SOPHE / CDC Student Fellowship

Press Release

March 10, 2009
For Immediate Release
Contact: Carmen Head
chead@sophe.org

SOPHE Announces the 2009 Class of Student Fellows
Six Students Awarded One-Year Fellowships

Washington, DC -- The Society for Public Health Education (SOPHE) announces the 2009 class of awardees for the SOPHE/CDC Student Fellowship in Injury Prevention and Control, SOPHE/CDC Fellowship in Child, Adolescent and School Health, and the SOPHE/ATSDR Student Fellowship in Environmental Health Promotion.

Six students will conduct one-year fellowships working on graduate-level projects to advance the science and practice of health education in the areas of environmental health, injury prevention and control, and child/adolescent health. Each of the fellows will receive a $1500 stipend, one-year student membership in SOPHE, and an opportunity to present his/her work at the SOPHE 60th Annual Meeting, November 5-7, 2009, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Injury fellows will also receive a one-year membership in the State and Territorial Injury Prevention Directors Association.

This year's injury prevention fellows are: Jingy Li, M.D., M.S., a doctoral candidate at the University of Maryland School of Medicine; Jennifer Piver-Renna, B.S., a doctoral candidate at the Bloomberg School of Public Health at Johns Hopkins University; and Hilary Harding, B.A. a student enrolled in a dual M.S./Ph.D. program in Clinical Psychology at the University of Georgia. Dr. Li will explore the impact of court appearances for repeat speeding on the behavior of traffic violators. Ms. Piver-Renna will examine the adoption and implementation of brief alcohol interventions in Level I Trauma Centers. Ms. Harding's work will investigate the differences between male and female intimate partner violence.

SOPHE/ATSDR's 2009 environmental health promotion fellows are Jennifer Jones, R.N., M.S.N., F.N.P.C., currently pursuing a Doctor of Nursing Practice degree at Texas Christian University; and Roxie Zarate, B.S., an MPH candidate at Florida A&M University. Ms. Jones is developing an evidenced-based community plan of action for Influenza prevention and control. Ms. Zarate will explore strategies to prevent chlorine exposure and poisoning in Florida.

First-time funding from CDC's Division of Adolescent and School Health has enabled SOPHE to launch a student fellowship in Child, Adolescent, and School Health. Dustin Duncan, M.A., a candidate in the Doctor of Science in Society program at Harvard University, will explore the impact of neighborhoods on obesity outcomes among elementary school-aged children.

"SOPHE is excited to play a role in advancing a new generation of behavioral scientists and health educators in addressing these pressing public health issues," said SOPHE President Kathryn Meier, MPH, CHES. "Our continued partnership with CDC/ATSDR will help bring to the forefront important insights related to children's health, injury prevention, and environmental health to improve the health of states and communities."

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Founded in 1950, the Society for Public Health Education's mission is to provide leadership to the profession of health education and health promotion, and to contribute to the health of all people through advances in health education theory and research, excellence in health education practice, and the promotion of public policies conducive to health. For more information, see www.sophe.org

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