University of Louisville School of Public Health and Information Sciences
Response to Criterion One
February 8, 2016
3.0 CREATION, APPLICATION AND ADVANCEMENT OF KNOWLEDGE.
3.1 Research. The school shall pursue an active research program, consistent with its mission,
through which its faculty and students contribute to the knowledge base of the public health
disciplines, including research directed at improving the practice of public health.
a. Description of the school’s research activities, including policies, procedures and practices that
support research and scholarly activities.
All UofL research activities are governed by the policies and procedures established by the university’s
Office of the Executive Vice President for Research and Innovation (EVPRII). In addition, SPHIS
establishes school-wide policies and procedures as necessary to regulate, improve and encourage the
research efforts of faculty, staff and students.
UofL
The mission of the Office of the EVPRI (http://louisville.edu/research/) is “to promote and support
research, scholarship, and creative activities, to assist faculty and staff in obtaining intramural and
extramural support, to serve as an advocate for the value of research in an educational setting, to
enhance the vitality of campus-based research, and to encourage its use to enrich education, enhance
technology transfer and serve the community.”
The Office of the EVPRI oversees the offices of Sponsored Programs Development, Sponsored
Programs - Grants Administration, Sponsored Programs - Financial Administration, Industry Contracts,
Technology Development, the Research Integrity Program and the Human Subjects Protection Program
Office. The Offices of Grants Management and Industry Contracts are primarily responsible for proposal
review and approval and post-award management of sponsored programs. Full descriptions of the
services offered through these offices are available at http://louisville.edu/research/researchhandbook/chapter-one-general-information.html.
Selected policies established by the Office of the EVPRI include those affecting the following:





Conflicts of Financial Interest in Research: The university has established policies and procedures
regarding oversight of both individual and institutional financial interests in research. In accordance
with the highest standards of integrity and in compliance with legal, professional, ethical and other
requirements that promote objectivity and protect against financial conflicts of interest in research, the
university will identify possible financial conflicts of interest in research, whether apparent or real, and
provide mechanisms for their management, reduction, or elimination.
Intellectual Property. Under the UofL Intellectual Property Policy, when faculty or staff members
“create Intellectual property or obtain(s) exceptional research results that (in a reasonable opinion)
may have commercial value and do not fall within the scope of the exception[s] of [the] Policy… the
Creator shall notify the Technology Director in writing via an official Research Disclosure Form.” The
Office of Technology Transfer (OTT) assists students, staff and faculty in this process.
Ownership of Data. The university is the administrative organization ultimately responsible for all
tangible and intangible products resulting from activities at the university. As such, the university has
the responsibility to ensure the preservation and availability of research data and can be held
accountable for the integrity of research data even after the creator(s) have left the university.
Therefore, except in special circumstances, all research data generated by personnel of the university
or created with university facilities, regardless of the nature or sponsorship of such research, shall be
owned by the university and its affiliates (e.g. University of Louisville Research Foundation, Inc.). In
addition, as a public institution and in keeping with the traditions of academic freedom, all such
research data and protocols shall be unrestricted as to its public dissemination, except in certain
circumstances.
Proposal Clearance Requirement: All grants and contracts requesting extramural funding by full or
part-time faculty, staff and students of UofL that represent academic responsibilities of any of the
individuals listed as Applicants, and regardless of performance site, must be cleared by Research
Administration.
Support for ongoing research activities through the Office of the EVPRI is provided by the Research
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University of Louisville School of Public Health and Information Sciences
Response to Criterion One
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

February 8, 2016
Infrastructure Fund (RIF) programs. Under the RIF program, 10% of recovered indirect costs of
grants are returned to principal investigators, 10% are returned to department chairs of PIs and 10%
are returned to recognized centers within the university. By so doing, productivity in research is
recognized and critical ongoing research activity is sustained.
Research Misconduct: The “University of Louisville Policy and Procedures for Responding to
Allegations of Research Misconduct” establishes a framework of methods and principles for
assessing and conducting inquiries and investigations regarding allegations or incidents of research
misconduct, defined as fabrication, falsification, plagiarism or other practices that seriously deviate
from those that are commonly accepted within the scientific community in proposing, performing and
reviewing research, or in reporting research results.
Roles and Responsibilities for Research: The Office of the EVPRI maintains a matrix of the roles and
responsibilities expected of researchers, departments, units and university administration (including
the Office of the EVPRI).
Scientific or Scholarly Merit: In order to protect the rights and welfare of human subjects involved in
research, all proposed research activities involving human subjects must be reviewed for scientific
merit prior to initiation.
These policies are available at http://louisville.edu/research/policies-procedures.
Faculty and staff are encouraged to take advantage of resources provided by the Office of the EVPRI,
including access to the Sponsored Programs Information Network, Grant Advisor Plus, the Grants
Resource Center (GRC) and ResearchResearch. The Sponsored Programs Information Network is a
database of over 6,000 programs from both the public and private sectors that provide funding for
research and special projects across a wide variety of subject areas. The Grant Advisor Plus is an on-line
information service for research administrators and faculty in higher education. It provides monthly
newsletters, searchable listings of grant and fellowship opportunities and a list of program deadlines by
subject area for institutions and faculty. The Grants Resource Center (GRC) offers a full range of
services, including the tracking of both public and private resources and the latest sponsored programs
news and information. ResearchResearch is one of the world's leading publishers of news and
information for the international research community, providing three interlinked, searchable databases.
Other sponsored programs development services provided by Offices of the EVPRI include grants writing
workshops, legislative updates, one-on-one assistance, proposal editing and proofreading, coordination
of multi-investigator proposals and copying service for grant and contract proposals.
In addition to the services described above, the Office of the President offers intramural grants for
researchers. Types of awards include Multidisciplinary Research Grants (MRG), Vice President for
Research Undergraduate Research Scholar Grants (URS), Project Completion Grants (PCG), Research
Initiation Grants (RIG), Research on Women Grants (ROW) and Undergraduate Research Grants (URG).
For additional information on intramural grant opportunities, please see the
http://louisville.edu/research/irig/intramural-research-incentive-grants.html.
Research!Louisville is an annual celebration of health-related research sponsored by the Jewish Hospital
& St. Mary's Foundation, Norton Healthcare, UofL Health Care and the University of Louisville. The goals
of Research!Louisville are to: (1) promote excellence in health sciences research, (2) promote public
awareness of health sciences research, (3) promote the Louisville Medical Center, and, (4) generate
additional funding for health sciences research. SPHIS faculty and students participate actively in this
event by submitting papers and posters and by judging scientific merit of the submissions.
SPHIS
The SPHIS Research Committee, chaired by the Associate Dean for Research, consists of the five
department chairs, the assistant and associate deans, and the Assistant Director for Sponsored
Programs. The committee has created school-specific policies and procedures to address our evolving
needs. Processes developed so far involve investigator compliance with research training, faculty
consultation on sponsored programs and the establishment of monthly research incubation seminars to
foster collaboration within the school and the larger university.
An office to support the preparation, review and submission of research proposals and the conduct of
research activities has been established. Two staff members are available to assist investigators with
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University of Louisville School of Public Health and Information Sciences
Response to Criterion One
February 8, 2016
proposal development and processing, and also review all outgoing research proposals with SPHIS
collaboration and serve as the primary point of contact with the Offices of Sponsored Programs – Grants
Administration and Industry Contracts (described below). These individuals have attended national
conferences such as the National Council of University Research Administrators (NCURA) national
meeting and the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Regional Seminar on Program Funding and Grants
Management.
To support university and community researchers, the Department of Bioinformatics and Biostatistics has
established the Statistical Consulting Center (StCC), which provides fee-for-service consulting. StCC
services include: extensive research into applications of statistical methodology, data management,
including design of data collection instruments, data storage device set-up and testing and data
manipulation prior to analysis, data analysis, including power and sample size calculation, statistical
modeling, hypothesis testing, estimation and plot generation, and technical writing for grants and
protocols, journal articles and summary reports. More information about activities conducted through the
StCC are available in section 3.2.a.
SPHIS encourages collaboration with the research activities of state and local agencies in a variety of
settings. These relationships encourage the development of innovative research projects in public health
and health information sciences. Over the past three years, SPHIS has collaborated with the Louisville
Metro Department of Public Health and Wellness, REACH of Louisville, Inc., Kentucky Office for
Refugees/Catholic Charities of Louisville, Northern Kentucky Health Department, Kentucky Cabinet for
Health and Family Services, Kentucky Department of Education, and the University of Kentucky, among
others.
A spectrum of strategies and objectives support the research activities of the school. These will be
discussed in relationship to the research-related objectives outlined in the response to Criterion I. The
SPHIS seeks to:
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


