SPH45. Public Health. Now is the time.
From human rights to voting rights, economic inequality to racial inequality, and climate change to policy change, the School of Public Health has long confronted the structural inequities that have been amplified and exacerbated by COVID-19. While much is still unknown about this unprecedented public health crisis, it is clear that SPH’s commitment to developing sound research and sustainable, evidence-based solutions is critical to overcoming the challenges of the moment, and of the future.
To mark this pivotal moment for the school and for the field of public health, SPH has launched SPH45: Public Health. Now is the time.—a 14-month, forward-looking endeavor to showcase the transformative research, scholarship, and practice of the school community, culminating with a celebration of SPH’s 45th anniversary in November 2021. Throughout these months, SPH will highlight the defining work of students, faculty, staff, alumni, and friends of the school, as well as departments, school-wide centers, and strategic research directions informed by SPH’s 2025-2030 strategy map.
“This is a challenging time for the world, and for public health,” says Sandro Galea, dean and Robert A. Knox Professor. “But in many ways, it is moments like this that call for a redoubling of our effort towards our mission: to build a healthier world together. SPH45 aims to highlight the work of the school community towards that mission.”
From now through November 2021, the school will showcase the accomplishments and contributions of the SPH community, focusing on a different public health theme or department each month. Throughout October, SPH is elevating research and scholarship on mental and behavioral health, including a three-part symposium on suicide prevention, and several research projects that examine the mental health impacts of COVID-19, gun violence, substance use, as well as the use of machine learning as a PTSD diagnostic tool.
Subsequent months will focus on community health sciences; infectious diseases; health inequities; epidemiology; environmental health; biostatistics; health law, policy & management; health law, ethics, & human rights; data science and analytics; cities and health; global health; climate, the planet, and health; and Public Health. Now is the time.
This coverage will also spotlight new SPH initiatives, such as idea hub, the school-wide initiative that connects researchers and resources with public and private industry to inform and advance innovative health solutions. These stories will be featured on the school’s main communication channels, including SPH This Week and Alumni & Friends emails, the SPH website, and on the school’s social media platforms. The emails are undergoing visual revamp with a refreshed school logo in a vibrant purple color.
Later this fall, SPH will also launch a redesigned website that will reflect the updated branding and capture the energy of SPH’s strategic plan, mission, values, and goals, says Elena Kontogli, director of marketing & communications.
“Through the site redesign, we’re aiming to showcase SPH’s core purpose of “Think. Teach. Do.” in an innovative and strategic way that will attract the best students and faculty by sharing compelling stories about the work of the SPH community,” says Kontogli. “In addition to the visual transformation, the new website will present opportunities to streamline content and make information and resources easily accessible for our multiple audiences.”
Classrooms at SPH also look a little different this year, under the university-wide hybrid teaching model, Learn from Anywhere, which enables students to attend class in person, work remotely, or a combination of both. The dual-modality model fulfills BU students’ demonstrated preference for residential education, prioritizing flexibility and equity for students, and safety for the SPH community as we navigate the pandemic.
“We’ve designed our programs to accommodate students no matter what other personal and professional obligations they may have,” says Lisa Sullivan, associate dean for education and professor of biostatistics. “Our faculty and staff are committed to equity and inclusivity in our educational programs, and the school has brought in expert trainers on these subjects to work with us at all-school retreats, in seminars, and other sessions throughout the year.”
Sullivan says a comprehensive plan to address equity and inclusivity in all of SPH’s educational programs is forthcoming, and will be informed by ideas from faculty, staff, and students.
“A lot has changed over the past 25 years,” says Sullivan, who has taught at SPH since 1996. “Faculty, staff, and students are more passionate than ever about issues that matter—that isn’t to say that prior generations were not, but public health is now at the center of issues that impact everyone, everywhere in ways we have never seen before.
“This shines a light on the work of our community, and we are leading efforts to develop and implement solutions to these pressing issues,” she says.
SPH45 will also elevate the school’s suite of Signature Programs, which debuted in 2015 and convenes experts in academia, policy, government, data science, and more to lead conversations on a wide range of public health issues. To more accurately reflect the role and influence of these events, SPH has changed the name of these events to Public Health Conversations.
“This past spring, we hosted over 36,000 online viewers as part of our programming series,” says Meredith Brown, assistant director of strategic initiatives in the Office of the Dean. “In our own community and beyond, people are looking to hear from experts in public health, and we are seeing that reflected in our audience engagement.
Through the online programming, “we found that we were able to broaden our reach even further,” says Brown. “With our shift to Public Health Conversations, our goal is to help shape the conversations about public health and keep these discussions available to everyone.”
SPH45 will also spotlight scholarship through the school’s outward-facing educational platforms including Population Health Exchange, SPH’s lifelong learning hub, and Public Health Post, SPH’s digital publication that informs the broader public with digestible public health content. It will also feature the wide-reaching work of the Activist Lab, which has led the school’s advocacy and activism initiatives, creating tangible change among marginalized populations and solidifying partnerships with organizations and agencies within the South End community and at the state and national level.
There is no shortage of opportunities for SPH alums to remain engaged with the school after graduation. As part of a 10,000-member lifelong network, alums from across the country and world continue to fulfill the purpose-driven mission of SPH by leading seminars and webinars, joining regional alumni groups, serving as mentors to current students and fellow alums, and elevate the broader conversation around health issues. For SPH45, Development and Alumni Relations (DAR) and the Career and Practicum Office have launched Alumni Conversations, a new monthly virtual conversation series to highlight the careers of alums across sectors and industries. DAR will also continue to hold regional Alumni Receptions.
“Both Alumni Conversations and Alumni & Friends receptions are an opportunity for graduates to remain connected with SPH, and share knowledge and network with current students and the community,” says Jacoba van Heugten, assistant dean for development.
SPH45 will culminate with the school’s 45th anniversary celebration on November 18, 2021 at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel in Boston. The celebration is co-chaired by Gary Cohen (SPH ’06), co-founder of the Cambridge, Mass.-based company Humatics; author Gloria Respress-Churchwell; Kevin Churchwell, executive vice president of health affairs and chief operating office at Boston Children’s Hospital; Susan Garfield (SPH ’11), principal at EY; and John Sullivan (MET ’82), chair and associate professor of administrative sciences at the Metropolitan College. The event will also honor Mothers Out Front, MIRA (Massachusetts Immigrant & Refugee Advocacy Coalition) and Rosie’s Place with the school’s Beyond Health Award.
“I am excited about the school’s journey over the next 14 months, mostly excited about the work that our staff, students, faculty, and alumni will do,” says Galea. “I’m looking forward to celebrating that throughout the year, and then together in the fall of 2021.”