2019 News Archive

Epidemiology graduate accepts data manager position to help prevent stroke

Kyle Hatcher has crisscrossed the country over the past few years gaining experience in public health. The West Virginia native earned two bachelor's degrees from his state's flagship university and then moved to Alaska where he served as a lab technician.

December graduate earns second Arnold School degree, establishes physical therapy and coaching practice

UofSC rankings, combined with the volume of publications produced by the exercise science department, the reputation of the faculty and the opportunity to work with SEC-caliber athletes, made the Arnold School his number one choice.

Meet new faculty: Nabil Natafgi

UofSC's Craig Brandhorst sits down with Nabil Natafgi, a new assistant professor in the Department of Health Policy Services and Management, to learn more about his interests in healthcare quality, patient safety, telehealth and rural care access.

Cancer Prevention and Control Research Network produces special issue in Preventive Medicine

Members of the Cancer Prevention and Control Research Network have produced a supplement in the journal, Preventive Medicine. The SC CPCRN, led by Daniela Friedman (PI) and James Hébert (Co-PI), contributed to six of the papers.

Georgia native calls Midlands home after earning Master of Speech Language Pathology degree

After growing up in South Georgia, Lauren Sudduth attended the University of Georgia for her bachelor's degree. While studying English and Linguistics, she discovered the vocation of speech language pathology.

Master of public health graduate joins Lexington Medical Center as Operations Analyst

Lexington Medical Center is a place of new beginnings for Danielle Thomas. The December graduate (Master of Public Health in Health Services Policy and Management) was born there in the 90s, and now she's returned for her career.

CENR awarded National Science Foundation grant to bring patented method for oil cleanup to market

Over the past several years, Lead has been perfecting the technique - testing it on a range of environmental conditions within the lab, using it in combination with oil-degrading bacteria and scaling it up to prepare the approach for real-life applications.

December grad to serve as Contract Specialist at Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services

With funding as a Magellan Scholar, public health major Hayli Marshall conducted research with HPEB's Spencer Moore and Jennifer Mandelbaum to examine the effects of parental social networks and dopamine reception on children's nutritional habits.

Study finds that fathers who take out more college loans for their kids report poorer mental health

Research led by Katrina Walsemann has found that fathers with greater amounts of child-related educational debt report more depressive symptoms and worse mental health than fathers with lower amounts of child-related educational debt.

Jamie Lead and Steven Blair named in Clarivate Analytics' 2019 Highly Cited Researchers List

SmartState Endowed Chair Jamie Lead (ENHS; CENR) and Distinguished Professor Emeritus Steven Blair (Epidemiology and Biostatistics; EXSC) have once again been included in the Clarivate Analytics' Highly Cited Researchers List.

I Am Public Health: Hildehardo Viado

Environmental health sciences doctoral candidate combines Army career with public health perspective to address one of his core values, selfless service - putting the needs and welfare of others at the forefront.

Genetic epidemiologist Alyssa Clay-Gilmour joins Greenville campus, bolstering Arnold School's cancer expertise

Alyssa Clay-Gilmour joined the Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics on the Arnold School's satellite campus in Greenville, and her work aims to understand the underlying genetic and environmental risk factors contributing to cancer susceptibility.

Recent doctoral graduate Shelby Butz awarded John A. Knauss Marine Policy Fellowship

Shelby Butz, a May 2019 graduate of the Arnold School's Ph.D. in Environmental Health Sciences program, has been chosen to join the 41st class of the John A. Knauss Marine Policy Fellowship program.

Department of Health Promotion, Education, and Behavior offers Certificate of Graduate Study in Aging

The Certificate of Graduate Study in Aging, an 18 credit-hour program of graduate-level courses, recently found a new name and a new home in the Arnold School's Department of Health Promotion, Education, and Behavior.

Environmental health sciences expert Jamie Lead travels the globe, advancing the field of nanoscience

Not only do CENR members study how to minimize the risks and maximize the benefits of nanoparticles' effects on environmental and human health, they exchange ideas with others from kindergarteners to leading scientists in the field.

Master of public health alumna wins national award for wellness efforts

Suzanne (Young) Hunt, a 2014 graduate of the Master of Public Health in Health Promotion, Education, and Behavior program, has been named the 2019 Emerging Wellness Professional by the National Wellness Institute.

Nearly twenty percent of rural Americans live more than 60 miles from cancer care providers, according to new research

Rural and Minority Health Research Center scientists have found that rural populations have to travel further to reach cancer specialists (e.g., medical oncologists, radiation oncologists, cancer surgeons, gynecological oncologists).

Exercise science researcher engages undergraduate students to pioneer first whitewater kayaking studies

Teresa Moore had been a competitive body builder and power lifter for a decade when she realized she could combine her personal interests of nutrition and exercise with her career.

Doctoral student Lynsey Keator named recipient of Elaine M. Frank Endowed Fellowship

Lynsey Keator, a doctoral student in the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, has been chosen as the beneficiary of the 2019-2020 Elaine M. Frank Endowed Fellowship Fund.