Acquire one new research position per year from university administration. As a rapidly expanding
academic unit at the UofL, SPHIS looks to the university to provide endowments, new salary lines
and other startup funds required to achieve the target level of full-time faculty within the specified
timeline.
Provide funding to support travel to national meetings to present papers and further research
networking. The provision of such support to new faculty who are productively engaged in research
but who may not have sufficient independent support to travel to important regional and national
meetings is critical to their development and to the recognition of the institution. Funding for such
activities will be provided through the dean’s office to the department chairs and through the
Research Infrastructure Fund (RIF) process described above.
Increase the number of published articles, books, book chapters and presentations by 10% per year.
Evidence of scholarly activity is critical to the success of all faculty members as well as to the
appropriate recognition of SPHIS and the university. Academic publications are expected to keep
pace with the expansion of the faculty at an anticipated rate of 10% per year.
Increase total extramural funding by 10% per year. In addition to the essential support provided by
the university, extramural funding from federal, state and non-governmental organization-based
grants and contracts is critical to funding faculty salaries and supporting the research mission.
Expansion of such extramural support is expected to be commensurate with the rate of faculty growth
of approximately 10% annually. This will assure that average grant funding per faculty member will
achieve a target level of approximately $100,000.
Hold monthly research incubation meetings to encourage faculty, staff and student involvement in
collaborative research activities. These seminars were initiated in July 2005 to foster informal
interaction with the entire UofL research community by the faculty, staff and students of the school.
Such a forum promotes collegiality and awareness of research activities and interests and invites. A
listing of the research incubation meetings over the past three years is included as Table 3.1.3.
Table 3.1.1: Research Incubation Meetings Over the Past Three Years
Title
Presenter(s)
Page 3
Date
University of Louisville School of Public Health and Information Sciences
Response to Criterion One
February 8, 2016
Gene Expression, Aging and Mortality
Richard Kerber, PhD
2/6/09
Local Healthcare Politics in Louisville
David Houvenagle, PhD
3/23/09
Pb and Tobacco Smoke Exposure--Cellular and Molecular
Effects
Rachel Neal, PhD
4/29/09
An Overview of the Pandemic Planning and Preparedness
Program
Ruth Carrico, PhD, RN
5/27/09
Research Computing at the University of Louisville
Harrison Simrall
6/24/09
Pandemic Flu: Behavioral Health Preparations
A. Scott LaJoie, PhD
9/30/09
Looking at Early Detection of Breast Cancer Using a Dynamic
Software Modeling Tool
Lorena Canales, MPH;
Natasha DeJarnett, MPH;
and Alex Kerns, MHA
1/20/10
Fluoroquinolone Resistance: Prevalence and Risk Factors in
Newly Diagnosed TB Patients
Rose D. Anderson, MD,
MPH
1/27/10
High-Dimensional Data: A New Paradigm of Biomedical
Research
Susmita Datta, PhD
3/17/10
Broadway Corridor Redesign
Natasha DeJarnett, MPH;
Sadiatu Musah, MPH; and
Sarah Walsh, MPH
5/26/10
Prevalence of Neonatal Jaundice and Associated Disabilities
in Nigeria
Tina Slusher, MD; Frank
Groves, MD, MPH; and
Paula Radmacher, PhD
6/1/10
The National Children's Study: Evolution of a Good Idea
David J Tollerud, MD, MPH
8/25/10
The Communities Putting Prevention to Work Project:
Capturing BMI as an Outcome
Richard Wilson, DHSc
10/6/10
Measuring Functional Recovery under Locomotor Training in
Neurorecovery Network
Somnath Datta, PhD and
Doug Lorenz, MA, MSPH
10/27/10
Prevalence of Neonatal Jaundice and Associated Disabilities
in Nigeria
Tina Slusher, MD; Frank
Groves, MD, MPH; and
Paula Radmacher, PhD
11/10/10
A Presentation of Findings from an Action Research Initiative
Bob Esterhay, MD and
Judah Thornewill, PhD(c)
2/23/11
Examining the Epidemic of Methamphetamine Use in
Kentucky through Systems Thinking and Dynamic
Modeling
Andrea Keatley; Jamie Long;
and Steve Zimmerman
5/25/11
A Fulbright Year at Sichuan University's West China School
of Public Health
Robert Jacobs, PhD
8/31/11
AUDIT Screening and Campus Alcohol Abuse
Richard Wilson, DHSc and
12/7/11
W. Paul McKinney, MD
Scott LaJoie, PhD
Quality Healthcare at the Right Price
Russell Bessette, MD
3/28/12
Data Collection in International Settings
Linda Young, MA
4/25/12
The Louisville Twin Study: Past, Present and Future
Deborah Davis, PhD
05/30/12
The Rise of Childhood Obesity in America: The Causes, How
David Johnson; Christine
06/27/12
Page 4
University of Louisville School of Public Health and Information Sciences
Response to Criterion One
It Has Led to the Rise of Type 2 Diabetes, and Its Impact
and Implications for the US Healthcare System
February 8, 2016
Swanson; and Srikanth
Tangelloju
b. Description of current research undertaken in collaboration with local, state, national or
international health agencies and community-based organizations. Formal research agreements
with such agencies should be identified.
SPHIS collaborates with a number of local, state and national health agencies and community-based
organizations. Over the past three years, SPHIS has collaborated with the Louisville Metro Department of
Public Health and Wellness, REACH of Louisville, Inc., Kentucky Office for Refugees/Catholic Charities of
Louisville, Northern Kentucky Health Department, Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services, and
Kentucky Department of Education, among others. A listing of formal research agreements is available in
Table 3.1.2.
Table 3.1.3: Formal Research Agreements with Local, State and National Health Agencies and
Community-Based Organizations
Organization
Project Title
PI
c. A list of current research activity of all primary faculty identified in Criterion 4.1.a., including
amount and source of funds, for each of the last three years. These data must be presented in
table format and include at least the following information organized by department, specialty
area or other organizational unit as appropriate to the school: a) principal investigator, b) project
name, c) period of funding, d) source of funding, e) amount of total award, f) amount of current
year’s award, g) whether research is community based and h) whether research provides for
student involvement. See CEPH Data Template 3.1.1; only research funding should be reported
here. Extramural funding for service or training/continuing education grants should be reported in
Template 3.2.2 (funded service) or Template 3.3.1 (funded training/workforce development),
respectively.
Please see following page.
Page 5
University of Louisville School of Public Health and Information Sciences
Response to Criterion Three
February 8, 2016
Table 3.1.2. Research Activity from 2009 to 2012 - SPHIS Awards
Project Name
PI & Department
Funding
Source
Funding
Period
Start/End
Amount
Total
Award
7/1/10
6/30/11
3/9/09
6/30/12
9/9/05
5/31/11
9/30/08
7/31/10
9/30/08
7/31/10
9/30/10
9/29/11
9/1/08
7/12/09
7/13/09
7/12/10
7/13/10
7/12/12
9/1/08
6/30/11
9/1/11
8/31/12
4510200122
8/1/11
5/31/12
Zierold,Kristina M
9/1/08
8/31/11
McKinney,William Paul
LMPHW Medical Reserve Corps
Pandemic Planning and Preparedness
Program. OTA HSHQDC-07-3-00005
Ethnicity, Breast Cancer Recurrence
& Long-Term QOL
Heath, Eating, Activity, and Lifestyle
(HEAL) SEER Special Study
Health, Eating, Activity and Lifestyle
Study (HEAL) 2008
Health, Eating, Activity and Lifestyle
(HEAL)
Genetic Characterization of Breast
Cancer Risk in Families
Genetic Characterization of Breast
Cancer Risk in Families
Genetic Characterization of Breast
Cancer Risk in Families
The Utah Study of Fertility, Longevity
and Aging
Mitochondrial Genetics of
Exceptional Longevity in
Multigeneration Metrillneages
Genetic Epidemiology of Causal
Variants Across the Life Course
Safety and Injury Among Teens
Enrolled in School-To-Work
4510100122
McKinney,William Paul
4510100122
Baumgartner,Kathy B
4510200122
Baumgartner,Richard N
4510200122
Baumgartner,Richard N
4510200122
Baumgartner,Richard N
4510200122
Kerber JR,Richard A
4510200122
Kerber JR,Richard A
4510200122
Kerber JR,Richard A
4510200122
Kerber JR,Richard A
4510200122
Kerber JR,Richard A
4510200122
Taylor,Kira Creswell
Page 6
Amount
2010
Amount
2011
Amount
2012
CommunityBased
Student
Participation
University of Louisville School of Public Health and Information Sciences
Response to Criterion Three
Project Name
PI & Department
Apprentice Programs.
4510200122
Evaluation of Safety Training,
Supervision, and Injury among
Working Teenagers
Zierold,Kristina M
Theory and Applications of Ustatistics for Multistate Models Under
Censoring
Datta,Somnath
4510200122
4510300122
NonParametric Regression of State
Occupation Probabilities, State Entry,
Exit and Waiting Time Distributions in
a Multistate Model
Datta,Somnath
Rank tests for clustered data with
potentially informative cluster size:
Novel statistical methods for
analyzing dental data
Datta,Somnath
Statistical peak detection, adaptive
classification and protein-protein
network construction using mass
spectra.
Datta,Susmita
Development of Statistical Methods
for Analyzing Proteomic Cancer Data
4510300122
4510300122
4510300122
Funding
Source
February 8, 2016
Funding
Period
Start/End
Amount
Total
Award
8/1/09
7/31/12
7/1/07
6/30/11
2/18/11
2/17/13
9/1/11
8/31/13
6/1/08
5/31/11
7/1/09
6/30/12
10/28/11
6/30/12
9/1/09
3/31/11
1/1/08
3/31/11
4/1/11
3/31/12
9/23/10
8/31/12
Datta,Susmita
4510300122
Harris,Muriel Jean
ARRA SCFG Part Time BRFSS Analysis
4510400122
The Induction of Positive Affect
through a Health Dialog or Telephony
System
Smeltzer,Philip Andrew
Neuroanatomy and molecular biology
of airway neurons
Neuroanatomy and molecular biology
of airway neurons
Repair of Airway Epithelium
Following Chlorine Lung Injury
4510400122
Hoyle,Gary
4510500122
Hoyle,Gary
4510500122
Hoyle,Gary
4510500122
Page 7
Amount
2010
Amount
2011
Amount
2012
CommunityBased
Student
Participation
University of Louisville School of Public Health and Information Sciences
Response to Criterion Three
Project Name
Novel Therapies for Chlorine-Induced
Lung Injury
Novel therapies for Chlorine-Induced
Lung Injury
Novel therapies for Chlorine-Induced
Lung Injury
Novel Therapies for Chlorine-Induced
Lung Injury
National Children's Study - Jefferson
County, KY
NCS Recruitment and Retention
Network
Activation of Endothelial Cells and
Gene Expression in Lungs following
exposure to Ultrafine Particles
PI & Department
Funding
Period
Start/End
Amount
Total
Award
7/1/11
5/31/12
6/1/09
5/31/10
6/1/10
8/21/11
6/1/09
5/31/10
9/26/08
9/25/13
1/13/11
9/30/11
3/1/07
6/30/10
7/1/10
12/31/11
7/1/08
6/30/11
7/1/09
6/30/11
Amount
2010
Hoyle,Gary
4510500122
Hoyle,Gary William
4510500122
Hoyle,Gary William
4510500122
Hoyle,Gary William
4510500122
Tollerud,David John
4510500122
Tollerud,David John
4510500122
Zhang,Qunwei
4510500122
Activation of endothelial cells and
gene expression alteration in lung
following exposure to ultrafine
particles
Zhang,Qunwei
Oxidative Stress and Endothelial Cell
Dysfunction in Animals Exposed to
Ultrafine Particles and Cigarette
Smoke
Zhang,Qunwei
Mechanisms Underlying the
Susceptibility of Diabetics to Ultrafine
Particles
Funding
Source
February 8, 2016
4510500122
4510500122
Zhang,Qunwei
4510500122
Totals
In addition, the school collaborates with other units within the university. …
Table 3.1.3. Research Activity from 2009 to 2012 - Participation in Awards to Other Units
Page 8
Amount
2011
Amount
2012
CommunityBased
Student
Participation
University of Louisville School of Public Health and Information Sciences
Response to Criterion Three
Project Name
PI & Department
Funding
Source
Funding
Period
Start/End
Page 9
February 8, 2016
Amount
Total Award
Amount
2010
Amount
2011
Amount
2012
CommunityBased
Student
Participation
University of Louisville School of Public Health and Information Sciences
Response to Criterion Three
February 8, 2016
d. Identification of measures by which the school may evaluate the success of its research
activities, along with data regarding the school’s performance against those measures for each of
the last three years. For example, schools may track dollar amounts of research funding,
significance of findings (eg, citation references), extent of research translation (eg, adoption by
policy or statute), dissemination (eg, publications in peer-reviewed publications, presentations at
professional meetings) and other indicators.
The following table shows annual objectives corresponding to SPHIS Goal 2, “build a public health and
information science research enterprise.” These objectives will be the measures by which the school will
evaluate the success of its research program.
Table 3.1.4: Outcome Measures for Success of Research Activities
Outcome Measure
Target
2010
2011
Increasing the number of grants and contracts
awarded to 30 in 2013.
30
19
>21
Increasing the total dollar amounts of grants to
$5,000,000 in 2013.
$5,000,000
$4.3
million
$6.0
million
Increasing the number of faculty on sponsored
research to 30 in 2013.
30
28
>26
Increasing the number of students on funded
research to 6 in 2013.
6
8
>7
Increasing the total number of publications in
refereed journals to 25 in 2013.
25
46
>25
Increasing the number of refereed presentations
and/or papers sponsored by national or
international organizations to 25 in 2013.
25
>12
>9
One new
faculty per
year
1
0
0
Providing departmental funding for travel to
national meetings to present papers and further
research.
Continued
departmental
funding
continued
continued
continued
Holding monthly research incubation meetings to
encourage faculty, staff and student
involvement in collaborative research activities.
Continued
monthly
meetings
Y
Y
Adding one new faculty research position per year
from university administration.
2012
A full list of publications by SPHIS faculty and staff is available at [insert URL]. Additionally, the university
maintains a searchable database of publications by faculty, staff and students, available at
http://louisville.edu/research/for-faculty-staff/reference-search/.
A list of presentations is available at [insert URL].
Since July 1, 2002, UofL has recovered $Y in facilities and administrative (indirect) costs from extramural
grants and contracts awarded to SPHIS researchers. Of this amount, $Z was returned to the researchers
and departments of the school in the form of Research Infrastructure Funds (RIF). The RIF program is
described in detail in Section 3.1.a. We will follow indirect cost recovery and RIF allocation in the future as
indicators of research-related resource development rather than as formal outcome measures.
e. Description of student involvement in research.
Graduate Research Assistants (GRAs) are students who devote 20 hours per week to assigned research
projects within the school. SPHIS provides stipends, fringe benefits and tuition remission to these
students, who are selected for academic excellence and agree to become GRAs. Since July 2009, a total
Page 10
University of Louisville School of Public Health and Information Sciences
Response to Criterion Three
February 8, 2016
of 25 students have served as full-time GRAs.
Table 3.1.5: Number of Graduate Research Assistants (GRAs) and Fellows
FY10
FY11
FY12
Full-time GRAs
8
9
8
Full-time paid fellows
2
8
8
Grant-funded
8
8
16
SPHIS-funded full-time GRAs
1
0
0
SPHIS-funded tuition scholarships
26
27
21
The MPH program has also brought many additional students into SPHIS. Each has been required to
participate in a practicum project which requires that they to demonstrate knowledge of scientific research
techniques.
In addition, a variety of practices within SPHIS foster the development of research projects on the part of
students, including:



