Monthly Memo, March 23

Monthly Memo from the Desk of
Interim Dean Beverly A. Sullivan

89th Edition
March 23, 2009

A Message from Interim Dean Sullivan

Interim Dean Beverly A. Sullivan

pring has sprung in Laramie (at least temporarily) with warmer temperatures, birds singing, and students in T-shirts riding their bicycles. With warmer weather comes the joy of putting away what was for most of us a very bitter winter. This year, the gloom of winter resulted not so much from foul weather but from the news about our injured economy with its shrinking financial markets, increasing unemployment, and troubled government budgets. Here at UW, and specifically in the College of Health Sciences, we are not immune to this economic downturn, and the governor has asked us to tighten our belts and make difficult budget choices. I have been pleased, however, that faculty and staff are meeting the challenge with positive, productive ideas and are committed to maintaining excellence even in the face of future budget cuts.

In life, I have found that from every problem arises an opportunity, and such is the present case. The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act has brought the college possible granting opportunities to increase biomedical research and renovate existing research facilities. Innovations in health care such as Health-IT (electronic medical records, etc.) and TeleMedicine are high priorities for the current administration, and the college's Center for Rural Health Research and Education is a leader in the development of TeleHealth/TeleMedicine strategies. The college is well positioned to take advantage of these new opportunities.

The IDeA Network for Biomedical Research Excellence (INBRE) program funding was renewed for five years at a level of $17million. This is a multi-college, UW-community college research infrastructure program led by Jun Ren in the School of Pharmacy. The original INBRE and its antecedent BRIN have been major sources of the ability to catapult research enterprise to excellence within the college and beyond. With continuation of the INBRE, the outlook for biomedical research in the college is very bright.

I hope you will agree with me that the College of Health Sciences has met challenges in the past and will continue to meet whatever challenges the future holds. I also hope you agree that the future is very bright indeed. With difficulties come opportunities, and we are ready to seize whatever opportunities come our way. Happy spring, everyone!

Did You Know?

Linda L. Wells (see below) serves as an amazing example of philanthropy not only for the College of Health Sciences but also for the entire university family. Her legacy extends beyond her financial gift to UW to her career, her relationships with others, and her life. For instance, she spent time with UW pharmacy students at the yearly Academy of Managed Care Pharmacy meeting, introducing them to her fellow professionals, sharing her career experiences, and showing them the ropes. The college is fortunate to have alumni such as Linda Wells who mentor and share with our students.

Including the College of Health Sciences in your will ensures your impact on UW's future. The UW Foundation is able to work with donors during their lives to assist them in implementing a gift or endowment agreement that specifies the programs and purposes they wish to promote with their estate gifts. This is a rewarding experience for the planned giving and development staff because it enables us to better understand a donor's intent and get to know that donor personally. It also allows us to thank our donors individually. If you are considering a bequest to UW, please contact Jane Barghothi, Development Director for the College of Health Sciences (307-76-6751), or Tracy Richardson, Director of Planned Giving for the UW Foundation (307-766-3934).

News from the Divisions

Pharmacy

Jingying Wang, Ph.D. student and member of the Center for Cardiac Research and Alternative Medicine (C-CRAM) team, will present "Impairment of JNK-IRS-1 Signaling Cascades in Maternal and Fetal Heart Tissue during Over Nourished Sheep Pregnancy" during the 56^th Annual Society for Gynecologic Investigation Scientific Meeting being held this month in Glasgow, Scotland. According to Ji Li, Assistant Professor and C-CRAM Director, "Jingying has the outstanding intellectual skills, creativity, and ambition to succeed in the highly competitive arena of cardiovascular research." Jingying, a Ph.D. student in molecular biology, has co-authored two published journal articles and has lectured in pharmacy's Biopharmaceutics & Pharmacokinetics course.  

Linda Gore Martin, Associate Professor of Social and Administrative Pharmacy, has co-authored "Social, Behavioral, and Economic Aspects of Medication Use in Older Adults," a chapter in the 2^nd Edition of Social and Behavioral Aspects of Pharmaceutical Care published by Jones and Bartlett.