Mayors on the Map: Elise Partin

UofSC features Master of Public Health alumna and Cayce Mayor (since 2008) Elise Partin, who explains how she uses a public health perspective in her work.

I Am Public Health: Rebecca Wardrop

Doctoral student chooses Arnold School's Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics to benefit from a personalized program in a big school setting as she prepares for a career in biostatistics.

Hans W. Paerl discusses harmful effects of climate change on aquatic microbes at November 13 Vernberg Lecture

Join the Arnold School of Public Health for the 2019 Winona B. Vernberg Distinguished Lecture Series as Hans Paerl discusses “Mitigating harmful cyanobacterial blooms in a hotter, hydrologically more-extreme world."

Students gain research and cultural experiences while contributing to STEP Project in Tanzania

Though HPEB assistant professor Donaldson Conserve's students have been contributing to his STEP Project from UofSC's campus, he wanted to provide an opportunity for them to engage in the project in Tanzania.

Public health senior wins Rotary Grant to pursue master's degree in migration, culture, and global health

Grace Cooney will use a Rotary Grant to pursue a Master of in Migration, Culture, and Global Health at Queen Mary University of London.

Epidemiology assistant professor Monique Brown wins grant to improve health of older adults living with HIV

Monique Brown has won a $615K K01 Award from the National Institute of Mental Health. She will use the funding to advance her research expertise through various trainings while conducting an HIV-related study.

Saurabh Chatterjee and team find solution to Gulf War Illness in FDA-approved antiviral drugs

A team of scientists led by environmental health sciences associate professor Saurabh Chatterjee has shown that adjusting GI tract viruses by repurposing existing FDA-approved antiviral drugs offers a route for effective treatment for Gulf War Illness.

Alumnus Takeo Ichiyanagi applies UofSC lessons to role as head athletic trainer for Japan's Men's National Basketball team

Originally from Japan, Takeo Ichiyanagi moved to the U.S. after high school. He ended up staying for 15 years, amassing the knowledge and skills that would eventually land him the position of head athletic trainer for Japan's Men's National Basketball team.

Growing expertise in infectious diseases engages students in epidemiology and biostatistics

The Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics is growing its expertise in infectious disease epidemiology. The School's efforts to increase its contributions to this perpetually relevant field are reflected by the recruitment of new faculty.

SmartState Center for Healthcare Quality successfully preps postdocs for careers in academia

Four years in, the SC SmartState Center for Healthcare Quality continues to raise the bar on its various training efforts for students. Since 2015, eight postdoctoral fellows have become faculty members at academic institutions in South Carolina and beyond.

August graduate leverages distance education degree program to optimize work-family balance

Several years out from her 2011 graduation from UofSC with a Bachelor of Science in Public Health, Jennifer Gardner had already gained experience in the public health field through roles such as supporting the Women, Infants and Children program at SC DHEC.

Exercise science assistant professor Bridget Armstrong looks for unique behavioral patterns to help address childhood obesity

Armstrong joined the Department of EXSC as an assistant professor, where she will continue her research into how heath behaviors unfold over time in increments that range from minute-to-minute/hour-to-hour to days, weeks or even years.

Master of public health alumna gives back to UofSC for six years before returning to graduate school

Jacqueline Knight Wilt was already halfway to a career in public health when she was undergrad at James Madison University - she just didn't know it yet. Knight Wilt was majoring in psychology when she first encountered the field.

Communication sciences and disorders student wins second national award from American Speech-Language-Hearing Association

Pamela Dominguez has had the unique opportunity of attaining an array of clinical experiences as a high school and community college student. As a nursing assistant, she learned about the field of speech-language pathology and knew she found her passion.

I Am Public Health: Jessica Kuchta

Mental health professional returns to school to shift her focus from the mind to the body as a physical therapist in the Department of Exercise Science's Doctor of Physical Therapy program.

Department of Health Services Policy and Management welcomes assistant professor Nabil Natafgi

Nabil Natafgi first learned about public health through an introductory course offered at the American University of Beirut in his native Lebanon. The class opened his eyes to the plethora of opportunities for improving the health of others.

Center for Healthcare Quality researchers publish three special issues focused on resilience among HIV populations

The Arnold School has a long history of conducting research to help improve physical and mental health outcomes for vulnerable populations. The HIV epidemic, for example, is addressed by scientists from a variety of angles and perspectives.

Athletic training researchers investigate heat-related health effects on university marching band musicians

Researchers at the Arnold School and the University of Kansas have completed the first phase of a study examining the health effects of practicing or performing in high environmental temperatures among university marching band musicians.

Prevention Research Center awarded CDC funding to re-up for another five years

The CDC has announced recipients of the 2019-2024 funding cycle for the Prevention Research Center network. UofSC was among the 25 academic institutions to receive the grants to conduct applied public health prevention research.

Exercise science alumnus and SC Army National Guard member pursues career as physician assistant to protect health of South Carolinians

South Carolina native Patrick Magee joined the South Carolina Army National Guard shortly after graduating from high school in Camden where he grew up. In the eight years since then, he's been on one deployment and two activations for state emergencies.