As part of the graduation requirements for the MSc/CIS Program, SPHIS allows and encourages
students to prepare a grant proposal in NIH format or a manuscript suitable for submission to a major
biomedical journal in lieu of a thesis.
The Department of Bioinformatics and Biostatistics offers PHST 602, ““Biostatistics - Decision
Science Seminar,” a weekly seminar series concentrating in Biostatistics and Decision Science. The
seminar enriches students’ education by opening windows to a wide variety of research topics and by
giving students the chance to improve their critical analysis skills and public speaking abilities.
Doctoral students are required to present at least two seminars in PHST 602 in order to complete
their degree. Master’s level students are encouraged by advisors to present their thesis work as part
of the seminar series as well.
Students have also participated in the research incubation meeting series as described in section
3.1.d. See Table 3.1.6 below.
Table 3.1.6: Students Presenting at Research Incubation Meetings Over the Past Three Years
Title
Presenter(s)
Date
Looking at Early Detection of Breast Cancer Using a
Dynamic Software Modeling Tool
Lorena Canales, MPH;
Natasha DeJarnett, MPH;
and Alex Kerns, MHA
1/20/10
Broadway Corridor Redesign
Natasha DeJarnett, MPH;
Sadiatu Musah, MPH; and
Sarah Walsh, MPH
5/26/10
Examining the Epidemic of Methamphetamine Use in
Kentucky through Systems Thinking and Dynamic
Modeling
Andrea Keatley; Jamie Long;
and Steve Zimmerman
5/25/11
The Rise of Childhood Obesity in America: The Causes,
How It Has Led to the Rise of Type 2 Diabetes, and
Its Impact and Implications for the US Healthcare
System
David Johnson; Christine
Swanson; and Srikanth
Tangelloju
06/27/12
KPHA and APHA
In addition, SPHIS students have made a number of presentations at the annual meetings of the
Page 11
University of Louisville School of Public Health and Information Sciences
Response to Criterion Three
February 8, 2016
Kentucky Public Health Association and American Public Health Association. Listings of these
presentations are available in the tables and at the URLs below.
2012 - KPHA - http://louisville.edu/sphis/news-and-events/sphis-students-and-faculty-to-present-at-kpha2012.html
2011 - KPHA - For more information, see Table 3.1.7 below.
2010 - KPHA - http://louisville.edu/sphis/news-and-events/sphis-students-to-present-at-kpha.html
2011 - APHA - http://louisville.edu/sphis/news-and-events/sphis-presenters-at-apha-2011.html
2010 - APHA - For more information, see Table 3.1.8 below.
2009 - APHA - http://louisville.edu/sphis/news-and-events/faculty-students-in-environmental-andoccupational.html
Table 3.1.7: Student presentations at 2011 KPHA annual meeting
Student
Presentation
Duke Appiah
Predictors of Alcohol, Cigarette, and Marijuana Use Among National Samples of High
School Seniors
Cardiovascular Disease among Diabetic Women With Surgical Menopause
Joan Buchar,
MPH, CHES
Policy Development…What You Need to Know!!
Whitney
Kirzinger
The Effect of Menu Labeling on Consumer's Choices for Lower Calorie Foods
Crystal
Vahrenhold
Barriers and Facilitators to Recruiting and Training Behavioural Health Professionals
as Volunteers During a Disaster
Lauren Rollins
Incorporating a Community Survey as part of a Health Impact Assessment related to
Proposed Coal Gasification Plants in Western KY
Bobby Hawkins
Multivariate Analysis of Prostrate Cancer Screening and Results Data from the Norton
Cancer Institute Prevention and Early Detection Program
Table 3.1.8: Student presentations at 2010 APHA annual meeting
Student
Presentation
Caroline Chan
Calibration and validation of a dynamic model that projects population outcomes from
methylmercury exposure from local fish consumption
Building a dynamic model linking human exposure to mercury emission regulations: Step one:
Risk to susceptible populations"
Whitney Kirzinger
Improved Access to Nutritious Food Drives Behavior Change in Louisville Food Desert
Joan Buchar
Advocacy is part of the job description
Other Presentations
UofL produced a Research Minute spotlighting postdoctoral associate Avonne Connor and doctoral
students Nandita Das and Stephanie Denkhoff and their research to understand the influence of genetics,
lifestyle and environment on breast cancer in minority populations. Video is available at
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dl46CMwKjWA.
Health promotion MPH student, Gagandeep Kaur, presented "Utility Analysis of a HPV Vaccine Mandate
for Public School Enrollment" at the Sigma Theta Tau International's 22nd International Nursing Research
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Congress (2011) in Cancun, Mexico: http://louisville.edu/sphis/news-and-events/students-to-presentdecision-analysis-for-hpv.html
Three doctoral students presented posters at the 2010 American College of Epidemiology Annual:
http://louisville.edu/sphis/news-and-events/epidemiology-students-to-present-at-national.html
MPH students Tifany Ables, Peter Adhiawodzi, Scott Bankhead, Bryn Frerics, Paxton Mongtomery,
Trinidad Jackson, Pretesh Parmar and Caitlin Shelton travelled to Atlanta to present posters during the
2010 National Immunization Conference. The posters highlighted local H1N1 activities and lessons
learned from the mass vaccination event in November 2009. For more information, please see:
http://louisville.edu/sphis/news-and-events/national-immunization-conference-presentations-by.html
f. Assessment of the extent to which this criterion is met and an analysis of the school’s
strengths, weaknesses and plans relating to this criterion.
This criterion is met. The school has evolved from an institute that focused on research and continues to
emphasize this area of academic endeavor. Expansion of activities in the school has been supported by
the university’s partial return of recovered indirect costs through its Research Infrastructure Fund
programs. SPHIS recognizes the benefits of enhancing student involvement in research through
development of additional GRA positions and the support of travel to professional meetings.
Strengths

