UAlbany School of Public Health Celebrates 25 Years of Academic and Research Excellence

 

ALBANY, N.Y. (September 17, 2010) -- The University at Albany's School of Public Health celebrates 25 years of academic and research excellence in 2010-11 with a series of lectures, a film and fiction series and special events.  The celebration began Sept. 22nd with a screening of the film Encounters at the End of the World, directed by Werner Herzog and featuring Wadsworth Center researcher and School of Public Health Professor Emeritus Samuel Bowser. He joined producer Henry Kaiser for a special discussion following the screening.

Throughout the year, the School will produce an array of events culminating in a 25th Anniversary Gala on May 7, 2011, in the Campus Center Ballroom of the Uptown Campus.

With $22 million in new grants over the last 18 months, the School is conducting high-level research of some of the most profound health issues facing the world today: cancer; the threat of bioterrorism; the spread of HIV/AIDS and other emerging diseases; the lack of affordable and accessible healthcare for individuals and families; environmental hazards; substance abuse and social violence; maternal mortality in developing countries; the promises and threats of genetic engineering; and the protection of food and water supplies.

"As we seek solutions for the major public health issues of our time, the 25th Anniversary is an opportunity to reflect on the success of the School of Public Health, and build momentum for years to come," said Dean Philip C. Nasca.

What began with a meeting between New York State Commissioner of Health Dr. David Axelrod and UAlbany President Vincent O'Leary has flourished into a world-class center of learning. The School attracts high-caliber students from all over the world and prepares them for leadership roles in the public health field in the U.S. and abroad.

The School offers its students immediate opportunities to work side-by-side with leading researchers in the field as well as access to internships at the Health Department, Albany Medical College, and avariety of other public and private health institutions throughout New York State.

As the anchor for the University's 87-acre East Campus, the School helps foster growth and development on the campus through collaborative initiatives with established and start-up biotech firms, as well as Tech Valley High School. It also provides the core faculty link with the University's Cancer Research Center (CRC).

The basic research mission of CRC focuses on the underlying biology associated with tumor initiation and progression, and the development and evaluation of chemopreventive regimens and therapeutic approaches for common cancers; it fosters the training of graduate students and postdoctoral fellows in cancer biology. The Center houses fully staffed, comprehensive, state-of-the-art research facilities, and benefits from its affiliation with School and the Wadsworth Research Laboratories of the New York State Department of Health. It is the only academic cancer research center in North America with strong ties to a school of public health.

With programs in Health Policy Management and Behavior, Environmental Health Sciences, Epidemiology and Biostatistics, and Biomedical Sciences, the School offers undergraduate, graduate and doctoral degrees as well a dual-degree MD/MPH program with Albany Medical College.

Among the anniversary events:

• On September, 22, 2010, the School presented its first "Public Health in Film and Fiction" event with a showing of Encounters at the End of the World, featuring commentary by Henry Kaiser, producer, and Samuel Bowser.
• On September 24, 2010, the School will host an open house and convocation at 1 p.m. in the Edward S. and Frances Gildea George Education Center Auditorium on the East Campus. The keynote address, given by Dan Beauchamp, Ph.D., is entitled Back to the Future: Public Health as Social Justice in a Divided Democracy.The event is supported by UAlbany's University Auxiliary Services.
• On October 26, 2010, the School will present a reading with Sapphire, poet and best-selling author of the book Push, which served as the basis for the film Precious, at 8 p.m. in Page Hall.
• Finally, on May 7, 2011, the School will cap off the year of events with its 25th Anniversary Gala at 7 p.m. in the Campus Center Ballroom on the Uptown Campus.

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Educationally and culturally, the University at Albany-SUNY puts "The World Within Reach" for its 18,000 students. An internationally recognized research university with 58 undergraduate majors and 128 graduate degree programs, UAlbany is a leader among all New York State colleges and universities in such diverse fields as public policy, nanotechnology and criminal justice. With a curriculum enhanced by 300 study-abroad opportunities, UAlbany launches great careers. For more information about this globally ranked University, visit www.albany.edu. For UAlbany's extensive roster of faculty experts, visit www.albany.edu/news/experts.shtml.