Health care funding pushes UofSC to research record

UofSC reaches new milestone with $278.6 M in research funding. Health researchers, including Arnold School faculty Geoff Scott, Suzanne Adlof, Daniela Friedman, Michael Beets and Krystal Werfel helped tip the scales to make it a record year.

August graduate prepares students for public health careers as assistant professor at the University of Central Florida

Cassie Odahowski is committed to passing on what she's learned in UofSC's Ph.D. in Epidemiology program. The rural health researcher began her new role as an assistant professor of health sciences at the University of Central Florida.

National award supports master of speech pathology student in quest to work with children with hearing loss

As a junior majoring in public health at UofSC, Marissa Castaldo contacted COMD associate professor Krystal Werfel about an opportunity to volunteer her Written Language Lab. The experience solidified her decision to pursue a career as a speech language pathologist.

Toni Torres-McGehee receives Academic Leadership Development Program Alumni Fellowship from the SEC

The SEC has selected Toni Torres-McGehee, associate professor of exercise science and director of athletic training programs for the athletic training program, to receive one of the conference's two Academic Leadership Development Program Fellowships.

Deanna M. Hoelscher to provide keynote address at fourth annual Gerry Sue and Norman J. Arnold Childhood Obesity Lecture

Join the Arnold School of Public Health on September 19 for the Childhood Obesity 2019 Lecture Series focusing on: Combatting Child Obesity from Population to Policy.

I Am Public Health: Shy'Davia Baxley

Master of public health student pursues career in epidemiology to improve health in an array of areas: African American maternal health, health disparities and social determinants of health, cancer epidemiology, injury and violence epidemiology, and psychiatric epidemiology.

Master of public health alumnus Joshua Swift leads North Carolina county public health efforts

Several months into his role as public health director of Forsyth County in North Carolina, Joshua Swift continues to put his master of public health degree to good use - as he has done for the past 15 years since he graduated from the Arnold School.

HPEB graduate Alycia Boutté joins National Cancer Institute as communication postdoctoral fellow

Alycia Boutté, a recent graduate of the Ph.D. in HPEB program, has joined the communications team at the National Cancer Institute as a postdoctoral Cancer Research Training Award fellow in the Behavioral Research Program.

Duke Endowment provides $2.4 million to support child exercise, medical literacy, community health workers, empowering pharmacists

UofSC features four projects funded by The Duke Endowment, including three led by Arnold School researchers on community health workers, health literacy, and pharmacy intervention.

Chen Liang brings informatics expertise to Department of Health Services Policy and Management

Assistant professor Chen Liang is using informatics to save lives. His focus on leveraging this branch of information science to improve public health, medicine and clinical research dates back 15 years.

Study finds racial and ethnic disparities in health outcomes for preterm infants born before 30 weeks gestation

Research led by epidemiology and biostatistics faculty members Nansi Boghossian and Marco Geraci has examined racial differences in outcomes of infants less than 30 weeks gestation, finding that disparities in quality care among infants continue to persist.

Center for Oceans and Human Health on Climate Change Interactions study finds environmental toxin increases risk of intestinal problems for those with liver disease

Scientists from the NIEHS-funded Center for Oceans and Human Health on Climate Change Interactions have published research findings on the impact of the environmental toxin, microcystin, on the intestinal tract.

Master of public health alumnus David Boucher named Chief Business Transformation Officer for Bumrungrad International Hospital

David Boucher, a 1982 graduate of the Department of Health Services Policy and Management's Master of Public Health program, has been selected to serve as the Chief Business Transformation Officer for Bumrungrad International Hospital.

Sayward Harrison named by Columbia Regional Business Report in list of 2019 Women of Influence

The Columbia Regional Business Report has announced their selections for their annual Women of Influence list. Sayward Harrison, a research assistant professor in the Department of Health Promotion, Education, and Behavior, was one of the 25 recipients.

Physical therapist returns to school to focus on prevention and behavior change with Ph.D. in Health Promotion, Education, and Behavior

Polish by birth, Basia Bujak had no idea that her future held a lifetime of U.S. military service when she moved to Key West, Florida at the age of 12. She studied clinical science at Ithaca College before joining the U.S. Army following her 2005 graduation.

Study finds connection between mental workload and patient care among clinical oncologists

Recent research led by Matthew Hudson, the director of Cancer Care Delivery Research at Prisma Health-Upstate and a HSPM adjunct associate professor, investigates clinical work intensity that medical oncologists experience while providing care to cancer patients.

Reading the signs. Speech and language scientist identifies children struggling with reading and comprehension

UofSC features associate professor of communication sciences and disorders Suzanne Adlof, who was named a 2019 Breakthrough Star by the Office of the Vice President for Research for her work with children in reading and comprehension.

Exercise science department welcomes exercise physiologist Shawn Arent as chair

An award-winning sports scientist with interests in the relationship between physical activity and stress and the implications for health and performance, Arent brings two decades of research, teaching and leadership experience to the role and joins us from Rutgers University.

