIC) seeks to hire a paid student assistant to support the committee’s ongoing work.  Please see the position details below and apply using this link by March 18th.     

Title: DEI Graduate Assistant 

Responsibilities: Provide support to the committee for work conducted on DEDEIC objectives and reporting.  Integrate information from multiple sources in order to create reports for the committee and relevant stakeholders.  Assist with communications to increase and maintain the visibility of DEDEIC.  Attend monthly committee meetings.  Review and preliminary analysis of relevant data (admissions, student feedback, faculty hiring processes).  Provide information to and assists the committee in research of relevant policies and trainings.  Research relevant best practices in diversity, equity, and inclusion.   

Qualifications 

·       Priority given to EPI PhD students and EPI/GLEPI first-year MPH/MSPH students 

·       Enthusiasm for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion work 

·       Must be comfortable working on multiple projects simultaneously 

·       Skilled at managing projects and interpreting data 

·       Ability to work both autonomously and with a team 

·       Excellent written and verbal communication skills 

More Details 

·       This is a paid position (can be REAL and non-REAL is okay too!) 

·       10 hour per week minimum with potential for 10-15 hours per week 

·       Starts immediately and continues through summer, with the option to continue next academic year 

·       Can work remotely during the summer if you will not be in Atlanta 

·       Apply here by March 18th

GRA Position, Emory School of Medicine

Category : Student Opportunities

Part time position  (Spring-Summer-Fall)

Emory Department of Family and Preventive Medicine seeks a Masters or Doctoral trainee candidate who will assist in recruitment for pilot clinical trials and data analyses for larger longitudinal databases. The research questions are focused on interventions for patients with heart disease and dementia. The research efforts are vital to improving patient care, public health, and reduce health disparities. The position will last one year and can be extended based on performance.

Work Schedule, Hours, FTE, Salary Range

·         FTE: Hourly

·         Location: Rollins School of Public Health (Remote work is acceptable)

·         Job Type: Data Analytical Research, Study coordination, Calling study participants. 

·         atleast 8-10 hours per week (more hours during winter and summer break, if requested)

QUALIFICATIONS

·         Bachelor’s degree, preferably in biological sciences, health sciences, or life sciences or equivalent combination of education and experience required;

·         Prior experience in data analyses is preferred.

·         Experience in scientific manuscript writing will be important to participate in publications. 

·         Understands and adheres to Emory School of Medicine and Emory Clinic’s compliance standards as they appear in the Compliance Policy, Code of Conduct and Conflict of Interest Policy.

If interested please contact Ambar Kulshreshtha at akulshr [at] emory [dot] edu. 

A full time position is also available. Details can be accessed here.

About Emory University School of Medicine

The Emory University School of Medicine is a leading institution with the highest standards in education, biomedical research, and patient care. Emory University School of Medicine has 560 students and trains 1,209 residents and fellows in 98 accredited programs. The school has 88 MD/PhD students in one of 40 NIH-sponsored Medical Scientist Training Programs. Some of these students are in a joint program with Georgia Institute of Technology, with which the medical school shares a biomedical engineering department ranked second in the country by U.S. News & World Report. The medical school also offers a joint MD/MSCR (master’s in clinical research) degree, an MD/MPH degree with public health, and an MD/MA in bioethics with Emory’s Laney Graduate School. Dual programs with law (juris master) and business (MBA) also are available. Some 258 medical faculty also train predoctoral bioscience researchers in one or more of nine programs in the Graduate Division of Biological and Biomedical Sciences in the graduate school.

UMASS Clinical and Population Health PhD Program

Category : Post-Grad Student Opportunities

Apply to the Clinical and Population Health Research program at the University of Massachussetts!

At UMass, students receive stipends of at least $34,000 (amount set in April), health insurance, tuition, fees, and I funds to defray costs of starting a PhD program (e.g., moving).  Average time to degree completion – 4 years. For those considered under-represented in the biomedical and behavioral sciences (NIH criteria), there are 8 Chancellor’s awards offering an additional $7000 per year in scholarships for 3 years and $2000 a year for 3 years for professional development.