Weaknesses

Plans

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3.2 Service. The school shall pursue active service activities, consistent with its mission, through
which faculty and students contribute to the advancement of public health practice.
Service is one of the three cornerstones of the mission of the school to advance knowledge for the
public’s health in the 21st century, and the school has implemented a range of service activities for faculty,
staff and students. The school is dedicated to transdisciplinary, collaborative partnerships with Louisville
Metro, the Commonwealth of Kentucky and their environs, and the national network of public health
professionals, in full accordance with its previously stated mission, goals and objectives. Faculty, students
and staff are committed to working on recognized problems that result in tangible benefits to the
population. The school sees itself as truly bridging academia, community, government and the profession
through service-related work.
a. Description of the school’s service activities, including policies, procedures and practices that
support service. If the school has formal contracts or agreements with external agencies, these
should be noted.
The school’s service program is an integral part of the university’s mission to serve as Kentucky’s
urban/metropolitan university. Located in the Commonwealth’s largest metropolitan area, the university
addresses the specific educational, intellectual, cultural, service and research needs of the greater
Louisville region. It has a special obligation to serve the needs of a diverse population, including many
ethnic minorities and place-bound, part-time, non-traditional students.
Service-related activities occurring within SPHIS are designated in and governed by the document
establishing the role of community and professional service and the charge to the Community and
Professional Service Committee (Service Committee), both of which are available at
https://sharepoint.louisville.edu/sites/sphis/cbg/service/default.aspx.The first document outlines the
mission, goals, activities and organization of the school’s community and professional service, including
the responsibilities of the committee chair, faculty director, support staff and the Service Committee
members. The charge to the Service Committee includes its purpose, organization and composition,
support, term and rules.
Service represents a tangible demonstration of the faculty’s commitment to create and sustain community
and national partnerships characterized by open communication, collaboration and outreach. Faculty
service activities are important evaluation factors in hiring and promotion decisions. In addition, service is
part of faculty members’ required annual work assignments. The annual work assignment is determined
and agreed upon by the department chairs and each faculty member. Faculty track these activities on
their curricula vitae and Digital Measures and meet with their department chair on an annual basis to
discuss the percentage of work assignment for teaching, research and service. Faculty service occurs as
part of formal agreements and consulting services as well as informal ongoing partnerships.
The faculty and staff of the school provide evaluation, research, technical assistance and program
development service support to a diverse range of community and public health groups and agencies.
The school provides service to the Kentucky Department for Public Health (KDPH) through formal
agreements for support of adult and child health programs. The scope of service interest and capacity
was evidenced during the 2009 H1N1 Influenza A pandemic response. A major collaboration between the
SPHIS, LMPHW and the city of Louisville enabled the provision of mass immunization using a novel
approach that combined walk-in and drive-thru points of dispensing options. Faculty, staff and students
from SPHIS worked with faculty and students from the University of Louisville School of Nursing, Speed
School of Engineering, and the internal university infrastructure to provide the planning and workforce
necessary for this community event. This was the largest volunteer event in the history of Louisville and
the University resulting in the immunization of more than 19,000 individuals in less than 18 hours.
The School maintains a formal agreement with the Director of the Louisville Metro Public Health and
Wellness (LMPHW), LaQuandra Nesbitt MD MPH. Dr. Nesbitt, whose service work assignment is 90%, is
the Commissioner of Health for LMPHW. Louisville Metro government pays the school for this service. Dr.
Nesbitt’s remaining 10% level of effort is devoted to teaching in HMSS.
We know that our strong relationships with the LMPHW and other metro government agencies are
essential to impact change in the community. Joint activities include the West Jefferson County
Community Task Force, an area air quality workgroup and the Partnership for a Green City, a
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collaborative long-term project between Metro Louisville, the university and Jefferson County Public
Schools (JCPS) to address environmental issues facing the region. These efforts also support research
priorities such as the investigation of health impacts on susceptible populations, such as children, the
elderly and asthmatics, and a better understanding of the specific pollutants that pose the most serious
health risks.
Our service program has been strengthened by our partnership with the LMPHW. Collaborative activities
with LMPHW span a wide spectrum including training, education, public events, research, student
activities and staff support. Regular interactions among SPHIS personnel and LMPHW continue to yield
innovative approaches to public health and garners local and national attention. Our faculty members
work actively with the LMPHW to create opportunities for students to learn in a public health settings and
to take course and curriculum concepts into partnerships with community collaborators. Working with the
health department’s Center for Health Equity ensures that faculty and students have opportunities for
addressing public health issues through an equity lens.
The Department of Health Promotion and Behavioral Sciences has provided professional development
workshops to the LMPHW employees responsible for community health promotion, stationed in the main
branch on East Gray Street and in the Center for Health Equity. The focus of the workshops is on public
health competencies and on using existing data sources to complete community health assessments.
These activities inform strategic program planning and support the health department’s effort to seek
accreditation.
Another significant example of our work with LMPHW was the role we played in the community H1N1
Vaccination Clinic held Nov. 11-12, 2009 at Papa John’s Cardinal Stadium. Nearly 400 University of
Louisville faculty, staff and students volunteered their time and the SPHIS played a key role in arranging
the logistics for this event, with 28 SPHIS volunteers participating over the two-day period. The
community clinic, which included a walk-in tent and 10 drive-through bays, was open on the first day from
7:45 a.m-8 p.m. and concluded the second day at 2 p.m., after all the vaccine had been distributed. The
first day alone, 12,613 people received the vaccine—the largest single day event according to available
data. In total, more than 19,000 people were inoculated against the H1N1 virus, with an average rate of
908 people per hour. Dr. Ruth Carrico, an assistant professor at the SPHIS provided oversight for training
and medical protocol. Our public health students assisted with the consent form process and answered
questions about the vaccine, serving as vaccine information specialists. SPHIS graduate students Mr.
Pretesh Parmar and Ms. Caitlin Shelton did advance planning and worked on the scene to keep track of
and manage the details. This included working with researchers from the university’s Speed School of
Engineering to map out the location and use simulation to efficiently guide the traffic and determine
equipment and volunteers. The University of Louisville’s participation in the clinic was likely one of the
largest volunteer efforts in university history and evidence of ongoing collaboration between the university
and local agencies.
The school’s Statistical Consulting Center (StCC) and Center for Health Hazards Preparedness (CHHP)
are two internal entities that provide unique services to the community. The Department of Bioinformatics
and Biostatistics provides consulting services through its Statistical Consulting Center (StCC) designed to
provide expertise in statistical methodology in support of research. The center's services are available to
health researchers at the university, but are also used by members of the community, including local
health care and research centers, local businesses and nonprofit organizations. Clients of the StCC
collaborate with members of the StCC staff and faculty. The StCC participates in both long- and shortterm cooperative research projects and provides technical personnel and specialized computational
services as needed. Initial project feasibility consultations are provided at no charge, and data analysis
and statistical programming jobs on a fee-for-service basis. The StCC provides assistance in many of the
phases of research, such as assistance in framing of research questions, design of research studies,
design of data collection instruments, statistical analysis and preparation of professional publications.
Given the extensive number and range of the services they provide, a listing of StCC activities are
included in the electronic resource file at [insert URL].
One of the school’s most successful programs is the Center for Health Hazards Preparedness (CHHP),
which was established in 2002 through a cooperative agreement with the Centers for Disease Control
and Prevention (CDC). The CHHP is a nationally-recognized center of excellence in coordinating
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research, education and service to improve the local, regional and national response to potential acts of
terrorism, natural disasters and infectious diseases. By defining competencies, disseminating best
practices and offering virtual drills and exercises, communities will be strengthened as their health care
workers and administration are prepared to appropriately assess and respond to a variety of public health
hazards. Since 2002, approximately 40,000 individuals have participated in CHHP educational programs.
These include physicians, nurse practitioners, nurses, allied health, EMS and public health professionals
who work in a variety of settings and encompass the majority of hands-on healthcare providers within a
given community.
One highlight we want to share is the collaboration that CHHP–affiliated faculty has established with
faculty at the JB Speed School of Engineering. They are working together on a National Institute for
Hometown Security project funded through a $3.3 million contract. The purpose of this 3-year project is to
create a real-time decision support system that provides emergency responders and health care decision
makers with pertinent information to make critical decisions in the event of a medical surge due to a
pandemic. Under the leadership of the PI, Dr. Sunderesh Heragu, SPHIS faculty Drs. Ruth Carrico and
Scott LaJoie are working on their own individual research projects. Dr. Carrico’s research will evaluate
personal protective equipment (PPE) for healthcare workers. Dr. LaJoie’s efforts will focus on protecting
the health care and public health (HPH) workforce by promoting mental health before, during and after
disease outbreak.
CHHP involvement with the Medical Reserve Corp (MRC) has been ongoing for several years. The
responsibilities of MRC volunteers vary, depending on the nature of the needs in the community. MRC
volunteers can assist during emergencies and assist with public initiatives and ongoing community health
outreach and education efforts. Major emergencies can overwhelm the capabilities of first responders,
particularly during the first 12 to 72 hours. Medical and other health volunteers can provide an important
"surge" capacity during this critical period. They also can augment medical staff shortages at local
medical and emergency facilities. In short, communities often need medically trained individuals and
others to fill in the gaps in their emergency response plans and to improve their response capabilities
overall. In recent years, the CHHP has facilitated several MRC events that resulted in hundreds of new
and trained MRC volunteers.
In 2011, CHHP received funding from the CDC to address Emergency Countermeasures using students
as a workforce supplement. This 12-month project involved curriculum development for nursing,
pharmacy and public health student training so they are a capable and competent workforce for
communities of all sizes. Also in 2011, CHHP received funding from the Kentucky Office of Refugee
Health/Catholic Charities to assist with health assessment and health improvement among the more than
2000 refugees that are resettled every year in Kentucky. Other service activities performed through
CHHP include assistance with the Louisville area’s Medical Reserve Corps and asthma evaluation
initiatives both part of the ongoing partnership with the Louisville Metro Department of Public Health and
Wellness.
A summary of the many CHHP continuing education activities are noted in the following section as Table
3.3.2.
As part of its outreach program, the School of Public Health and Information Sciences (SPHIS) worked
with community partners to establish a farmers’ market in the downtown area in 2009. The Gray Street
Farmers Market, which is operated as an outreach program by SPHIS, is one of few markets in Louisville
dedicated to increasing availability of fresh foods to generally underserved areas in what are known as
food deserts. The Gray Street Farmers Market fits with two university’s 2020 Plan: to be an engaged
member of this community and to become more sustainable in our choices and practices. To ensure the
success of the market, SPHIS has works closely with the LMPHW, University of Louisville Hospital,
Norton Healthcare, the Louisville Area Chapter of the American Red Cross chapter and Metro United
Way, the UofL Sustainability Council and the Office of David W. Tandy, Fourth District Councilman.
The Gray Street Farmers’ Market is within walking distance of UofL's Health Sciences Center and the
Louisville Medical Center. It is open every Thursday from May through October, from 10:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.
on the 400 block of East Gray Street, between South Preston and South Jackson streets. Located in the
Phoenix Hill neighborhood, East Gray Street is home to a number of families and individuals who have
very limited food choices. This market provides additional access to healthy foods for area residents and
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for those working in the area. With 18 vendors, customers can find the finest in local farm products
including grass fed beef, spring greens, hydroponic tomatoes, cheese, flowers, breads, jam, granola,
kettle corn and more.
In 2010, the Gray Street Farmers’ Market opened for the second season with a new EBT/Debit machine
allows the market to accept food stamps and process debit cards. The machine was purchased with a
grant from the Kentucky Farmers Market Association. This addition expands access to area residents with
lower incomes and stimulates market success by making it easier for customers to make purchases. To
date, the market has processed over $22,000 in transactions using the new machine
10% of these transactions are EBT purchases. In its third season, the market took part in the Farmers
Market Nutrition Program (FMNP), which provides vouchers to eligible participants - those who are at
least 60-years-old with household incomes of no more than 185 percent of the federal poverty income
guidelines. Vouchers are obtained from the commodities office and redeemed at certified farmers markets
for fruits, vegetables and and honey. This new benefit enabled low income adults to purchase $3170 of
fresh, local produce during the 2011 season.
Post-season surveys to vendors and customers indicate the market is well received and provides
coordinators with more information about customer expectations and satisfaction. Attendance has
increased over the three seasons. In 2009, total attendance was estimated at 2200 with an average of
192 people. In 2011, we estimate that 7500 customers visited the market, with a weekly average of 312
people. In addition to maintaining a listserv of over 300 names, the market manager has helped put
together a community-wide farmers’ market guide to help increase support for farmers markets in
Louisville.
A broader approach to service involves entire community. This broader emphasis extends beyond SPHIS
and is one of the five critical areas of the University of Louisville’s strategic plan
(http://louisville.edu/communityengagement/office-of-the-vice-president). As stated in The 2020 Plan, the
community engagement goal is for UofL to be “known as a model metropolitan university, integrating
academic excellence and research strength with civic engagement to transform Kentucky” (p. 12). The
narrative explains that the university creates mutually beneficial partnerships that are “strong, effective
and results-oriented” in these capacities:





Provide leadership and expertise to identify and solve programs
Provide leadership and support for the arts and cultural life of our city
Promote strong interaction with K – 12 school children in Jefferson County and statewide
Address business, environmental social and legal issues
Provide outreach services to individuals out in the state lacking health care facilities
University-community engagement, as defined by the Carnegie Foundation, describes the collaboration
between institutions of higher education and their larger communities (local, regional/state, national,
global) for the mutually beneficial exchange of knowledge and resources in a context of partnership and
reciprocity. UofL has a rich and proud tradition of working with community. Under the leadership of
President James Ramsey the university is committed to building upon that tradition and extending our
reach into community and around the world. In 2010, President Ramsey created the Office of Community
Engagement to coordinate university-wide community engagement. This office works with across the
university to foster more community engagement opportunities for students and faculty. The Vice
President for Community Engagement, Daniel Hall, reports directly to the President.
The Office of Community Engagement has developed mechanisms to track service activities within
schools and programs. This document summarizes data submitted to the university annually:
1. Community Engagement Partnerships
2. Community Service Hours
3. Signature Partnership Activities
Since the data collection system began in 2009, a Community Engagement Partnerships Record (CEPR)
form has been completed for each SPHIS partnership or collaborative relationship. A total of 33
partnerships were recorded from 2009 through 2011.
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Clearly, a critical aspect of public health involves a global perspective. In support and recognition of that,
the SPHIS has worked to develop opportunities for faculty and students to participate in action learning
through international service. SPHIS faculty member, Muriel Harris, PhD, Associate Professor,
Department of Health Promotion and Behavioral Sciences facilitates an annual student trip to Ghana.
These trips are an opportunity for service and teach SPHIS students about global aspects of public
health. An example of an activity is the 2010 performance of a feasibility study on improving maternal
health. Currently, Ghana loses 560 mothers for every 100,000 live births. Dr. Harris and three SPHIS
students spent three weeks in and around Tamale, Ghana visiting with community members and leaders,
health care professionals, officials at the University for Development Studies (UDS) and with traditional
birth attendants to find out some of the issues they face. They identified a lack of health care facilities,
shortage of health care providers, lack of basic amenities and lack of transportation to the available
facilities as critical factors in poor maternal health. The SPHIS team compiled their study results and
recommendations into a report shared with Tamale Teaching Hospital and UDS so they can use it to
expand resources for service delivery, research, teaching and learning.
Building upon the international perspective, Dr. Robert Jacobs, Professor in Environmental and
Occupational Health Sciences and Director of the MPH program, completed a Fulbright Fellowship in
China during 2011. As part of that fellowship he instituted a virtual learning environment that connected
MPH students at SPHIS with student colleagues in China in order to share public health experiences. Dr.
Jacobs is in the midst of planning an exchange that extends beyond the virtual connections he
established. A formal exchange program is under development.
A second faculty member, Steven McCabe, MD, MSc, Department for Bioinformatics and Biostatistics,
completed a Fulbright in Spring 2012, researching and exchanging knowledge about decision analysis
with colleagues in Italy. While there, he also taught scientific research methodology to graduate students
at the University of Siena. Additional information is available at http://louisville.edu/uofltoday/campusnews/public-health-professor-bound-for-italy-through-fulbright-program.
b. Description of the emphasis given to community and professional service activities in the
promotion and tenure process.
Community service activities of faculty members are highly valued and assessed at all steps along the
appointment, promotion, tenure and periodic review continuum. The department chairs, PAT Committee,
associate deans and dean of SPHIS all participate in elements of this assessment process. The range of
activities considered includes, but is not limited to: membership on community boards, assistance with
grant development in partnership with community organizations, participation in candidate selection
committees, publicizing joint activities between the school and the community and joint educational
projects. Particular emphasis and recognition is given to the development or substantial enhancement of
new programs of service linking SPHIS and the community. A complete listing of recent service activities
by faculty members may be found in Table 3.2.1.
Performance in the SPHIS has three distinct cornerstones: research, teaching and service. All are parts
of periodic career reviews and are integral in the promotion and tenure process. Guidelines regarding
proficiency and excellence with respect to service activities are noted in the “Policy for Promotion,
Appointment, and Tenure and for Periodic Career Review,” one of the guiding documents for the PAT
Committee. As part of faculty responsibilities, they maintain records of their service activities in Digital
Measures, a web-based service and data management system. The purpose of that documentation is to
maintain an accurate record and description of service goals and activities for annual and periodic
performance reviews and promotion and tenure reviews.
It is the faculty member’s responsibility to provide accurate and complete documentation of their service
activities in Digital Measures. According to the PAT guidelines, the information and materials should
provide evidence for duration, extent of involvement, leadership, innovation, effectiveness, impact, and
outcome of service activities that can be used to evaluate the quantity and quality of service. Service
activities must support the collective missions of the department, SPHIS, university, community (county,
state, region, nation), or profession and draw on a faculty member’s professional expertise to be
considered relevant. The service information should describe the nature, quality and importance of a
faculty member’s service contributions, particularly with regard to productivity, innovation, leadership,
sustainability and impact. Academic service activities often overlap and integrate with teaching and
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research activities and it is helpful for the faculty member to include a brief statement that describes how
their most significant service-related activities contribute to their teaching and research or provide
independent contributions to the SPHIS and the university.
The following listing is a guide that describes the types of information and documentation that faculty may
record in Digital Measures.