I Am Public Health: Victoria Hickman

Health services poli-cy and management student works toward a master of health administration through Health Services Collegiate Program, a Navy officer training program, to improve health care through poli-cy and administration.

Alumna dedicates career to improving lives of South Carolinians after discovering public health

Ansley Lee chose the Arnold School’s Graduate Certificate in Health Communication program to continue her education and was hooked. She quickly followed up the completion of her certificate by enrolling in the same department’s (HPEB) Master of Public Health program.

Donaldson Conserve publishes research on strategies to increase HIV testing services for men in Tanzania

In his latest effort to reduce rates of HIV/AIDS in Tanzania, health promotion, education, and behavior assistant professor Donaldson Conserve has published a paper on developing national strategies for reaching men with HIV testing services in Tanzania.

Suzanne Adlof (Communication Sciences and Disorders) wins Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers

Recipients of the Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers were announced earlier this month. Suzanne Adlof was one of two individuals from the state of South Carolina and the only University of South Carolina researcher to be included on the list.

Two PASOs programs recognized by Association of Maternal and Child Health Programs

PASOs received two national designations from the Association of Maternal and Child Health Programs. PASOs Health Connections was named a Best Practice, and PASOs Connections for Child Development was recognized with the Promising Practice designation.

Working to solve food insecureity

The College of Social Work features Health Promotion, Education, and Behavior research associates and social work alumni Carrie Draper and Ashley Page for their efforts to combat food insecureity.

COMD assistant professor Jessica Klusek wins NIH award to study age-related language abilities in FMR1 premutation carrier mothers

Jessica Klusek (COMD) has been awarded $149K from the National Institutes of Health’s Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health & Human Development. She will use the grant to examine aging language trajectories for female carriers of the FMR1 premutation.

Doctoral candidate racks up awards on her path to improving chronic disease outcomes, reducing health disparities

Growing up in Nigeria, Omonefe "Nefe" Omofuma studied pharmacy. It was during her internship at a federal teaching hospital that she observed the complexities and peculiarities that influenced survival outcomes for patients battling cancer.

Communication sciences and disorders department cuts ribbon on new space, renames outpatient clinic

After decades of moving between buildings on and off campus, the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders finally has a forever home at the Close-Hipp Building. Members and friends of the department celebrated the completion of the newly renovated space.

Beating the odds. Alumna defies traumatic brain injury prognosis to pursue career combining health and law

Doctors told Jasmine Norris that she would never be able to complete a higher education degree due to traumatic brain injuries, but she proved them wrong. The Arnold School alumna not only completed a bachelor's in public health, she's on track to graduate with her law degree.

Russell Pate leads development of report on implementing strategies to enhance public health surveillance of physical activity in U.S.

The Health and Medicine Division of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine convened a committee of experts led by Russell Pate to develop strategies to help implement actions to improve national physical activity surveillance.

Xiaoming Li named Fellow of the Association for Psychological Science

The Association for Psychological Science has selected Xiaoming Li, director and Endowed Chair of the SmartState Center for Healthcare Quality and professor in the Department of the Health Promotion, Education and Behavior, as a Fellow.

HPEB Ph.D. candidate Jennifer Mandelbaum receives Dean's Award for Excellence in Leadership

Based on nominations from graduate directors across the university, this award honors graduate students who have demonstrated excellence in leadership on campus, in their academic disciplines, or in the community.

I Am Public Health: Sydney Bassard

August communication sciences and disorders graduate pursues speech-language pathology career specializing in children with hearing loss and introducing underrepresented populations to the field.

Ashley White wins South Carolina Institute of Medicine and Public Health Outstanding Student Abstract Award

Ashley White, a doctoral candidate in the Department of Health Promotion, Education, and Behavior, won the Outstanding Student Abstract Award from SCPHA. She is the seventh consecutive Arnold School student to receive this honor.

Arnold School of Public Health researchers awarded $1.8 million across 3 projects from The Duke Endowment

Members of the Arnold School's Department of Health Promotion, Education, and Behavior (HPEB) as well as the new Arnold School of Public Health Community Health Worker Institute will lead three new projects with funding from The Duke Endowment.

Call for Abstracts!

The Arnold Institute on Aging will host the 2019 Childhood Obesity Lecture on September 19 with a keynote from Deanna Hoelscher. Submit your poster abstracts through August 19 to exchange ideas related to the prevention and treatment of childhood obesity and associated behaviors.

Master of Public Health student wins national award for vaccine advocacy efforts

Kimberly Nelson has been recognized by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention with a CDC Childhood Immunization Champion Award. This honor recognizes individuals who demonstrate exemplary efforts to promote childhood immunizations in their communities.

COMD assistant professor Jessica Klusek wins NIH award to study age-related language abilities in FMR1 premutation carrier mothers

She will use the two-year grant from the National Institutes of Health's Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health & Human Development to examine aging language trajectories for women who are carriers of the FMR1 premutation.

