Graduate Research Assistant (GRA), REAL

Project Description: Dr. Hannah Cooper is seeking a GRA to work on a project that is designed to study the relationship of select policies on overdose-related health and health service outcomes among people who inject drugs in the US. Results will provide some of the first evidence to help develop laws and place-based interventions to combat over doses (ODs) among PWID, a growing and yet neglected population at the epicenter of the US OD epidemic. 

Minimum Qualifications: Experience manipulating datasets in Excel and SAS (e.g., standardizing column labels, formats, and order; stacking multiple datasets with varying data structures; adding unique row ids)

Preferred Qualifications: Experience managing complex data in Excel and SAS. Exceptional attention to detail. MPH student in Biostatistics or Epidemiology preferred

This position is posted on Handshake as posting # 3156573.   This position is posted for this semester only with the option of extending into the Spring semester based on performance.

CDC’s Place & Health Conference

Deadline extended to submit an abstract for the 2019 Place & Health Conference!

Are you interested in sharing your geospatial work, research, and accomplishments with your public health colleagues?  GeoSWG has extended the deadline to submit an abstract for the 2019 Place & Health Conference. The extended abstract submissions deadlines are:

• Lightning Talks, Presentations, or Panels: Friday, October 11, 2019
• Map Gallery: Friday, October 18, 2019

To submit an abstract, visit https://placeandhealthconference.com/call-for-abstracts/.

The 2019 Place & Health Conference will take place on November 14-15, 2019 at the CDC Global Communications Center, Roybal Campus. The 2019 Place & Health Conference is a free event and is open to CDC/ATSDR employees and contractors, academic and government partners, public health and GIS professionals, and students.

This year’s theme is Vulnerable Populations, although we are accepting abstracts on other GIS topics of interest. Through the application of geospatial technology and methods we can increase our understanding of the locations where disasters or disease occurrence may have a disproportionate effect on the health of the population. This knowledge can be used to enhance health promotion, disease prevention, and emergency preparedness activities which are the essence of public health.

Visit https://placeandhealthconference.com for more information. Please reach out to GeoSWG [at] cdc [dot] gov with questions. Thank you!

Universities Allied For Essential Medicines

Universities Allied for Essential Medicines Emory chapter is recruiting board members for this academic year. Established in 2001, UAEM has grown into a worldwide student organization with chapters at over 100 research universities in more than 20 countries, and a membership which includes students of medicine, science, public health, economics, and many other areas. The focus of the organization has expanded from only asking how universities can best license their innovations to promote global access, to also asking how universities can best direct and measure their research to have the greatest social impact worldwide, and promoting these ideals at the national and international levels.

2019 Place & Health Conference, 9/27

Submit your abstract for the 2019 Place & Health Conference by Friday, September 27, 2019!

Are you interested in sharing your geospatial work, research, and accomplishments with your public health colleagues? GeoSWG is actively soliciting abstracts for the following presentation opportunities during the 2019 Place & Health Conference:

· Map Gallery

· 5 Minute Lightning Talks

· 15-20 Minute Presentations

· Panel Presentations

To register to attend the 2019 Place & Health Conference, click HERE. Once you’ve registered, submit an abstract at HERE. The deadline to submit an abstract is Friday, September 27, 2019.

The 2019 Place & Health Conference will take place on November 14-15, 2019 at the CDC Global Communications Center, Roybal Campus. The 2019 Place & Health Conference is a free event and is open to CDC/ATSDR employees and contractors, academic and government partners, public health and GIS professionals, and students.

This year’s theme is Vulnerable Populations. Through the application of geospatial technology and methods we can increase our understanding of the locations where disasters or disease occurrence may have a disproportionate effect on the health of the population. This knowledge can be used to enhance health promotion, disease prevention, and emergency preparedness activities which are the essence of public health.

Visit https://placeandhealthconference.com for more information. Please reach out to GeoSWG [at] cdc [dot] gov with questions. 

Research Assistant – Part-time, Temporary, James Bell

James Bell Associates (https://www.jbassoc.com) – Atlanta, GA

Well-established firm specializing in evaluations of child welfare and human services programs seeks to support a child welfare case record data project for approximately 4-week period in Atlanta, GA. The research assistant is responsible for reviews of administrative and case records of children/families involved in child welfare, and extraction of data elements into Access database. This research study is examining methods for identifying and serving children in the child welfare system who are affected by prenatal exposure to alcohol and other substances, including opioids. The results will lay the groundwork for improved care and outcomes for children, reliable prevalence data, and appropriate allocation of resources.

Duties & Responsibilities

· In-depth 2.5-day training on project and data collection responsibilities and Access database

· Collection and synthesis of administrative data from state social services data base

· Data entry into structured Access database

· Communicates with the project team manager

· Adheres to the company’s confidentiality protocol

Knowledge & Skills

· Strong organizational and analytical skills

· Attention to detail

· Research training and skills

· Experience with Microsoft Office products (e.g., Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Access)

· Excellent written and oral communication skills

· Ability to work effectively as part of a team and independently

Education Experience

Bachelor’s or Master’s degree with at least two years of work experience in child welfare, social sciences, human services, and/or applied research

Other Requirements

Must be a US citizen and be able to pass background checks.

Compensation/Timing/Location

· Competitive hourly pay ($24/hr)

· Between 25-35 hours a week for intensive/consecutive 4-week period

· Business hours only: 8:00am – 6:00pm (no weekend days)

· Position in Atlanta, GA

Apply E-mail resume and cover letter with position sought to: Erin Morehouse at morehouse [at] jbassoc [dot] com

Equal opportunity employer.

