Dear Friends of the College,
The new year is underway! February seems to have arrived so quickly, and our Spring 2024 semester is already filling with events and programs.

February marks Black History Month, and I invite everyone to join me in acknowledging the significant contributions of Black Americans.. The University of Arizona has many events and programs related to Black History that are happening this month. Specifically, our College's Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion will be facilitating a discussion event titled From Black History to Black Health on February 24. This event will feature representatives from both the college and the community.

February is also the time of the Lunar New Year celebrated in China and other Asian countries, also known as Chinese New Year. The Lunar New Year is among the most important holidays based on the lunar calendar. Please join me in celebration of the Lunar New Year which begins on February 10, and honor our colleagues and students from Asian countries and cultures. 2024 will be the Year of the Dragon in Chinese culture.

Recent News
It is with great sadness that I bring you the news that James E. Dalen, MD, MPH, ScD (hon), Master FCCP, cardiologist and beloved emeritus vice president of the University of Arizona Health Sciences, died in January 2024. Dr. Dalen cared deeply about the health of our communities in Arizona and he dedicated much of his life to improve health for all.  He saw the vital need for health promotion and public health programs, and in 1997, as VP of the Arizona Health Sciences Center, he inspired Mel Zuckerman to invest $10M to establish the only college of public health in Arizona and the Southwest. We are all deeply grateful for Dr. Dalen’s leadership that turned our college from a vision into a reality. Dr. Dalen and his wife Priscila also established the annual Dalen Distinguished Lecture for Health Policy in the college to continue his legacy. Read more about Dr. Dalen in our memorial story.

Recently the college hosted a retirement reception for Dr. Cecilia Rosales, professor emeritus, former associate dean, a longtime leader in the college and an inspirational champion for public health. More than a hundred friends, colleagues, alumni, students, and family members gathered to celebrate all that Dr. Rosales accomplished to benefit the college, the Southwest, and the US/Mexico border region.

Before the holidays, our faculty Dr. Kacey Ernst and Dr. Mona Arora, and doctoral student Maiya Block Ngaybe, MPH, were key organizers of a Resilience Informatics Workshop focused on using data analysis and digital tools to make communities more resilient in the face of health challenges resulting from climate change. The Workshop produced a summary report that is available in our recap story.

In the arena of global health, Dr. Purnima Madhivanan and Dr. Karl Krupp have launched an HPV vaccination project in southern India that will demonstrate strategies for vaccine acceptance and show the effectiveness of the new single-dose vaccine to prevent cervical cancer.

Here in Arizona, our own Dr. John Ehiri conducted an assessment of Sexual Violence Prevention Education Programs in Arizona for the Arizona Department of Health Services (ADHS) in collaboration with MEZCOPH graduate students Abidemi Okechukwu, MD, DrPH (a DrPH Candidate at the time of the assessment), and Yemisi Ayoade, MD, an MPH student. Learn more and read the report.

The University of Arizona will honor all the Alumni of the Year award winners from across all colleges on February 22, and we are proud that our Alumna of the Year, Mary Roary, PhD ’08, MBA, will be recognized for all she has done to advance public health. Congratulations again Mary!

Giving Day, University of Arizona
Every year on February 14, supporters join in Giving Day for the University of Arizona. Wildcats from around the world help students, faculty, and programs during this 24-hour philanthropic campaign. This year, our MPH student Lady Elli helped us create a video to promote our Giving Day funding priorities for the college.

On Giving Day this year, consider making a donation to support MEZCOPH! Contributions of any size are valuable, and collective efforts yield greater impact than individual contributions. Giving Day emphasizes participation, meaning that regardless of the donation amount, your support will have a meaningful impact on our students, programs, or research initiatives.

Faculty, Staff, and Students: Honors, Profiles, and Awards
We are very proud of all that our students, staff, and faculty accomplish and appreciate the recognition that comes their way. Please join me in congratulating the following:

• Felina Cordova-Marks, DrPH, MPH, MSc, was invited to join the Committee on Women’s Health for the Assessment of NIH Research on Women’s Health at the National Academy of Sciences Engineering and Medicine.
  • www.nationalacademies.org/our-work/assessment-of-nih-research-on-womens-health
• John Ehiri, PhD, MPH, MSc, was awarded a 5-year contract for the provision of evaluation and epidemiological technical support for the implementation of the state Cardiovascular (CVD) and Diabetes Prevention Program (DPP), funded by the CDC in partnership with Arizona Department of Health Services (ADHS).
• Tomas Nuño, PhD, was invited to join the Research Engagement Board for the All of Us Research Program under the National Institutes of Health.
• Kelly Palmer, PhD, MHS, CCRP, was recently named one of BizTucson Magazine’s Next Gen Leaders 2024.
  • biztucson.com/introducing-biztucson-next-generation-of-leaders-20-rising-stars-to-watch/
• Amanda Wilson, PhD, received a 5-year K01 award from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute for a study titled Work-related Asthma Risk for Nursing Staff Conducting Cleaning and Disinfection: Translation of Risk-risk Tradeoff Methodology.

Gratitude for Our Community
I thank all of you for your ongoing support of the College and our public health mission. We live in troubling times, and so often public health offers solutions to the widespread suffering in this world.  As we continue through the spring semester, I look forward to working with you to support our diverse communities, both locally and globally, with the best public health education, service, and research.

Best Wishes for your Health and Safety,
Iman

6 UArizona researchers author chapters in US National Climate Assessment

Kacey Ernst, PhD, MPH, is one of six UArizona researchers who helped author chapters in last year's National Climate Assessment – the nation's preeminent report on climate change impacts and risks.

How to clean AirPods without breaking the bank (or your tech), according to experts

Experts discuss how to clean your AirPods easily and efficiently, as well as the risks of not cleaning them. Kelly Reynolds, PhD, MSPH, is quoted.

Affordable Care Act enrollment hit record highs in Arizona and US in 2023

Daniel Derksen, MD, director of the Arizona Center for Rural Health, is quoted in this story about how Affordable Care Act enrollment surged to new highs in Arizona and the nation in 2023 as people shifted away from pandemic-era health coverage and the Biden administration promoted the ACA.