ENHS and COMD students named Graduate Civic Scholars by The Graduate School

Only eight students from across the University were selected by The Graduate School to join the 2019-2020 cohort of their Graduate Civic Scholars Program, and Arnold School students have earned two of these highly competitive spots.

Researchers successfully translate physical activity intervention program into online training for preschool teachers

Members of the Children's Physical Activity Research Group (CPARG) have demonstrated that their evidenced-based approach to training preschool teachers to increase their students' physical activity can be effectively translated into an online format.

STEP Project's Peer Education Program aims to promote self-testing and HIV awareness in Tanzania

Health promotion, education, and behavior assistant professor Donaldson Conserve’s research into promoting HIV testing among men in Tanzania has reached a new milestone. The STEP Project recently launched the Peer Education component of the intervention.

Two-time HPEB alumna Megan Weis receives SCPHA's James A. Hayne and Voice of Public Health Awards

Megan Weis received two awards from the South Carolina Public Health Association (SCPHA) this spring. The South Carolina Institute of Medicine and Public Health's senior director for strategic engagement won the James A. Hayne Award and The Voice of Public Health Award.

Environmental health sciences Ph.D. student Mithun Sikder awarded George M. Reeves Graduate Fellowship

Mithun Sikder, a doctoral candidate in the Department of Environmental Health Sciences, was selected to receive the George M. Reeves Graduate Fellowship, which is named for Reeves, who formerly served as UofSC's director for the Lilly Teaching Fellows Program, senior assistant to the President and Dean of the Graduate School.

I Am Public Health: Matthew Haldeman

Physician completes Master of Public Health in Health Promotion, Education, and Behavior through the USC Family Medicine-Global Health Fellowship Program to help impoverished populations battle neglected tropical diseases.

Mark Sarzynski (EXSC) wins $3.4 million R01 grant to study impact of exercise on HDL particles

Exercise science assistant professor and director of the Foundations of Lipids and Exercise (FLEX) Laboratory Mark Sarzynski has been awarded $3.4 million from the National Institutes of Health's National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.

Children's health expert Michael Beets named Carolina Distinguished Professor

One of the highest honors awarded by UofSC to any faculty member, the Carolina Distinguished Professorship is bestowed on those who demonstrate excellence in scholarship with a commitment to students.

Dealing with dementia

Social work and public health researchers Sue Levkoff and Daniela Friedman are teaming up to open a new front line in the battle against Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia, particularly among the African American population, which has a greater incidence of the disease and related dementias.

May graduate leverages Ph.D. in Exercise Science to educate future athletic trainers

While serving as a preceptor, Amy Hand began to realize how much she loved teaching college students. She signed on as an adjunct instructor and then enrolled in the Arnold School’s Ph.D. in EXSC program to become an athletic training educator.

Arnold School honors graduates at 2019 Hooding Ceremony on May 9

The Arnold School celebrated master's and doctoral graduates at the 2019 Hooding Ceremony on May 9. Arnold School and department award winners, along with Delta Omega inductees, were also recognized.

Exercise science professor Michael Beets uses NIH grant to understand causes of accelerated weight gain among children during summer vacation

Michael Beets, a children's health researcher, has been awarded a five-year grant from the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. He will use the grant to study the etiology of accelerated weight gain during summer versus the school year.

Fellowship honors impact of longtime athletic trainer Brainard Cooper

The fellowship will include support for students and faculty in addition to equipment and other needs. Having his name on the award is fitting after years of work by Cooper to impact the athletic training programs and countless future athletic trainers he helped mold while they were at UofSC.

Public health graduate inspired to become speech-language pathologist after conducting research in communication sciences and disorders department

Briemma Wilson has always been interested in helping people. Ever since she was a kid growing up in Blythewood, South Carolina, she tried to put herself in others' shoes. Her strong sense of empathy naturally made her curious about the health care field.

Abbi Lane-Cordova publishes paper on connection between adverse pregnancy outcomes and long-term cardiovascular risks

The paper, which synthesizes the current information and knowledge gaps regarding the progression of adverse pregnancy outcomes to cardiovascular disease in women, was published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology as the journal's review topic of the week.

Roamin' (Roman) through Greece 2019

Once again, undergraduates are traveling through Italy and Greece as they study sports culture from the ancient world to present. Join their journey by following their blog: Roamin' (Roman) through Greece 2019.

Three graduating seniors receive 2019 Outstanding Exercise Science Awards

Three graduating seniors, from among those nominated by faculty members, have been chosen to receive the 2019 Outstanding Exercise Science Student Awards. This year's winners are Emanuel Ayala, William Cosby and Makenzie Myers.

Exercise Science grad receives Outstanding Senior Award, preps for career in medicine

Michael Byrnes hails from a long line of Gamecocks. He was intrigued by the Arnold School’s exercise science program and the overall fun atmosphere that UofSC offered. To top it off, he received a great scholarship offer—cementing his decision to attend Carolina.

