Faculty/Staff Newsletter

Using a grant from the Association of Schools and Programs in Public Health, Gimm and Goldberg will explore financial strategies to subsidize public health workers’ certifications. This effort expands the extensive portfolio of health workforce initiatives that faculty in the College of Public Health are already leading.

George Mason's Online Master of Nursing (MSN) programs continue to rise in the newly announced 2025 U.S. News & World Report rankings, signaling its academic excellence, innovative curriculum, and commitment to preparing nurses for leadership roles in a rapidly evolving health care landscape. Newest rankings:

Congratulations to Allison Miner on receiving a 2025 Stearns Center for Teaching and Learning Inclusive Excellence in Teaching mini-grant as Co-PI for the CPH Faculty Book Club Pilot Program. The reviewers felt that the proposal “advanced the inclusive excellence commitments of the university, including a commitment to supporting an inclusive and inquiry-based curriculum."

Congratulations to Sanja Avramovic on receiving a STEM Education grant for course development from the Stearns Center for Teaching and Learning.

Discover an exciting lineup of Stearns Center workshops and events happening in January, February, and March! Explore the full calendar here on the Stearns Center website.

Topics include:

Faculty Affairs is excited to announce the return of the CPH Lightning Talks this semester! Join us for engaging 30-minute sessions on February 21, March 28, and April 18, from 12 – 12:30 pm. Stay tuned for updates on topics, presenters, and calendar invites. All sessions will use the same Zoom link: https://gmu.zoom.us/j/93735937714.

Congratulations to DQ Wang, GCH, for his new award “Meals, Education, and Gardens for In-School Adolescents (MEGA) Program” (with PI Fawaz, Harvard University) through the Izumi Foundation. 

NIJ Research and Evaluation on Violence Against Women - due April 3

The National Institute of Justice is interested in the use of technology to protect or deliver services to victims of DV, FV, IPV, rape, sexual assault, and stalking. NIJ supports location-based technologies, artificial intelligence, machine learning techniques, the application of big data to understand patterns and trends across large populations or time periods, using technology for investigative and forensic purposes, caseload and workload management, and evidence tracking. NIJ encourages research and technology development proposals incorporating a strong implementation science component. O-NIJ-2025-172357. Learn more. 

NSF ART STRP Program - due January 31

George Mason’s Institute for a Sustainable Earth (ISE) and the Virginia Climate Center (VCC) seek applications from George Mason faculty for the STRP Program for spring 2025. Faculty participants in the STRP program will receive funding, training, and mentorship to explore and hone their value proposition, explore and define a client base, develop or modify a course (to be offered periodically) that will support students in producing deliverables for specific community-based clients, and identify key partners. For more information, visit the STRP webpage.

The National Academy of Medicine (NAM)’s Healthy Longevity Global Competition offers $50,000 prizes to individuals or teams with bold, new, and potentially transformative ideas that aim to improve the physical, mental, or social health and well-being of people as they age. The application period opens January 21, 2025 and closes March 4, 2025, at 11:59 pm EST. Individuals and teams may learn more and apply here.

You may have heard that the federal Office of Management and Budget updated “Statistical Policy Directive No. 15: Standards for Maintaining, Collecting, and Presenting Federal Data on Race and Ethnicity.” Implementation will take a few years, but you can keep this on your radar. More details are available in the policy directive. The categories will include:  

February 5 | 12 pm | In-person and online | Bring your own lunch

The College of Public Health Staff Council is hosting a series of brown bag lunches for all staff members (including admin/professional and research faculty) throughout the spring semester. The Council hopes to build connections among all staff members for professional development, advocacy within the college, and social engagements to make CPH an even better place to work! Location, other details, and announcements will be made through the CPH Staff and Admin/Research Faculty Team on Teams. They hope you can join them this spring! Contact Allison (Allie) McKay with any questions at amckay4@gmu.edu. 

February 7 | 12 – 1 pm | Population Health Center and Zoom

HAP hosts this faculty development workshop presented by Farrokh Alemi, Sanja Avramovic, and Health Services Research Doctoral Student Yili Lin. The workshop focuses on (1) setting course content using AI, (2) developing video lectures using avatar and AI, (3) deploying intelligent tutors, and (4) evaluating students work. 

Learn how faculty can use AI to save time and be more effective. (It does not discuss the use of AI by students.) The workshop applies to any type of course, including courses that do not use statistics or are not focused on computers. Whether you teach statistics or want to explore using AI for other topics, this workshop offers insights and strategies to make your life easier and more productive.

This is a hands-on workshop. Presenters will show you how to do the tasks necessary for AI-guided course development. Skills in using AI or in computing not necessary.

February 10 | 12 -1 pm | Multipurpose Room | Followed by Lunch 

"Investigating PFAS exposure in community settings: The GenX Exposure Study," presented by Jane Hoppin, ScD, professor and environmental epidemiologist, NC State University, Department of Biological Sciences 

February 4 | 12 pm | The Hub, Meeting Rooms 3 & 4 | Lunch provided

The Office for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion invites George Mason faculty and staff to a community-building event. Participants will engage in a facilitated conversation to process and reflect on current events. For questions, email masonie@gmu.edu.

Report your first week of walking in the Spring 2025 CPH Steps Challenge TODAY, January 27, by the new reporting deadline of midnight.

Participants may walk anywhere, anytime, within the weekly Monday through Sunday time frame, counting their steps, and then report their CPH unit affiliation along with the steps they’ve walked on the following Monday. All CPH employees can join in. This includes adjuncts, GRAs, and wage staff. At the end of the semester, the unit with the most steps (proportionally) will be awarded a prize and take the trophy!

Check back next newsletter for the results of week one.

2nd and 4th Mondays of each month | Zoom: https://gmu.zoom.us/j/92966601360
Starting January 27

Faculty Peer Support Sessions have rebranded as Faculty Networking Sessions. Bring your questions, ideas, or concerns—whether it’s about student issues, curriculum, research, or collaborating with other faculty—and receive valuable feedback from your peers.

Mark your calendars now for speakers later this spring in the Dean's Speaker Series.

March 25 | 11:30 am - 12:30 pm | Multipurpose Room | Followed by Lunch 

Cristina Mogro-Wilson, PhD, MSW, Zachs Endowed Professor, University of Connecticut, School of Social Work

April 22 | 11:30 am - 12:30 pm | Multipurpose Room | Followed by Lunch 

David Johnson, CEO of 4sight Health 

Every Tuesday | 12:00 pm | Peterson 2800  

Join us for CPH yoga on Tuesdays! You are welcome to stay for as much or as little of the class as you are able. We hope to see many of you there! If you have any questions, please contact Cathy Tompkins.

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