Committee memberships at department, SPHIS, university, community, state or federal levels,
including expert, policy-making or scientific review committees
Administrative and leadership positions with a brief description of the position and associated
activities
Public contracts, economic development and outreach partnerships
Training contracts or services
Practice-based and research services
Community and civic engagement that benefit the health of communities
Peer review of manuscripts
Peer review of grants or contracts (Participation as a grant or contract reviewer, noting funding entity,
dates, and location, if pertinent)
Editing of journals, reports, or books
Invited presentations, especially those focused on service that engages the community as it relates to
public health
Organization of symposia, meetings or community forums










In addition to tracking service activities, it is suggested that faculty seeking promotion and tenure provide
notation of peer-assessments of the quality of service performance. Examples of such materials include
documentation of funded service-related grants and contracts and letters from collaborators, partners,
other colleagues or experts that document a formal service involvement or commitment. It is also
recommended that faculty include a self-assessment of personal growth and development over time in
the area of service. This may be based on the materials noted above, or on other materials that help to
describe and document service-related activities or on correspondence including letters, memos, emails,
federal, state, local or community-based organization brochures, newspaper and magazine clippings,
web-based sites, etc.
c. A list of the school’s current service activities, including identification of the community,
organization, agency or body for which the service was provided and the nature of the activity,
over the last three years.
As previously mentioned, all faculty are required to maintain an accounting of their service activities in
Digital Measures. Table 3.2.1 provides a summary of these activities.
Table 3.2.1: Faculty Service from 2009 to 2012
Faculty member
Role
Organization
Activity or Project
Year(s)
A
B
C
D
E
Table 3.2.2 provides a quick look at some of the types of service activities in which SPHIS faculty and
staff are involved.
Table 3.2.2: Selected Service Activities (July 1, 2009 through June 30, 2012)
Number of
Activities
List of Service Activities by Type of Service
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Boards or Committee Members for Professional and Non-Profit Organizations
Journals - Editorial Board Members
Journals - Manuscript Reviewers
Grants - Review Grant Proposals
National, State and Local Advisory Boards and Committees
Volunteers at Local Service or Educational Organizations
Consulting
The following information is a summary of funded service activities and has been compiled by the
university’s tracking process for funded projects including grants, contracts, service agreements, and
other such agreements.
Please see the following page.
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Table 3.2.3: Funded Service Activity from 2009 to 2012
Project Name
PI &
Department
Funding
Source
Funding
Period
Start/End
Amount
Total
Award
1/1/11
3/31/11
7/1/10
6/30/12
3/4/10
6/30/10
7/1/08
6/30/10
7/1/10
6/30/12
4/30/10
6/30/10
11/1/11
10/31/12
11/1/11
10/31/14
1/3/11
6/30/11
11/1/07
12/31/10
4510400122
3/19/10
3/18/11
Harris,Muriel Jean
3/19/11
6/18/12
McKinney,William
Paul
LMPHW Asthma Project
4510100122
McKinney,William
Paul
FY11 UL WebEOC
4510100122
Schreck,Melissa
Ann
Gray Street Farmers' Market
4510100122
Walsh,Mary S.
FY09 & FY10 - Telehealth - UL
4510100122
Walsh,Mary S.
FY11 & 12 Telehealth/UL
4510100122
Walton,Peter
Lewis
Eliminating Health Barriers Work
Kentucky Refugee Health
Program Assistant
4510100122
Carrico,Ruth Lynne
4510400122
Carrico,Ruth Lynne
Executive Nurse Fellows
Primary Care & Oral Health
Workforce Study
FHK/Group Health Evaluation
Project
ARRA Louisville Putting
Prevention to Work
ARRALouisville Putting
4510400122
Carrico,Ruth Lynne
4510400122
Harris,Muriel Jean
4510400122
Harris,Muriel Jean
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Amount
2010
Amount
2011
Amount
2012
CommunityBased
Student
Participation
University of Louisville School of Public Health and Information Sciences
Response to Criterion Three
Project Name
PI &
Department
Prevention to Work
4510400122
ARRA Louisville Putting
Prevention to Work (LPPW) Health & the Built Environment
Allen,Susan Olson
FY10 CHFS/DPH KPDPAP/UL
School of Public Health & Info
Scien.
4510600122
Funding
Source
February 8, 2016
Funding
Period
Start/End
Amount
Total
Award
3/19/10
3/18/12
7/1/09
6/30/10
Esterhay JR,Robert
J
4510600122
Totals
Page 22
Amount
2010
Amount
2011
Amount
2012
CommunityBased
Student
Participation
University of Louisville School of Public Health and Information Sciences
Response to Criterion Three
February 8, 2016
d. Identification of the measures by which the school may evaluate the success of its service
efforts, along with data regarding the school’s performance against those measures for each of
the last three years.
Table 3.2.4 shows the objectives corresponding to SPHIS Goal 4, “promote collaboration and
community/state partnerships.” These objectives are the measures by which the school will evaluate the
success of its service program.
Table 3.2.4: Outcome Measures for Success of Service Efforts
Outcome Measure
Target
Year 1
Year 2
4.2.a Continuing leadership through monthly meetings
of the Environmental Health Committee of the
Partnership for a Green City, involving UofL,
Louisville Metro Government and the Jefferson
County Public Schools.
continued
monthly
meetings
continued
continued
4.2.b Promoting the utilization of an electronic
clearinghouse for service opportunities with
community and government agencies through
annual presentations to faculty, staff and students.
continued
support
continued
continued
4.2.c Maintaining the number of community
partnerships that support local metropolitan area
government agencies, metropolitan area
businesses, community-based organizations and
health care organizations at 25 in 2013.
25
38
38
4.2.d Maintaining the number of partnerships with state,
regional and federal agencies at 10 in 2013.
10
21
21
4.2.e Maintaining the number of collaborative programs
with K-12 educational institutions at two in 2013.
2
4
4
Year 3
continued
The university Office of Community Engagement tracks university involvement in and promotes
opportunities for community service activities. This information is posted on their website and the office
alerts the university community to new volunteer activities. There is a form on the website that makes it
possible for community organizations to submit requests for volunteers.
http://louisville.edu/communityengagement/communityservice-opportunities.html
e. Description of student involvement in service, outside of those activities associated with the
required practice experience and previously described in Criterion 2.4.
One hallmark of our school's service activities is the range of community experiences in the practice of
public health available to our students. These opportunities highlight the integral part service plays in
achieving our desired mission, goals and objectives. They introduce our students to the broader context
and concept of community and what it means to provide service to the community. Relationships created
through the identification of field placement sites for students also advance our service activities by
growing our network of collaborative partnerships for teaching and research.
SPHIS tracks student community service efforts annually and submits this to the Office of Community
Engagement. For each activity, we record the date of service, the community group or organization
served, the location of service, a description of the service performed, numbers of student and employee
participants as well as the number of hours served. Additional information includes the amount of money
raised, the relationship to university activities and the primary issue addressed (e.g. community and
economic development, disaster response and recovery, environment health/ nutrition, youth
development, etc.)
A summary of student service/community engagement activities in Table 3.2.5 on the following pages:
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University of Louisville School of Public Health and Information Sciences
Response to Criterion Three
February 8, 2016
Table 3.2.5: Student Service and Community Engagement Activities
Student, Group or
Organization
Date
Organization Served
Description of Service
# of
Students
# of
Faculty/
Staff
Hours
Served
UofL Chapter of the
Kentucky Public Health
Association
10/24/2009
Wheatley
Elementary and the
California
Neighborhood
California Love
Project:
Volunteers pick up trash in a two block
grid of the California neighborhood
20
2
8
UofL Chapter of the
Kentucky Public Health
Association
4/6/2010
Public health field
Hosted a booth to let students know about
public health as part of National Public
health week
5
3
5
SPHIS Student
Government
Association
9/1/2009
Louisville AIDS Walk
Each year, the SPHIS SGA organizes and
sponsors the Louisville AIDS Walk week
in September.
25
4
12
Dept of Health
Management and
Systems Science
10/1/2009
Healthy Hoops
Kentucky
A special initiative that uses basketball
and fun to focus on the needs of kids with
asthma. Children between the ages of 7
and 13 - and their families, participate.
7
5
10
SPHIS Dean's Office
11/7/2010
Out if the Darkness
Suicide Prevention Walk in Louisville
Metro
6
10
4
Center for Health
Hazards Preparedness
11/11/2009
H1N1 Drive Thru
Clinic
Helped with the Louisville Metro
Department of Public Health and Wellness
H1N1 immunization clinic for two-days
19
9
20
SPHIS Dean's Office
May - June
2010
Service Trip to
Ghana
Conducted a field study in a remote
village
4
2
120
shared findings with local university
Jade Ashley
Mar-10
Service Trip to
Ghana
10-day service trip to India over winter
break. helped operate medical camps in
needy communities.
1
1
80
Stephanie Denkhoff
and Avonne Connor
11/18/2010
JCPS school AHEC
Presented on public health for the AHECsponsored health career fair at Moore
2
1
4
Page 24
University of Louisville School of Public Health and Information Sciences
Response to Criterion Three
Student, Group or
Organization
Date
Organization Served
Description of Service
February 8, 2016
# of
Students
# of
Faculty/
Staff
Hours
Served
High School
Whitney Kirzinger and
Avonne Connor
3/30/2011
JCPS school AHEC
Presented on public health for the AHECsponsored health career fair at Olmsted
South Middle
2
1
5
SPHIS Student
Government
Association
9/1/2010
Louisville AIDS Walk
Each year, the SPHIS SGA organizes and
sponsors the Louisville AIDS Walk week
in September
15
3
26
SPHIS Student
Government
Association
3/26/2011
Supplies Over Seas
(SOS)
A local organization that collects, sorts,
and packages surplus medical supplies
from medical offices in Louisville and
ships them to sites in need throughout the
world.
6
0
24
SPHIS Student
Government
Association
4/4/2100
National Public
Health Week
Activities included a cook-out, a 10,000
Step Challenge, and an Alcohol
Awareness table.
10
2
12
SPHIS Student
Government
Association
4/8/2011
American Cancer
Society
Sponsored a team in support of the UofL
American Cancer Society Relay For Life,
4
0
20
SPHIS Student
Government
Association
4/9/2011
Community Drug
Toss Event
Drug Toss event at various locations accepted expired or unused medications.
Coordinated by University of Louisville
4
1
5
Dept of Health
Management and
Systems Sciences
10/1/2010
Healthy Hoops
Kentucky
An initiative that uses basketball and fun
to focus on the needs of kids with asthma.
7
5
10
SPHIS Dean's Office
5/1/2011
Service Trip to
Ghana
Conducted a needs assessment in
Tamale, Ghana with an emphasis on
Maternal Health
4
1
120
Dept of Health
Management and
Systems Sciences
10/1/2011
Healthy Hoops
Kentucky
An annual initiative that uses basketball
and fun to focus on the needs of kids with
asthma.
Page 25
University of Louisville School of Public Health and Information Sciences
Response to Criterion Three
Please see following page.
Page 26
February 8, 2016
University of Louisville School of Public Health and Information Sciences
Response to Criterion Three
February 8, 2016
Many MS/BDS students are members of professional associations. Through their fieldwork and courses
of study, these students have assisted department faculty in providing statistical support and service to
clinicians and investigators doing research at the university and in the community. Past projects have
included data management for maternal and child health initiatives at LMPHW, statistical support for the
university's educational initiative in Belize and presentation of work at national professional meetings such
as the Society for Medical Decision Making annual meeting.
MSc/CIS students are involved in service activities that include serving on local, state and national
agency boards and providing informational presentations to organizations on a particular disease or
public health issue. Students are also involved in national issues such as literacy and nutrition. Students
have provided books and nutritional information to families in conjunction with pediatric physician visits.
f. Assessment of the extent to which this criterion is met and an analysis of the school’s
strengths, weaknesses and plans relating to this criterion.
The school has advanced its service program significantly and this criterion is met. Our strengths include
promoting a culture of service as evidenced by the recognition we have received and our sustained
commitment to community engagement—from the university president’s office, through our schoolsponsored activities. Our partnerships with local and state health department, as well as our significant
professional service through the CHHP and the StCC, have lasting impacts on our local, state and
national health colleagues. We directly improve the community’s health by managing the Gray Street
Farmers Market…
Strengths