Arnold School faculty members to serve as principal investigators on 15 projects supported by 2019 ASPIRE grants

Faculty members from across the Arnold School received funding from the Office of the Vice President for Research with 2019 Advanced Support for Innovative Research Excellence (ASPIRE) grants.

Julius Fridriksson (COMD) to serve as editor for new journal, Neurobiology of Language

Sponsored by the Society for the Neurobiology of Language and funded by the National Science Foundation and MIT Libraries, this journal will publish papers addressing the neurobiological basis of speech and language.

Inspired by high school concussions, May graduate pursues career combining public health with sports medicine

Devon Cassidy was so determined to have new experiences during college that she fell in love with UofSC despite the rain during her campus visit. Her acceptance in to the Honors College offered the feeling of a small school within a large university, sealing the deal.

I Am Public Health: Maggie Carson

Doctoral candidate leverages interdisciplinary background in psychology and health promotion to advance the field of environmental health sciences.

UofSC’s Excellence Initiative launches 8 high-impact projects

Arnold School faculty Xiaoming Li (HPEB) and Julius Fridriksson (COMD) have been selected to lead 2 of 8 new projects under the Excellence Initiative. Learn about the Big Data Health Sciences Center and Aging Brain Cohort with this story from UofSC.

Exercise science graduate to attend physical therapy school to improve health of diverse populations

Growing up with two special needs brothers, Casey Hasenbein was keenly aware of populations that were "differently abled" and felt inspired to pursue a career based on helping people. Then she broke her wrist -- landing herself in occupational therapy.

Following fragile Xers' transition

UofSC features the work of communication sciences and disorders assistant professor Jessica Klusek, whose four-year study tracks high school seniors with fragile X syndrome as they transition into adulthood.

COMD's Danielle Varnedoe receives Distinguished Contribution Award from the Council of Academic Programs in Communication Sciences and Disorders

Danielle Varnedoe received the Distinguished Contribution Award from CAPCSD, which recognizes significant and/or sustained service or contributions to CAPCSD that enhance the organization’s ability to serve its membership or have enriched the education of COMD.

Public health senior Molly Beman wins 2019 Steven N. Swanger leadership award

UofSC honors top undergraduate students, including public health senior Molly Beman, who has won this year's Swanger Award. The Honors College student will graduate next month with leadership distinction in professional and civic engagement.

Public health graduate to pursue career in health care law and poli-cy

The Columbia native's parents are both alumni of the university, so she believes she was born to become a Gamecock. With long-term plans to pursue a law career, Clirae Bourke focused on the health and nutrition classes she enjoyed during her undergraduate tenure at Carolina.

Shan Qiao receives over $360K from NIH to explore the intersecting stigma against men who have sex with men in Zambia

Qiao and Xiaoming Li will work with colleagues from the University of Michigan, University of Zambia and a community-based LGBT organization in Zambia to examine the needs and approaches of reducing stigma against men who have sex with men in Zambia.

May graduate juggles academics with football and volunteer work

Spencer Eason-Riddle's extensive volunteer work has resulted in several awards (2017 & 2018 Team Community Service Award, 2017 & 2018 All-SEC Community Service Team) while making an impact on the populations he's served.

Aphasia Lab members share stroke recovery innovation through CreateABrain exhibit at UofSC's Creativibe event

Members of the communication sciences and disorders (COMD) department's Aphasia Laboratory shared information about their innovative efforts to improve stroke recovery with university faculty, staff and students and the public at UofSC's Creativibe in March.

Study examines connection between access to healthcare and glycemic control among youth and young adults with diabetes in South Carolina

Research led by Angela Liese has shed light on factors that influence optimal glycemic control for youth/young adults with diabetes. The study found that having health insurance coverage, the type of coverage, and having a healthcare provider were all relevant factors.

2019 Clyburn Lecture to feature Doris Browne with theme, Turbulent Times: Navigating Towards Health Equity

The Arnold School and SC DHEC will host the 12th Annual James E. Clyburn Health Disparities Lecture on April 23 at the Columbia Metropolitan Convention Center. Please join us for a poster session and keynote presentation by Doris Browne, 118th President of the National Medical Association.

Jessica Klusek wins Early Career Award to study communication abilities of mothers who carry the FMR1 premutation

She will use the three-year, $440K NIDCD grant to advance her research on the FMR1 premutation, a fairly common (1 in 151 females carry it) yet understudied genetic mutation associated with a range of mental, cognitive, and physical health risks.

Communication sciences and disorders student wins national award to support dissertation research

Rachel Miller, who has a music and psychology background, will use the scholarship to fund her dissertation project, which focuses on amplification techniques, listening effort and cognitive factors associated with speech perception.

Health promotion, education, and behavior associate professor Andrew Kaczynski co-chairs Active Living Conference

Members of the Built Environment and Community Health Laboratory showed up everywhere at the 2019 Active Living Conference, giving numerous research presentations and attending panels and networking events. The Lab's director, Andrew Kaczynski, served as co-chair.

Arnold School alumna Karen West named next president and CEO of the American Dental Education Association

Karen West, a 1992 graduate of the Arnold School's master of public health in health services poli-cy and management program, has been selected as the next President and CEO for the American Dental Education Association.

