Top news:
- Research retrospective: Science communicators in University Relations recently picked their most memorable stories of 2020. Among the selections with SMPH connections:
- A Hot Topics in Public Health panel discussion about the novel coronavirus on Jan. 28
- A mouse study by biomolecular chemistry associate professor Feyza Engin, PhD, showing that deleting a gene involved in the cellular response to stress from pancreatic insulin-producing cells prevented mice from developing Type 1 diabetes
- SARS-CoV-2 viral genome sequencing studies by pathology and laboratory medicine professor David O’Connor, PhD, and his School of Veterinary Medicine collaborator Thomas Friedrich, PhD
- A study by researchers at the Wisconsin State Laboratory of Hygiene and collaborators at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee to monitor raw sewage for SARS-CoV-2 viral RNA
- Six articles set for publication in the next issue of the Wisconsin Medical Journal (WMJ) are now online ahead of print, including “The Great Mask Debate: A Debate That Shouldn’t Be a Debate at All,” by Medical College of Wisconsin President John Raymond, MD. WMJ is a peer-reviewed, indexed journal owned jointly by SMPH and the Medical College of Wisconsin. Read more
- COVID-19 travel and preparedness information for the holiday season is available from UW–Madison and UW Health.
- UW–Madison COVID-19 travel and testing guidance, including testing options and test site hours.
- UW Health faculty and staff are encouraged to avoid non-essential travel or exposure and review existing travel guidelines on U-Connect.
- Reminder – 2 weeks to internal deadline: Nominations are open for the UW–Madison Academic Staff Excellence Awards. All are encouraged to nominate deserving candidates. While nominations can be made directly, Dean Golden will support a small number of candidates for nomination. If you’d like to submit a nomination for consideration of the Dean’s support, please submit the nomination packet, as complete as possible, to the Office of the Dean (smphdean@med.wisc.edu) no later than January 4, 2021. Because clinician-teacher (CT) and clinical health sciences (CHS) faculty tracks are classified by campus as academic staff appointments, nominations of faculty in these tracks for these awards are welcome and encouraged as well.
- A second round of furloughs for campus employees will begin January 1, 2021 and continue through June 30. With the beginning of the furlough period drawing near, the SMPH Office of HR offers additional information for SMPH employees. Read more
- The Center for Urban Population Health, which is affiliated with SMPH, UW-Milwaukee, and Aurora Research Institute, is recruiting for a new director (40% position). The deadline to apply is Feb. 1, 2021. Read more
- Abstracts in original adult and pediatric emergency care research for the 29th annual Wisconsin Emergency Medicine Research Forum are due Friday, Feb. 5, 2021. Read more
- A team of researchers at the Carbone Cancer Center has earned a Team Science Award from the Society for Immunotherapy of Cancer to honor the society’s 35th anniversary. The award recognizes scientific teams that have made a long-standing contribution to the field of cancer immunotherapy over the past three and a half decades. View the award presentation
- View this week’s Quick Links, with valuable information for all personnel, as well as information for researchers and clinicians.
Building an Anti-Racist SMPH
“My name is Deborah Saint-Phard. I am a Black woman physician who works in a medical academic department and who founded and directs a women’s sports medicine program. And I live at the intersection of physician burnout, the COVID-19 pandemic and systemic racism,” began an opinion piece in Inside Higher Ed, which tells Saint-Phard’s personal story of becoming a physician, fighting systemic racism, and describing what she believes institutions should do to become anti-racist. Saint-Phard is an associate professor at the University of Colorado School of Medicine in the Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation and Department of Orthopedic Surgery. Read more
- View upcoming events relating to anti-racism topics at UW–Madison and beyond.
Shout-outs
Please send kudos about your colleagues. Honor someone at go.wisc.edu/shoutout and we’ll share the stories. Submit your thoughts and we’ll share them in a future issue.
Telecommuting Tip
Bringing the holiday festivities to your auto-reply: Looking to spread some seasonal cheer from your inbox? Check out five ideas to inspire a festive email auto-reply.