SBS Department Newsletter
Fall1, 2024
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| Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences
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Welcome
Welcome to all of our new SBS students! This semester the SBS department is delighted to welcome a dynamic group of 57 new MPH, SM-1, and PhD students. Our new students join us from a wide range of countries, in addition to the United States, including Ireland, India, China, Ghana, Canada, Indonesia, South Korea, and many more! Our new students are joining 77 returning students. We are excited by the rich diversity of our community, which enriches our learning, our research, and our daily interactions.
Our new students aren’t the only ones starting something new this year! You may have noticed that instead of one Chair, this year there are two Co-chairs! After 5 years of dedicated service as Chair, Dr. David Williams stepped down on August 1, and has returned full-time to his research and teaching activities. As Co-chairs, we will split the position until the permanent chair is hired, likely next year. We will be launching the search for the new chair very soon, and we look forward to bringing an excellent slate of candidates in to provide talks and meet with our community. If you have ideas for chair candidates that you would like to be considered, please share their name and institution with us, and we will pass them on to the search committee. In the meantime, we will do our best to help the department keep moving forward and look forward to an excellent year working together!
Also, keep an eye out for announcements about our monthly SBS Seminar Series on the first Monday of each month, starting in October. We’re putting together an engaging lineup of presenters, and all are welcome and encouraged to attend.
Wishing you all the best for a great semester of learning, sharing, and connecting!
Best,
Bryn and Karen
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Bryn Austin, Interim Co-Chair
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Karen Emmons, Interim Co-Chair
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Abdinasir Ali, PhD, MPH, is a Yerby postdoctoral research fellow based at the SPHERE Center. He received his PhD in Health Services and Policy with a focus on health economics from the University of Iowa in 2024. Dr. Ali is a health economist and health services researcher. His work involves using quasi-experimental designs and statistical and econometric methods applied to administrative data and surveys.
At the SPHERE Center, Dr. Ali is examining the impacts of income support policies on children’s development and well-being.
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Cecilia Alkins-Behn is excited to join the SBS AP team as the Financial Coordinator. Her previous job was accounts receivable and billing specialist from Phamdo & Associates, P.C. A fun fact about Cecilia is that she is one of three girls and has four boys at home.
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Emily Dore, PhD, MPH, MSW, is a postdoctoral research fellow at the SPHERE Center. She received her PhD in Sociology from Emory University and a dual MPH/MSW degree from Boston University. Her research examines macro-level determinants of health with a goal of informing policies that decrease health inequities. Her work has so far evaluated the long-term health impacts of economic policy exposure in childhood, as well as the role of state-level structural sexism on health care use.
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Karina Duffy is overjoyed to join the Center for Health and Happiness as the Program and Research Coordinator. She earned her B.S. in Neuroscience and Behavior and Theology from the University of Notre Dame. Before joining the Center for Health and Happiness, Karina worked for Self-Healing Communities of Michiana where she promoted a culture of resilience through community engagement and the development of neuroscience-based resources and presentations. Karina loves to spend her time gathering people together, whether that be over dinner, sharing experiences of beauty, or working on creative projects!
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Matthew Lee, PhD, joins the SPHERE Center as a postdoctoral research fellow. He received his PhD in Population Health Sciences from the Harvard University Graduate School of Arts and Sciences. Matt holds an SM degree in Biostatistics from the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health and an MS degree in Epidemiology from the University of California, Berkeley. At the SPHERE Center, Matt examines the impacts of social policies, including the child tax credit and other measures implemented during the COVID-19 pandemic, on food insecurity, child and adult nutrition, and cardiometabolic health.
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Maria LoSurdo joins the team as our new Department Administrator. She comes to us from Northeastern University, where she most recently was Director of Administration and Finance for the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering. Prior to her many years at Northeastern, she was a research administrator at Boston Medical Center.
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Susan Peters was recently appointed as Associate Director of the Center for Work, Health, and Well-being.