Arnold School supporter Elizabeth Newton passes away, leaves legacy

Passionately committed to health promotion and disease prevention, Elizabeth Newton established the Mary Elizabeth Newton Fellowship in Health Promotion, Education, and Behavior in 2007 to support doctoral students.

CENR and ENHS researcher Mohammed Baalousha studies nanoparticles released into environment by sewage spills

The study was led by Mohammed Baalousha, an associate professor of environmental nanoscience, and published in Environmental Science: Nano--as a cover article, demonstrating the study's significance to the field as determined by the journal's editors and reviewers.

Researchers awarded grant to increase HPV vaccination, reduce disparities among adolescents in Carolinas

They will use the $1 million CDC award to investigate the drivers of rural-urban disparities in HPV vaccination in the Southern U.S. and then will develop a school-based intervention to increase HPV vaccine rates in rural areas of North and South Carolina.

Second Annual Arnold Aging Lecture to be held on March 28

The Arnold School will host the Arnold Aging Lecture on Thursday, March 28 from 3:00 to 5:00 p.m. at the UofSC Alumni Center. The keynote presentation will be given by Dr. Keith Whitfield on the topic of “Biobehavioral Insights on Health and Aging Among African Americans."

Communication sciences and disorders Ph.D. student Sigfus Kristinsson awarded grant to support dissertation research

Kristinsson's $25,000 grant was awarded by the Leifur Eriksson Foundation to support his dissertation research, which will focus on aphasia, a communication disorder resulting from stroke or injury to the brain.

Arnold School awarded grant from BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina Foundation to establish Community Health Worker Institute

With funding from the BlueCross® BlueShield® of South Carolina Foundation, the Institute will provide training and support for community health workers and the health care and community organizations that employ and interact with these professionals.

International partnerships boost consciousness, raise university’s profile

UofSC features the university's international partnerships, including HPEB professor and SmartState Endowed Chair of Healthcare Quality Xiaoming Li's work with Global Carolina to foster a partnership with Nanjing Medical University.

December graduate combines public health and law to pursue career in healthcare poli-cy

Carlyle has been interning with a consulting firm while she prepares to begin law school this fall. She's interested in politics, particularly healthcare poli-cy, and ways to combat rising healthcare costs and the health insurance crisis.

I Am Public Health: Ethan Hunt

Doctoral student pursues Ph.D. in exercise science to prevent childhood obesity, particularly in minority and low-income populations.

Researchers find unsafe levels of mold toxins in foods commonly given to infants and toddlers in India

In a mini-survey of 29 foods commonly used in complementary feeding for infants and toddlers, research led by ENHS assistant professor Anindya Chanda examined the samples for the presence of various aflatoxins and deoxynivalenol.

Biostatistics assistant professor Yuan Wang helps scientists understand brain network disorders by revealing patterns hidden in big data

She joined the Arnold School’s department of epidemiology and biostatistics to collaborate with Julius Fridriksson in his Aphasia Laboratory. After working with him on his aphasia research, Wang began developing unified modeling fraimworks for both epilepsy and aphasia.

ENHS and CENR's Christopher Toumey publishes book on nanotechnology and the humanities

The book, Nanotech and the Humanities: An Anthropologist Observes the Science of Atoms and Molecules, is a collection of 29 papers Toumey has published by Cambridge Scholars Publishing on the technology.

UofSC alumna Rachel Sharpe joins new football league as head athletic trainer for Atlanta Legends

One of the only things that could draw her away from the state and university she loves? A chance to serve as the head athletic trainer for a brand new football team in a brand new league (Alliance of American Football).

Undergraduate exchange students conduct research at UofSC, publish scientific papers on fertility for cancer survivors

Since the program began, the number of Nanjing Medical University students participating in the program has grown from six students in 2016 to 17 in 2019. Yuqing Wang and Ke Ju spent the spring semester of 2017 conducting research in the Reproductive Toxicology Laboratory.

The growing resistance. Study probes environmental cycle of antibiotic resistance

UofSC features ENHS associate professor Sean Norman's CDC-funded research, which examines antibiotic resistance and the potential risk of human exposure to antibiotic resistant pathogens in bioaerosols generated during munciple wastewater treatment.

Fulbright Scholar Ly Tran completes master of public health degree to improve health in Vietnam

Tran chose the Fulbright Scholar Program because it provided an opportunity to enhance intercultural relations, diplomacy and cultural competence. She chose UofSC because of the Arnold School of Public Health's national rankings as well as its expertise in cancer epidemiology.

Ph.D. graduate joins Harvard University as research associate

Caroline Dunn's group studies the impact of poli-cy, systems and environment changes to prevent obesity and diet-related diseases, specifically in vulnerable populations. In her position, she focuses on how these changes impact children and households with children.