Medical Record Epidemiology Liaison

The Georgia Department of Public Health (GDPH) is the lead agency entrusted by the people of the state of Georgia with the ultimate responsibility for the health of communities and the Georgia population. The agency is seeking a candidate for the position of Medical Record Epidemiology Liaison within the Epidemiology Section, Maternal and Child Health Epidemiology Unit (MCH EPI). MCH EPI is seeking an epidemiologist to assist with identifying infants with birth defects, longitudinal tracking of infants with congenital syphilis and Zika exposure, and the subsequent medical record request process. MCH EPI carries out a number of activities related to case ascertainment, case confirmation, and data quality assurance of birth defects in Georgia infants. MCH EPI staff work closely with our 18 health districts, Georgia healthcare facilities, and the CDC’s National Center for Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities (NCBDDD).

MCH EPI houses several teams, including the Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System (PRAMS) project, perinatal health (maternal and infant morbidity and mortality, family planning), children’s health screening and services, and birth defects and neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS) surveillance. This opportunity is with the Newborn Surveillance Team in MCH EPI. The Newborn Surveillance Team conducts surveillance for reportable birth defects, NAS, and longitudinal follow-up of congenital Zika and congenital syphilis exposure by monitoring the volume of case reports, confirming reported cases, and ensuring affected infants and families are referred to early intervention services. In this position, the Medical Record Epidemiology Liaison will gain experience in field epidemiology under the guidance and support of the Newborn Surveillance Team Lead, the Congenital Infections Registry Coordinator (CIRC), and the Infant Surveillance Epidemiologist. To aid in monthly reporting of birth defects data and quarterly reporting of congenital Zika and congenital syphilis data, the Medical Record Epidemiology Liaison will perform medical record retrieval, tracking, and data entry using the State Electronic Notifiable Disease Surveillance System (SendSS). Travel to facilities to obtain medical records may be necessary. An ideal candidate must be attentive to detail and comfortable working with external stakeholders.

Job Responsibilities:

 Ensure the status of each suspected birth defects case is kept up-to-date in the tracking form in the Georgia Birth Defects Registry, housed in SendSS

 Assist the CIRC Epidemiologist in obtaining medical records and completed CDC forms from providers

 Identify suspect birth defects cases using the Georgia Birth Defects Registry in SendSS

 Case confirmation:

Request records from relevant facilities (e.g., birth hospitals and individual providers)

Ensure timely receipt of records for case reporting schedule o Assist the Newborn Surveillance Team Lead and Infant Surveillance Epidemiologist in reviewing records to confirm diagnoses of interest per CDC case definition

Assist the Newborn Surveillance Team Lead and Infant Surveillance Epidemiologist in determining which cases are reportable for general birth defects o Adapt to changing case guidance as appropriate

 Perform data entry for ongoing reporting and evaluation

 Assist the Newborn Surveillance Team Lead with ongoing data quality assurance

 Assist with other projects (e.g., preparing conference abstracts and presentations) as needed Medical Record Epidemiology Liaison Job Posting 9/9/2019 The Medical Record Epidemiology Liaison will report to the Newborn Surveillance Team Lead.

Minimum Qualifications: Bachelor’s degree in any field from an accredited college or university OR two years of experience performing epidemiologic work or work in a closely related field.

Preferred Qualifications: In addition to meeting the minimum qualifications, preference will be given to applicants who possess the following:

 Pursuing Master of Public Health with concentration in Epidemiology

 Experience working in state or local public health departments

 Comfort with Microsoft Excel and SAS or other statistical software

If interested, please contact Jerusha Barton with your resume at jerusha [dot] barton [at] dph [dot] ga [dot] gov.

Call for Proposals: Duke Quantitative Summer Internships in HIV/AIDS (2020)

We will be offering twelve fully funded summer internships for quantitative graduate students to do research on HIV/AIDS projects and are currently soliciting research proposals for the 2020 program. The research proposal should involve data analysis, visualization, machine learning, computer simulation, mathematical modeling, software development or device engineering, and may optionally include opportunities for fieldwork or handson bench work in the lab. All interns will be co-mentored by the HIV/AIDS researcher (or designated lab member) and a quantitative researcher (e.g., a biostatistician or biomedical engineer). We will provide a suitable quantitative mentor for all funded projects, but you may also recommend one (e.g. a statistician or computational biologist that you are already collaborating with). The objective of the internship is to introduce quantitative graduate students to HIV/AIDS research and encourage interdisciplinary collaborations.
Examples of proposals submitted for the 2019 program can be found at : https://cfar.duke.edu/cores/biostatistics-and-computational-biology-core/internship/project-list.

The summer internships will cover
• 10 weeks of full-time paid work with option to extend if progress is satisfactory (subject to available funds)
• Up to $2,800 per intern for laboratory or other research expenses
• Travel/accommodation to present a poster or give an oral presentation at a national conference (all interns)
• Travel/accommodation to present a poster or give an oral presentation at an international conference (limited) Expectations of laboratory mentors (either PI or designated group member)
• Collaborate with the quantitative mentor over the internship period
• Prepare expectations, objectives and a structured research plan for the intern
• Ensure that any resources necessary are available at the start of the internship (e.g. data sets)
• Meet regularly with intern to provide guidance (at least once a week)
The research proposal should be between ½ – 1 page in length, and include the following:
• Title of project
• PI (and designated mentor if different from PI) contact details
• Summary of research project and why the research matters
• Objectives of internship and milestones
• Scope of work
Please keep in mind that prospective interns respond best to proposals where the objective and scope are clearly defined. If you know of specific skills or experience that the intern will need, please indicate in the scope of work section.
Please submit your research proposal (multiple proposals are welcome) to (Kelly Sune) kelly [dot] sune [at] duke [dot] edu by 5 pm Monday Sep 30, 2019. If you have any questions about the internship, please contact Cliburn Chan (cliburn [dot] chan [at] duke [dot] edu).