Curriculum: tailored to student’s research interests, grant writing (high success rates for student NIH awards), strong sense of community, full immersion in research from program onset

Outcomes: students get into highly competitive post-docs (Harvard, UNC, etc.) or launch careers in industry or the government.

More information here:

https://www.umassmed.edu/gsbs/academics/phd-biomedical-sciences/clinical-and-population-health-research/

The application deadline says February 28, but anyone interested can contact Kate Lapane directly at kate [dot] lapane [at] umass [dot] med [dot] edu as she has a mechanism for late applications!

Mindfulness and Public Health

Category : PROspective

Written by: Alex Whicker

This semester I decided to branch out from my usual Maternal and Child Health and Epi courses to take something a little different: Mindfulness and Public Health (BSHES 583 with Dr. Nilaja Green). While I mainly hoped it would be a fun class filled with meditation and interesting discussions (which it is) I’ve been pleasantly surprised to learn about how closely mindfulness ties into the realm of public health. Mindfulness, I’ve learned, is a tool that can be learned not only to improve my own life, but the lives of my friends, family, and the people I will serve in my public health career as well!

One important teaching in mindfulness is that all living things are connected. This reflects the public health tenet that our health is dependent on the health of the people and environment around us. Just as our individual wellbeing can be affected by a neighbor having the flu or our community suffering from smog, so can our thoughts and emotions be impacted by those around us. This is why it is smart to be intentional about who and what we surround ourselves with. Beyond that, however, it is also important to carefully consider the thoughts and feelings we allow to rule our minds, as they can impact others whether we realize it or not. Similar to how washing our hands is a moral decision to decrease the risk of disease for those around us, practicing mindfulness is an act which can improve the interactions we have with others.

One of the most obvious ways mindfulness has connections to public health is its effective use as a tool for dealing with chronic illnesses, pain, grief, and mental health. One way that mindfulness helps people deal with physical ailments is by teaching us that our minds and bodies are one and the same and reminding us to attend to our bodies beyond just dealing with pain. Mindfulness can help us connect with the present moment through physical cues, such as through breathing, so that we might become more aware of our bodies and emotions. Noticing the physical sensations we’re experiencing can help clue us into what feelings we may be ignoring. A tight chest, for example, may be an indication of stress and anxiety, while feeling hot or antsy could be a sign of frustration or anger. In addition to improving the relationship between our mind and body, mindfulness is often used in dialectical behavioral therapy to help patients balance opposing thoughts. One common example of this which many struggle with is accepting that we may not be the cause of all of our problems but we are still responsible for our lives.

Mindfulness is useful for more than just caring for the patient. As public health professionals, mindfulness can also improve our relationship with ourselves and others. Working in a field that often witnesses suffering and pain can take a toll. Learning how to cope with our own feelings of burnout or powerlessness can help fuel us to continue serving others and responding to larger systemic or societal problems. Mindfulness teaches us to cope with uncomfortable or unpleasant thoughts and situations instead of ignoring or avoiding them. In this way we can be more present and honest with others when we encounter these inevitable experiences in our work. Mindfulness can also help us in our careers so that we may better focus and reach our goals. Learning to ask ourselves “why?” when we set goals can both serve as a reminder of our purpose as well as clarify what our intentions are when we are striving to achieve something.

Mindfulness teaches us not to judge our own thoughts and feelings. This helps us reserve judgement for others as well, so that we may create connections rather than divisions. Throughout this semester I have learned that there are many ways to engage in mindfulness. Whether it be through meditation, yoga, an intentional walk, or simply choosing to ignore the instinct of reaching for your phone in an uncomfortable situation there are numerous opportunities for us to incorporate mindfulness into our lives. If you’re interested in starting your own mindfulness journey, check out this website. This article may also be a great place to learn more about the intersection of mindfulness and public health.

 

Featured Image by processingly on Unsplash

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