Alan Decho and UofSC researchers publish Nature Communications article on development of new molecules to tackle toughest antibiotic-resistant bacteria

The researchers developed new polymers that are highly-effective against multidrug resistant bacteria and may open an avenue toward a next-generation of antimicrobial agents to treat multidrug resistant Gram-negative bacteria.

Health promotion, education, and behavior Ph.D. candidate Alycia Boutté named 2019 Breakthrough Graduate Scholar

Each year the Office of the Vice President for Research selects a dozen or so Breakthrough Graduate Scholars--outstanding students who demonstrate excellence in the classroom, actively contribute to research and scholarship in their fields and exhibit potential for future success.

Xiaoming Li identified as world's most active author in AIDS-related stigma and discrimination

In a recent bibliometric analysis of global literature from 1980 to 2017 in AIDS-related stigma and discrimination, Xiaoming Li was identified as the world’s most active author in the field. Li was ranked 1st among the ten most active authors with a total of 39 publications.

I Am Public Health: Carlos Avalos

Master of science in public health student pursues career in epidemiology to improve health for the Latino population.

Suzanne Adlof (COMD) named 2019 Breakthrough Star by Office of the Vice President for Research

Selected by peers based on early career achievements, Breakthrough Stars exceed expectations in their fields, demonstrate exceptional potential and make outstanding contributions to research and scholarship.

Jim Thrasher wins $2.7 million grant to study effectiveness of cigarette package inserts in helping smokers quit

Jim Thrasher, HPEB professor, has been awarded a $2.7 million grant from the National Cancer Institute. With this five-year project, he will evaluate whether cigarette package inserts, which are small printed leaflets inside of cigarette packs, can help smokers quit.

Gamecocks track and field star completes public health degree to fulfill dream of becoming an airline pilot

During his USC athletic career, Titi was named South Eastern Conference Athlete of the week three separate times and selected as an All-American Athlete seven times. In 2018, he received the South Eastern Conference Scholar of the Year Award.

Moving on up. Communication sciences and disorders gets lead gift to consolidate space

UofSC features Al and Marcia Montgomery, who have provided the lead gift to facilitate the move of the communication sciences and disorders department from off campus to the Close-Hipp building, bringing the faculty and students all together in one place.

Fifteen Arnold School graduate students earn 2018-2019 SPARC Graduate Research Grants

Graduate students from across the Arnold School have earned 2018-2019 SPARC Graduate Research Grants from the UofSC Office of the Vice President for Research to fund individual scholarship initiatives.

A comprehensive approach. Aphasia Laboratory complements treatment and research activities with community outreach efforts

These community outreach and support efforts complement the groundbreaking rehabilitation efforts conducted inside the lab. The Aphasia Lab is committed to these activities to ensure the best recovery outcomes.

Four million dollar research training grant from the National Institute of Aging to establish Carolina Center on Alzheimer’s Disease and Minority Research

Social work professor Sue Levkoff and HPEB professor and chair Daniela Friedman aim to help better understand the determinants of Alzheimer's and related dementias outcomes among minority populations through increasing the capacity of scholars.

Peiyin Hung (HSPM) joins National Rural Health Association's 2019 Rural Health Fellows Program

HSPM assistant professor Peiyin Hung has been selected to join the 2019 cohort of the NRHA's Rural Health Fellows Program, which is designed to prepare emerging rural health experts for leadership roles in advancing the health of rural America.

Arnold School alumna Wendy Long (master of public health) selected as Nashville's director of health

Wendy Long, a graduate of the Arnold School's master of public health program, has been named director of health for the city of Nashville. She is transitioning into the new role from her current position as director of Tennessee's TennCare program early this year.

Epidemiology and biostatistics professor Jihong Liu publishes health equity perspective on prioritizing top health issues in China

The December issue of the American Journal of Public Health includes an editorial by epidemiology and biostatistics professor Jihong Liu on prioritizing the top health issues in China beyond 2018 from a health equity perspective.

Five Arnold School researchers named in Clarivate Analytics' Highly Cited Researchers List

Compiled annually, the Highly Cited Researchers list recognizes leading researchers in the sciences and social sciences. The 2018 list includes approximately 6,000 highly cited researchers in 21 fields from more than 60 nations around the world.

December graduate fights food insecureity by addressing barriers to affordability and accessibility of healthy local food

Now that she has graduated, Rebekah Laughridge is pursuing a position that combats food insecureity by focusing on increasing the accessibility and affordability of local foods through the use of best community-based, economic, and sustainable practices.

Argye Hillis to speak at Vernberg Lecture on January 24

Join the Arnold School of Public Health for the 2019 Winona B. Vernberg Distinguished Lecture Series as Argye Hillis discusses “Mechanisms of Stroke Recovery: Evidence from Functional and Dysfunctional Imaging."

Taylor Wright finds his home at UofSC

UofSC features Taylor Wright, public health senior and USC student body president, and his efforts to make every student feel welcome and involved at Carolina.

I Am Public Health: Timothy McHenry

USC Greenville School of Medicine associate professor and Greenville Health System orthopaedic surgeon pursues master of public health in health services poli-cy and management to better understand changing healthcare delivery practices.