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Alex Ross, PhD, MHS is joining our T32 Cancer Prevention Fellowship. She earned her PhD in Nutrition Epidemiology from the University of North Carolina Gillings School of Global Public Health and holds a master’s degree in Social and Behavioral Sciences from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. As part of her work with the NIH T32 program, she aims to further evaluate nutrition policies such as nutrition assistance programs and labeling interventions and their potential impact on cancer prevention.
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Clyde Lanford (Lanny) Smith, MD, MPH, DTM&H, in addition to being a "Global Community Health Advisor and Primary Care Physician", is as of 1 July 2024 also a "Substance Use Disorder/Healing, Recovery and Wellness Champion" of Southern Jamaica Plain Community Health Center, Brigham and Women’s Hospital.
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CDC Evaluation Winter Course (SBS 550) Information Session
Wed, September 11, 1:00-1:50 PM
FXB G10 + Zoom
Join us to hear about our unique winter course with the CDC! We will provide an overview of the application process, timeline, course structure, and student expectations. The course application will be due in mid-October.
Digital Safety Discotech
Wed, September 11, 7:00 PM - 8:00 PM
Kresge 200
This interactive workshop will provide attendees with the space and instructions to take action to protect their digital safety. Attendees will rotate through tables that will assist them in taking steps to protect themselves, such as making data deletion requests.
This event will be led by Sam Mendez, who launched a digital safety kit in collaboration with the Center for Health Communication. Dinner will be served.
Register nowEpidemiology and the People’s Health: Theory and Context Book Launch
Wed, September 18, 2024, 3:00–4:00 pm
9 Bow Street, Cambridge, MA, AND online via Zoom
Join us for a book launch for “Epidemiology and the People’s Health: Theory and Context,” (2nd edition) by Nancy Krieger, published by Oxford University. A book signing and reception will follow. Books will be available for a discounted price of $30.00 at the event.
Health Communication Fall Social
Wed, September 18, 5:30 - 7:00 PM
Kresge Atrium
Join us to learn more about how the Center for Health Communication and the Health Communication Concentration can support your growth as a communicator and a leader. You will have the opportunity to network with faculty and students who are interested in health and science communication. Appetizers will be served.
The Politics of Gender and Health: Current Social, Economic, and Democratic Challenges
Thurs, September 19, 1:00 - 1:50 PM
Kresge G2
We are excited to invite you to the first event in our WGH series, "The Politics of Gender and Health: Current Social, Economic, and Democratic Challenges." This panel event on reproductive justice in the context of the upcoming 2024 elections will feature guest faculty and speakers.
RSVP here:
How to create social-good messaging that sticks: Lessons from the editorial team at Snapchat
Tues, September 24, 1:00 – 1:50 PM
FXB G-13 or Zoom
Join us for a conversation about effective social messaging with Ben Reininga, Neiman Fellow and former head of editorial at Snapchat. Lunch will be served.
Lee Kum Sheung Center for Health and Happiness Fall Social
Wed, September 25, 2024, from 5-6 PM
Kresge Atrium
Refreshments provided
The Lee Kum Sheung Center for Health and Happiness is pleased to invite you to our Fall Social! Join us for an evening of refreshments and conversation, and a unique opportunity to connect with Center leadership, scholars, and staff, as well as fellow Harvard Chan School students who share a common interest in the realm of positive health, happiness, and well-being. Please RSVP by Friday, September 20th to secure your attendance. We look forward to seeing you there! RSVP here
Cities as Drivers for Global Health and Happiness: A Seminar with Dr. Jo Ivey Boufford
Wed, October 2, 2024, from 1-1:50 PM
FXB G12 and online
Lunch provided
Dr. Jo Ivey Boufford is Clinical Professor of Global Health at the New York University School of Global Public Health and Clinical Professor of Pediatrics at New York University School of Medicine. She is President Emeritus of The New York Academy of Medicine and Immediate Past President of the International Society for Urban Health (2017-9). She served as Dean of the Robert F. Wagner Graduate School of Public Service at New York University from June 1997 to November 2002. Prior to that, she served as Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Health in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) from November 1993 to January 1997, and as Acting Assistant Secretary from January 1997 to May 1997. While at HHS, she was the U.S. representative on the Executive Board of the World Health Organization (WHO) from 1994–1997. She was elected to membership in the US National Academy of Medicine (formerly IOM) in 1992 and as a Fellow of the National Academy of Public Administration in 2015. Dr. Boufford received her BA (Psychology) magna cum laude from the University of Michigan, and her MD, with distinction, from the University of Michigan Medical School. She is Board Certified in pediatrics.