The School of Pharmacy has received over $1.1 million from the estate of Worland native Linda L. Wells. In recognition of Linda's longtime support of the school, the Pharmacy Learning Resource Center will be named the Linda Wells Student Learning Center, and income from the endowment will fund graduate assistant researchers and provide scholarships and cash awards for two pharmacy students to attend the annual Academy of Managed Care Pharmacy meetings. Linda earned her degree in pharmacy from UW in 1970 and later received a master's degree in mental health and a Ph.D.in chemical dependency from Columbia Pacific University. She also received a certificate in business management from Harvard Business School. Linda was known for her compassion and generosity and was honored as the school's 2005 Alumna of the Year in recognition of her extraordinary contributions to her profession and to the school. 

Graduation

Spring graduation will be held Saturday, May 9^th at 8:30 am in the Arena Auditorium. Please plan now to attend and help college graduates and their families and friends celebrate this special event.

WWAMI Medical Education Program

The WWAMI Medical Education Program is using videoconferencing to provide "Clinical Correlations Grand Rounds" to all its first-year students. The four-session series is intended to tie together the basic science material students study in their first year of medical school with the patient cases they will see when they enter their clerkship years (third and fourth years and beyond).

Grand RoundsMark Your Calendars!

Grand Rounds is scheduled for March 27^th from 8:45 am until 3:30 pm in the Family Room of the Wyoming Union. This year's invited speakers will be Patricia Butterfield, Ph.D., RN, Professor and Dean, Washington State University College of Nursing, and Matthew McEchron, Ph.D., Associate Professor and Director, UWYO's WWAMI Medical Education Program. Dr. Butterfield will present "Logic, Spatial, and Cultural Implications Addressing Rural Research: Lessons Learned" at 9:00 am, and Dr. McEchron will deliver "The Impact of Nutrition on the Development of Learning and Memory Centers in the Brain" at 1:00 pm. During the day, students and faculty will present posters of their research; Interim Dean Sullivan will announce the college's 2009 grant, travel, and student poster awards; and invited oral presentations will be given by college faculty members Brandon Alderman, Assistant Professor of Kinesiology and Health, Kem Krueger, Associate Professor of Pharmacy, and Tristan Wallhead, Assistant Professor of Kinesiology and Health. Please plan now to spend time with faculty and students as they showcase their research and address important issues of modern health care.

Communication Disorders

Reading Teacher will soon publish an article by Teresa Ukrainetz, Professor and Division Director, and Lea McGee of Ohio State University in which they discuss how preschool teachers should structure their teaching to optimize young children's learning of the early reading skill of phonemic awareness. Teresa also presented an on-line seminar through SpeechPathology.com about teaching the structure and organization of narratives to children with language impairments during which she showed clinicians how they can use children's literature as a meaningful, motivating starting point for explicit systematic intervention.

Student Affairs

At the annual High School Health Career Fair in Casper, the PreProfessional Advising Office presented information on preparing for the WWAMI Medical Education Program to approximately 50 students from 13 high schools across the state. Advisors answered questions about preparing for medical school and led a discussion about the traits the students would like to see in doctors and how they can begin developing those traits in themselves. If you would be interested in putting together an activity or presentation for this fair in coming years, please contact Craig Vaske (307-766-3499 or cvaske@uwyo.edu) or Lisa Shipley (307-766-6704 or lshipley@uwyo.edu) who will put you in touch with a coordinator.

Wyoming Institute for Disabilities (WIND)

Through its ATTAIN: New Horizons in Autism project, WIND is pleased to announce the continuation of its efforts to provide further training and information about autism spectrum disorders.  Teaming with UPLIFT, which provides services for children and youth across the state with or at risk of emotional, behavioral, learning, developmental, or physical disorders, WIND will host the Improving Educational Outcomes for Students with Disabilities Parent Conference on April 25^th and 26^th at the Hilton Garden Inn in Laramie. During the conference, the following Breakout Workshops will be held:

·        Social Skills for Children with AutismHelen Nychka, M.S., CCC-SLP

·        Strategies for Children with AutismDouglas Scambler, Ph.D., and Athena Lickel, M.S.