Weaknesses

Plans

Page 27
University of Louisville School of Public Health and Information Sciences
Response to Criterion Three
February 8, 2016
3.3 Workforce Development. The school shall engage in activities other than its offering of degree
programs that support the professional development of the public health workforce.
a. Description of the ways in which the school periodically assesses the continuing education
needs of the community or communities it intends to serve. The assessment may include primary
or secondary data collection or data sources.
Continuing education needs assessment includes several approaches. We are in regular contact with the
Commissioner, Kentucky Department for Public Health, who has made direct requests for our
development of coursework for specific situations. For example, the H1N1 swine influenza epidemic of
2009 prompted a discussion with the Commissioner’s office that resulted in a statewide symposium on
the topic that was held in Frankfort in Sept 2009. On a local level, the Director of the Louisville Metro
Department of Public Health and Wellness is a faculty member of SPHIS who participates regularly in
faculty meetings and discussions with the leadership of the school. This relationship facilitates requests
for development of courses that are of specific use to the staff at the largest local health department in
Kentucky. Needs for continuing education coursework are also conveyed through professional
organizations, such at the Kentucky Public Health Association, the Association of Practitioners of
Infection Prevention and Control, the Kentucky Nursing Association, the Kentucky Medical Association,
the Kentucky Psychology Association, and the Kentucky Hospital Association based on perceived needs
of their leadership. Finally, needs are regularly expressed as part of the evaluation process for most
coursework that is delivered in the state. Respondents are thereby routinely asked what other topics they
would consider to be important for their professional development.
The Kentucky Public Health Leadership Institute (KPHLI) provides opportunities for the SPHIS faculty to
provide direct mentorship to public health professionals throughout Kentucky. The faculty members have
been active in KPHILI since 2007, completing nine projects with 42 public health practitioners.
Participants in KPHILI receive a Certificate in Public Health Leadership from the Kentucky College of
Public Health after the year-long development program. The institute’s mission is to “strengthen the public
health system in the commonwealth of Kentucky by improving the skills of the professionals who
administer state, regional, and local public health systems”. SPHIS mentors include Drs. Richard Wilson,
Muriel Harris, and Scott LaJoie, all of the Department of Health Promotion and Behavioral Science.
b. A list of the continuing education programs, other than certificate programs, offered by the
school, including number of participants served, for each of the last three years. Those programs
offered in a distance-learning format should be identified. Funded training/continuing education
activities may be reported in a separate table. See CEPH Template 3.3.1 (Optional template for
funded workforce development activities). Only funded training/continuing education should be
reported in Template 3.3.1. Extramural funding for research or service education grants should be
reported in Templates 3.1.1 (research) or 3.2.2 (funded service), respectively.
NOTE: These data will be included in the preliminary report submitted to CEPH in August.
Please see the following page.
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University of Louisville School of Public Health and Information Sciences
Response to Criterion Three
February 8, 2016
Table 3.3.1: Funded CE Activity from 2009 to 2012
Project Name
PI & Department
University of Louisville: Susan G.
Komen Breast Cancer Disparities
Epidemiology Research Training
Program
Baumgartner,Kathy B
University of Louisville: Susan G.
Komen Breast Cancer Disparities
Epidemiology Research Training
Program
Baumgartner,Kathy B
From Bench to Bedside: Introduction
to Clinical Research
Funding
Period
Start/End
Amount
Total
Award
9/14/09
9/13/10
9/14/10
9/12/12
7/1/07
6/30/10
7/1/09
6/30/12
9/1/09
8/31/12
7/1/10
6/30/11
7/1/11
6/30/12
12/1/09
2/28/10
7/1/10
6/30/11
3/1/11
7/31/11
4510400122
9/30/11
9/29/12
Carrico,Ruth Lynne
7/1/11
12/1/11
4510200122
4510200122
Funding
Source
Hornung,Carlton
4510200122
Muldoon,Susan B
Public Health Traineeship
4510200122
Muldoon,Susan B
ARRA Public Health Traineeship
4510200122
Muldoon,Susan B
Public Health Traineeship
4510200122
Muldoon,Susan B
Public Health Traineeship
University of Louisville - Coordinated
School Health
Medical Reserve Corps Training
Curriculum
Just in Time Training Materials for
Mass Immunization
Emergency Countermeasures
Dispensing Staffing Plan
ARRA FY12 UL Infection Preventionist
Training Modules
4510200122
Carrico,Ruth Lynne
4510400122
Carrico,Ruth Lynne
4510400122
Carrico,Ruth Lynne
4510400122
Carrico,Ruth Lynne
Page 29
Amount
2010
Amount
2011
Amount
2012
CommunityBased
Student
Participation
University of Louisville School of Public Health and Information Sciences
Response to Criterion Three
Project Name
PI & Department
Funding
Source
February 8, 2016
Funding
Period
Start/End
Amount
Total
Award
8/23/10
8/22/13
4510400122
Building a dynamic model linking
mercury emission regulations to risk
to susceptible populations
Chan,Mary C
4510500122
Totals
Page 30
Amount
2010
Amount
2011
Amount
2012
CommunityBased
Student
Participation
University of Louisville School of Public Health and Information Sciences
Response to Criterion Three
February 8, 2016
Table 3.3.2: CHHP Continuing Education Activities Over the Past Three Years
Name
Organization
Date
Number of Participants
c. Description of certificate programs or other non-degree offerings of the school, including
enrollment data for each of the last three years.
The graduate certificate in Clinical Investigation Sciences includes 16 credit hours of didactic instruction
with required courses in epidemiology, biostatistics, the responsible conduct of research, evaluating the
health care literature and an elective in behavioral and social science, health economics or health
services and outcomes research plus a one credit hour research paper. The certificate program can be
completed in one year and is designed for those who want a career in a clinical research setting as well
as those who want to upgrade their research skills. Courses taken in the certificate program can be
applied toward the MSc degree. The certificate in Clinical Investigation Sciences is offered in the school’s
Clinical Research, Epidemiology and Statistics Training (CREST) Program.
The learning objective of the certificate program in Clinical Investigation Sciences is to provide a core
curriculum of coursework in clinical investigation. Physicians and other health professionals who plan on
conducting clinical research often are lacking the didactic training in order to gain the skills necessary to
do so. The certificate program curriculum, a structured series of lectures of basic required courses,
provides training in clinical research skills that were not previously available to UofL students prior to the
program’s inception. There are also faculty and fellows who are not able to take the entire masters track,
but would like evidence that they have successfully completed limited training in clinical research. The
goal of the certificate program is to provide this option.
Upon completion of the certificate program, students will be able to:





Develop collaborative clinical research studies in accordance with appropriate epidemiologic and
biostatistical methodologies
Apply the principles of data collection, monitoring, management and analysis within the context of a
multidisciplinary team
Disseminate study results to professional and lay audiences through oral and written communication
Analyze human subjects issues and apply ethical principles in performing and disseminating clinical
research
Discuss and respond to the legal issues in new drug and device development
In most cases, applicants have completed a professional doctoral degree (e.g., DMD, D.O., M.D.) or
academic degree from an accredited institution or its equivalent, but applicants with research experience
are considered (e.g., research coordinator). Standard application procedures are followed for the
Graduate Certificate program, including completed application, two letters of recommendation,
CV/resume, transcripts, and submission of GRE scores. The personal statement is a one-page essay that
discusses the student’s background and his or her long-term goals in clinical research.
Upon matriculation in the program, each student meet with the CREST program coordinator and develop
a program of study based on the selection of the Certificate program curriculum. The program of study
may be modified as the student’s needs change or course availability is altered. Required coursework
includes five credit-hours of epidemiology, 7 credit-hours in research design and statistics, 4 credit-hours
in outcomes and ethics, and 1 hour of mentored research and research paper. The paper can be a
literature review or a research project. Data collection is not required. The curriculum can be found here:
http://louisville.edu/graduatecatalog/programs/cert/clinical-investigation-sciences-certificate/
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University of Louisville School of Public Health and Information Sciences
Response to Criterion Three
February 8, 2016
The majority of courses are taught by SPHIS faculty, with the exception of the courses, SPHIS faculty’s
expertise in epidemiology, biostatistics, health management, and health behavior add to the success of
the students and the program. Students can be involved in research conducted by SPHIS faculty, or more
frequently, pursue a clinical hypothesis relevant to their practice specialty.
The number of students who matriculate each year has varied between 10-40, but the average for the
past five years has been approximately 15 students. Thus the faculty to student ratio is 2.7:1, well below
other university programs and national norms. The program does not meet the CPE Program Productivity
Goals because the vast majority of the students are physicians who are seeking a MSc in Clinical
Investigation Sciences in order to enhance their research careers. The majority of the students in the
program are physicians, so after they complete the certificate program, the employment rate is near
100%. Similarly, those engaging in research are in faculty positions at UofL, or at other research
institutions.
The CREST program partners with the clinical departments and divisions of the university health science
center in the work that students do. Each student works with at least two types of mentors: one from
SPHIS and one from the clinical entity of their interest. There may be opportunities to perform service
within their clinical rotations, however, there is no student service component in the CREST program.
Since the students’ professional aims are clinical research, community engagement projects are not
appropriate uses of their time.
d. Description of the school’s practices, policies, procedures and evaluation that support
continuing education and workforce development strategies.
Program Evaluation. After each training course that is completed, all participants are requested to
complete an evaluation form for the presentations they attended. The data derived therefrom are
collected, collated, analyzed, summarized, ad shared with the course director, instructors, sponsoring
organization, and other interested parties. These results are used in the modification of materials for
future presentations and for assistance in planning future curricula.
e. A list of other educational institutions or public health practice organizations, if any, with which
the school collaborates to offer continuing education.
The Office of Community Engagement has developed mechanisms to track service activities within
schools and programs. Since the data collection system began in 2009, a Community Engagement
Partnerships Record (CEPR) form has been completed for each SPHIS partnership or collaborative
relationship. A total of 33 partnerships were recorded from 2009 through 2011.
The following is the most current list of partnerships organized by department and center.
Bioinformatics and Biostatistics