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David R Williams received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Academy of Behavioral Medicine Research at the annual meeting in Minneapolis, MN, June, 2024
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| Rita Hamad, invited panelist, “Policy Drivers of Perinatal Mental Health and Breastfeeding.” National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine, public information-gathering session to support Committee on Understanding Breastfeeding Promotion, Initiation, and Support Across the U.S., on May 20, 2024
Rita Hamad, invited speaker, “Modern Epidemiology: Instrumental Variables.” Society for Epidemiologic Research, SERious Epidemiology Podcast. (Recorded August 2024, pending posting)
Rita Hamad, oral presentation, “Increased food insufficiency after COVID-era SNAP emergency allotments expired: A quasi-experimental study” at Interdisciplinary Association for Population Health Science, Annual Meeting. St. Louis, Missouri, on September 11, 2024
Krieger N. International Epidemiological Association (IEA) COVID-19 Panel: “Epidemiology and Public Health Perspectives After the COVID-19 Pandemic: Lessons Learned and Future Insights” (invited panelist) (virtual), May 16, 2024.
Krieger N. Embodied truths, scientific integrity, & health justice: rhetoric, racism, and reality. Invited keynote presentation: Community, Justice, and Equity in Medicine (CJEM), Brigham and Women’s Hospital Internal Medicine Residency Program, Boston, MA, June 14, 2024.
Krieger N. Advancing novel methods to measure and analyze multiple types of discrimination for population health research: The Life & Health Study. Invited presentation for NIH, for: “Addressing the Influence of Interpersonal Biases on Minority Health and Health Disparities Workshop,” (virtual) June 17-18, 2024.
Rosenfeld L, Mendez SR, Bishop J, Leslie C. “Organizational Health Literacy: Where Are We and Where Are We Going?” IHA Health Literacy Conference Panel | Online | May 16, 2024
Mendez SR. “Exploring the suitability of supervised machine learning to scale health literacy assessments of short social media posts as bags-of-words.” International Conference for Computational Social Science (IC2S2). Poster Presentation | Philadelphia, PA | July 19, 2024
Sabbath EL
Power of Policy for Healthcare Worker Well-being: What Does the Research Tell Us? Total Worker Health Trends: Expert Webinar Series, hosted by the Center for the Promotion of Health in the New England Workplace Webinar | September 26, 2024 at 1:00pm-2:00pm Eastern time. Registration form can be found here.
Sorensen, G. Designing, Implementing and Evaluating Organizational Intervention. September 3-5, 2024. Scandic Palace, Copenhagen, Denmark
D. R. Williams. Haddad Lecture “Understanding and Addressing Inequities in Health: It’s Time for Innovative Solutions.” Mongan Institute, Department of Medicine Grand Rounds, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, May 2024
D.R. Williams. “Comprehensively Assessing Stressors linked to Racism” Measure Racism Not Race Conference, The Banbury Center, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Lloyd Harbor, NY, May 2024
D.R. Williams.“The Critical Importance of Good Health to Economic Development in the Caribbean: Lessons from the Insights of Sir Arthur Lewis.” Caribbean Studies Association 2024 Annual Conference, Rodney Bay, St. Lucia, June 2024.