·        Interventions for Students with Autism & AnxietyJudy Reaven, Ph.D.

·        Strategies for Children with Communication DisordersSarah Dike

·        Transitional Services for Students with DisabilitiesClay Dokken

·        Family Perspective on Adolescent IssuesJoel and Sam Kanter

·        Parenting with Love & LimitsBecky Lancaster

·        IEP BasicsJudy Bredthauer & Susan Bentley

        Parent Panel on Post-secondary TransitionsState Task Force on Autism

For more information and a registration form, please visit www.upliftwy.org.

The purpose of ATTAIN: New Horizons in Autism is to develop sustained training opportunities for professionals and families who care for and/or provide services for individuals with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). To this end, WIND received a grant from the Office of Special Education Programs in 1997 focused on bringing individuals with expertise in the field of autism to the state of Wyoming. In addition to providing opportunities for collaboration among Wyoming professionals and families affected by ASD, WIND and ATTAIN are currently working to develop a statewide certificate program to increase knowledge of evidence-based supports and services for individuals with APD. For more information, please contact Sandy Root-Elledge (sre@uwyo.edu or 307-766-2764).

Kinesiology and Health

D. Paul Thomas, Professor, and his co-writers are looking forward to the publication of their article, "Transgenic Overexpression of Aldehyde Dehydrogenase-2 Rescues Chronic Alcohol Intake-induced Myocardial Hypertrophy and Contractile Dysfunction," in an upcoming issue of Circulation.

May graduates are preparing for their graduate work. Kelly Dvorak from Gillette will soon begin her master's work in exercise psychology at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign. Mayumi Ogino from Laramie has been admitted to the master's in health promotion athletic training program at Lamar University in Beaumont, Texas, and Josh Shumway from Terry, Montana, will begin the Army Physical Therapy Program at Fort Sam Houston Medical Center in San Antonio, Texas, in the fall.

Marci Smith, Academic Professional Lecturer, is one of 46 UW faculty members who will receive Promoting Intellectual Engagement in the First Year (PIE) awards. Sponsored by Learning Resource Networks and the Ellbogen Center for Teaching and Learning, PIE awards honor outstanding faculty who inspire students in first-year courses. Nominees are chosen by sophomore students in an on-line survey, and winners are selected by a committee based on the number of nominations and students' comments regarding the faculty members' success in meaningfully engaging students in course material, promoting successful transitions to university expectations, and fostering investment in learning. Marci and her follow winners will be honored during a reception later this semester.

The research of Matt Bundle, Assistant Professor, and six other world-renowned biomechanists related to South African bilateral amputee sprinter Oscar Pistorius' bid to compete in the Olympics is highlighted in "News Briefs" in the summer/fall issue of UWyo Magazine. Check it out! 

Fay W. Whitney School of Nursing (FWWSON)

Janet Somlyay, Assistant Lecturer, will be involved with the Center for the Application of Substance Abuse Technologies at the University of Nevada, Reno. The goal of the center, which received funding from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, is to increase the capacity of the health workforce, especially nurses and social workers, to prevent, identify, refer, and care for individuals and their families affected by Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD). Janet will work with the center to create a FASD-specific curriculum infusion packet for integration into undergraduate and graduate educational programs.

Holly Miller, Senior Lecturer, serves on the Internal Executive Committee of a WWAMI region-wide nursing collaborative coordinated by the University of Washington School of Nursing to develop faculty expertise in simulation, telehealth, informatics, and distance learning technologies. As part of the project, Holly will help develop a Technology Toolkit for faculty.

By participating in UW's Discovery Days and showing regional high school students the school's great facilities, current students of the FWWSON are effective recruiters of future nursing students. The school is proud of its representatives and grateful for their enthusiastic willingness to share with prospective students.

Posted on Monday, March 23, 2009