UAlbany School of Public Health Student Named Asia21 Fellow

Contact(s):  Catherine Herman (518) 956-8150, ([email protected])

ALBANY, N.Y. (March 25, 2008) --  Kamiar Alaei, a doctoral student at the University at Albany's School of Public Health, was selected as a member of the 2008 Class of Asia21 fellows by the Asia Society. The Asia Society is the leading global organization working to strengthen relationships and promote understanding among the people, leaders, and institutions of Asia and the United States.

The Asia21 initiative brings together fellows from across the Asia-Pacific region representing a broad range of disciplines -- business, politics, civil society, media, arts and culture, and academia -- who participate in a series of meetings and conferences designed to generate creative, shared approaches to leadership and problem solving and develop collaborative public service projects. Fellows serve a two-year term and come together twice per year in different cities in Asia to address topics relating to environmental degradation, economic development, poverty eradication, universal education, conflict resolution, HIV/AIDS and public health crises, human rights, and other issues.

Alaei is originally from Iran. He is co-founder of Global Health in the Middle East and Central Asia, which trains and motivates health experts in these regions regarding HIV/AIDS and harm reduction. Alaei co-authored Iran's National Strategic Plan for Control of HIV/AIDS 2002-2007. He also played a leadership role in establishing the first HIV/STD and drug use prevention and care center, the Triangular Clinic, in Iran, which the World Health Organization deemed a best practice.

Through its partnership with the New York State Dept. of Health, UAlbany's School of Public Health offers students immediate access to internships at the Health Department, Albany Medical College, and variety of other public and private health institutions throughout New York. The school serves as the academic anchor of the East Campus, the biotech hub of the university's life sciences research, which includes the Gen*NY*Sis Center for Excellence in Cancer Genomics.

UAlbany School of Public Health students have unique access to study the most profound health issues facing us today: the threat of bioterrorism, the spread of HIV/AIDS and other emerging diseases, the lack of affordable and accessible health care for individuals and families, environmental hazards, substance abuse and social violence, maternal mortality in developing countries, the promises and threats of genetic engineering, and protecting food and water supplies.