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| Beyer L, Enthoven C, Groeniger JO, van Lenthe F, Delaney S, Slopen N, Tiemeier H.
Foverskov E, White JS, Frøslev T, Pedersen L, Sørensen HT, Hamad R. “Neighborhood disadvantage and birth outcomes among refugees: a quasi-experimental study.” Pediatrics. In press.
Harriman NW, Chen JT, Lee S, Slopen N. Individual-Level Experiences of Structural Inequity and Their Association with Subjective and Objective Sleep Outcomes in the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development Study. J Adolesc Health. 2024 Sep;75(3):461-470.
Katz-Wise SL, Godwin EG, Medzhitova Y, Moore LBM, Parsa N, Hill A, Oparah N, Bogart LM, Rosal MC, Pullen Sansfaçon A, Ehrensaft D, MacNish Nishman M, Austin SB. Development of a family-level intervention for families with transgender and/or nonbinary youth: Lessons and recommendations. Journal of Family Psychology. In press. https://psycnet.apa.org/doi/10.1037/fam0001262
Kikut-Stein, A., Givan, K., Branson, P., Fishman, J., Baily, K., Paolicelli, M., Crockett, T., Morris, T., Adesipo, A., Allen, D., Blanco-Liz, A., Bonds, L., Brooks, N., Carriker, M. , Francis, K. , Jean Pierre, M., Konner, H. , Myers, R., Newkirk, N., Pierre, M., Poole, M., Riina, N.K.*, Robinson, M., Rubens, V., Savage, A., Savage, M, Sy., D., Zhou, X. Tan, A. (2024) Youth participatory action communication research: A model for developing youth-driven health campaigns. Health Communication, 1-16. https://doi.org/10.1080/10410236.2024.2386713
Oxford University Press is offering free access (through September 20, 2024) to the 1st chapter of Prof. Nancy Krieger’s new second edition of Epidemiology and The People’s Health: Theory and Context. The link to the chapter is here.
Krieger N, Testa C, Chen JT, Johnson N, Watkins SH, Suderman M, Simpkin AJ, Tilling K, Waterman PD, Coull BA, De Vivo I, Smith GD, Diez Roux AV, Relton C. Epigenetic aging and racialized, economic, and environmental injustice: NIMHD Social Epigenomics Program. JAMA Netw Open 2024 Jul 1; 7(7):e2421832. doi: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2024.21832.
Lal A, Slopen N. Housing Instability and Children's Health and Education. JAMA Pediatr. 2024 Aug 26. doi: 10.1001/jamapediatrics.2024.3172. Epub ahead of print.
Lee RM, Huebner Torres C, Daly JG, Thomas A, Hannon PA, Likumahuwa-Ackman S, Emmons KM. Community partner co-authorship for increased implementation science impact: Strengthening capacity and engagement. Journal of Clinical and Translational Science. In press
Newton-Hoe E, Goldberg AB, Fortin J, Janiak E, Neill S. Spatial Disparities in Mifepristone Use for Early Miscarriage and Induced Abortion Among Obstetrician-Gynecologists Practicing in Massachusetts | Women’s Health Reports | In press
Ramanadhan S, Daly J, Lee RM, Mallick K, Augenbraun SL, Emmons KM. Maximizing the impact of community outreach and engagement at US cancer centers. JNCI Cancer Spectr. 2024 Jun 26
Cioffredi L-A, Yerby LG, Burris HH, Cole KM, Engel SM, Murray TM, Slopen N, Volk H, Acheson A. Assessing Prenatal and Early Childhood Social and Environmental Determinants of Health in the HEALthy Brain and Child Development Study (HBCD). Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience. 2024:101429.
Marsh, E.E., Wegienka, G., & Williams, D.R. “Uterine Fibroids.” JAMA, 2024, 331(17): 1492–1493.
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