The Department of Bioinformatics and Biostatistics (DBB) and JG Brown Cancer Center Biostatistics
Shared Facility (BSF) are working together to encourage high school students to use and appreciate
statistics in their science projects.
The Kentucky Spinal Cord Injury Research Center project involves the collaboration between faculty
and the KSCIRC. Faculty have provided and continue to provide statistical consulting services for the
research initiatives of the KSCIRC including grant protocol development, data analysis for individual
projects for members of the KSCIRC, and technical report writing for external presentation
(conference posters, manuscripts, etc.)
The NeuroRecovery Network is a national network of specialized treatment centers providing
standardized activity-based therapy for spinal cord injured patients. It is sponsored by the Christopher
and Dana Reeve Foundation, which provides financial, administrative, and managerial support.
Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences


Faculty are engaged with the Center for Environmental Genomics and Integrative Biology Community
Outreach and Educational Core is to educate disadvantaged communities in the Louisville
Metropolitan Area (nine counties in Kentucky and four counties in Indiana) on the importance of
interactions between genes, environment, culture, and disease.
Department faculty are working with Project Waterway Improvements Now (WIN) to address the
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University of Louisville School of Public Health and Information Sciences
Response to Criterion Three
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




February 8, 2016
challenges of improving our water quality, MSD embarked on a comprehensive sewer improvement
program that will eliminate major sources of water pollution throughout Louisville Metro. The new
initiative is called “Project WIN” (Waterway Improvements Now). Planned upgrades under Project
WIN will allow MSD to comply with Clean Water Act regulations. Project WIN will address problems
with combined and sanitary sewer overflows. During rain storms, the sewers become overloaded with
rainwater and discharge the combined water and sewage into local streams and the Ohio River. MSD
has committed to take necessary measures to control sewer overflows under a federal Consent
Decree with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the Kentucky Division of Water.
The Partnership for a Green City consists of the University of Louisville, Louisville Metro Government,
Jefferson County Public Schools. Committee members from UofL include the KY Institute
Environment & Sustainable Development (KIESD), School of Public Health and Information Sciences
(SPHIS), Center for Environmental Education/College of Ed & Human Development,
Geography/Geosciences Dept., Pediatrics/UCHS, School of Medicine (SOM), School of Nursing
(SON). Other committee members include representatives from JCPS
Louisville Metro Department of Public Health & Wellness, Passport
KY Lung Assoc.
Kosair Children’s Hospital-Child Advocate/Ed. Dept
Air Pollution Control District. Dr. Robert Jacobs is the SPHIS Department of Environmental &
Occupational Health Sciences representative on the committee. The committee current focus is on
climate change.
Faculty are part of the MSD-chartered a Wet Weather Team (WWT) to assist with the development of
an integrated Wet Weather Program (WWP) that complies with Clean Water Act requirements and
addresses the community's problems with combined sewer overflows and sanitary sewer overflows
that occur during the wet weather conditions. The WWT consists of community representatives,
elected officials and MSD personnel. Stakeholders in the WWT will advise MSD on its investment,
policy and performance choices in the design of the WWP, so that these choices can be made wisely
and in ways that best meet the needs of the local community.
Health Management and Systems Sciences




The department’s HARP Project (Health Attendance and Report Platform) was a collaborative
initiative to develop real near time school absence and reporting for Kentucky schools and the
nation for pandemic flu. This project is part of a larger funded contract from the National Institute
for Hometown Security to SPHIS.
Faculty have worked for several years with Healthy Hoops Kentucky, a special initiative that uses
basketball and fun to focus on the needs of kids with asthma. Under the guidance of celebrity
basketball coaches and medical experts, children between the ages of 7 and 13 - and their
families participate in a full day of health awareness, entertainment, asthma screenings, and
basketball drills and skills workshops. Our faculty manage the data collection and analysis efforts.
The Kentucky Prescription Assistance Program assists the public with accessing prescription
drug programs and free medications that are offered by discount drug programs, the drug
manufacturers, and also those from various discount pharmacy programs. These prescription
assistance programs provide medicines and prescription drugs for free or at greatly discounted
costs for both individuals and qualifying families.
Louisville Health Information Exchange, Inc., (LouHIE), is a not-for-profit 501(c)4 corporation
formed in January 2006 to serve as a community health information exchange for the greater
Louisville community. Faculty work with LouHIE's on its mission to contain rising costs and
improve quality of healthcare by providing consumers and their providers anytime, anywhere
access to complete healthcare information and decision-support.
Health Promotion and Behavioral Sciences

The Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology (APIC) is a national
professional organization, has partnered with SPHIS faculty for training, education, research and
publication. This organization represents the more than 12,000 Infection Preventionists practicing in
the US and abroad. Capturing trends in the field and providing assistance with development of
products and services for the organization has been the basis for an active partnership.
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University of Louisville School of Public Health and Information Sciences
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



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February 8, 2016
Collaboration with the Center for Health Equity ensures that faculty and students have opportunities
for addressing public health issues through an equity lens. The CHE was established in June 2006 by
Dr. Adewale Troutman, the director of the Louisville Metro Department of Public Health and Wellness
at that time.
Work with the Kentuckiana Chapter of the Association for Professionals in Infection Control and
Epidemiology (APIC) results in partnering with infection preventionists from healthcare facilities,
healthcare settings and public health across Central Kentucky and Southern Indiana gather as part of
an educational and practice network with the focus being prevention of healthcare-associated
infection. Faculty work with this group on collaborative training and research activities that impact
patient and healthcare worker outcomes.
The Kentucky Hospital Association (KHA) has been a strong and essential partner for the school.
Through this partnership statewide initiatives have been formed in the areas of infection prevention
and emergency preparedness. These activities have resulted in national attention and improved
outcomes for patients and healthcare response systems. Additionally, this partnership has led to
research projects that benefit all Kentuckians.
The Smoketown/Shelby Park neighborhood provides many of its services to the community through
the Presbyterian Community Center (PCC). PCC and the Harambe Clinic have provided opportunities
to students in SPHIS to get hands-on experience in the Community Based Participatory Research
and the Culture and Public Health courses. In addition, we provide ongoing consultation as the
neighborhoods continue to grow and transform.
The YMCA Pioneering Health Communities Committee provides funding and oversight activities that
improve access to fruits and vegetables as well as increasing physical activity in schools. Students in
SPHIS as well as faculty have been involved in projects to evaluate these activities.
The mission of the Men's Health Initiative is to help change men’s behaviors and attitudes toward
their health and healthcare services. We developed a forum for men to voice their concerns regarding
their health care needs and to address the lack of services provided for men that are uninsured and
underinsured.
Center for Health Hazards Preparedness


The Real Time Decision Support System project is part of a larger funded contract from the National
Institute for Hometown Security. Dr. Ruth Carrico’s project will evaluate the real-world application of
various recommendations that the CDC, IOM, and OSHA have made regarding the use of respiratory
personal protective equipment for healthcare workers. Dr. Carrico evaluates the implications and
limitations of these recommendations in a practical setting.
The Real Time Decision Support System led by Dr. Scott LaJoie aims to provide evidence-based
training, recruitment and retention of mental health professionals as a means of building surge
capacity for a pandemic to create a geographic information system (GIS) database of disaster mental
health trained volunteers to integrate GIS database with existing and future decision support tools.


The CHHP partners with the Healthcare Emergency Response Association (HERA) Region 6 by
serving on the Training Committee as well as participating in monthly meetings to determine
additional training opportunities for the local healthcare work force. An example of recent
collaborative efforts was that the CHHP developed training materials for both pediatric and adult
ventilators that the Region has in their emergency reserves. Training materials allow non-medical
personnel to correctly assemble the ventilator and accompanying pieces so as to enable a respiratory
therapist to step in and quickly do their job without wasting time in setting up the equipment.
Pandemic Preparation for the Sentinel Healthcare Workforce is part of a larger funded contract from
the National Institute for Hometown Security (NIHS). This project is focused on strengthening the
health care workforce via training surrounding pandemic planning and preparedness. Training
modules have been developed and presented in a variety of formats (in person, online, and via the
statewide TeleHealth network) and have been focused around pandemic influenza.
f. Assessment of the extent to which this criterion is met and an analysis of the school’s
strengths, weaknesses and plans relating to this criterion.
Certificate Program
Page 34
University of Louisville School of Public Health and Information Sciences
Response to Criterion Three
February 8, 2016
One strength of the certificate program is that it is the only program of its kind at the University. Also,
physicians do not typically learn the mechanisms of clinical research at any stage of their education and
the program bridges that gap. As a result, faculty are more academically productive as a result of the
program. The CREST program has forged collaborations between the University’s clinical and public
health programs, another positive outcome of the program.
Current program’s weaknesses:




Uncertainty regarding the “fit” of the CREST program with the aims and goals of SPHIS.
There is an additional teaching load on the small SPHIS faculty.
The clinicians sometimes lack the time that the program requires.
There is a lack of funding to offset the cost of tuition.
Strengths

Weaknesses

Plans

Page 35