Hudson College of Public Health Magazine Fall 2023

College 4 Dean’s Message 6 Purpose, Mission, Vision 8 Strategic Plan Pillars 9 Awards and Promotions 12 Remembering Dr. Boatright

Trauma Triage

Features 16 Making the Magazine 18 Trauma Triage 23 Beyond Business 27 Dietary Delights 33 Making OK Cool

Students 36 HCOPHSA Officers 39 Scholarship Recipients 40 Class of 2023 42 Looking Ahead

LEADERSHIP Dale Bratzler D.O., M.P.H.

Daniel Zhao Ph.D.

Dean

Associate Dean for Research

Aaron Wendelboe Ph.D.

Sara K. Vesely Ph.D.

Chair, Department of Biostatistics

Associate Dean of Academic Affairs

and Epidemiology

Beyond Business

Samantha Skrepnek M.P.H.

Dale Bratzler D.O., M.P.H.

Associate Dean of Finance and

Chair, Department of Health

Administration

Administration and Policy

Neil Hann M.P.H., CHES Chair, Department of Health Promotion Sciences

STAFF WRITERS Heather Hollen Kyndall Wahkinney

Margaret Phillips Ph.D., CIH PHOTOGRAPHY Chair, Department of Occupational June Frantz Hunt and Environmental Health

Lancer Stephens Ph.D. Associate Dean of Sovereignty, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion

GRAPHIC DESIGN Abby McInnis Emma Williams

STAY CONNECTED

@OUPublicHealth Hudson College of Public Health 801 NE 13th St., Oklahoma City, OK 73104 www.publichealth.ouhsc.edu Dean’s Office: (405) 271-2201 Student Services: (405) 271-2308

This publication, printed by OU Printing and Mailing Services, is issued by the University of Oklahoma.

30 copies have been prepared and distributed at no cost to the taxpayers of the State of Oklahoma.

The University of Oklahoma is an equal opportunity intitution. www.ou.edu/eoo

Dietary Delights OU Public Health | fall 2023

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From

The Dean As a public health professional and medical provider, I am well-versed in the benefits of interdisciplinary work and research. Throughout my career, I’ve worked with numerous professionals in health care, politics, private business, nonprofit and academic sectors.

Each experience reminds me of the importance of teaching our students how to work in interdisciplinary environments and be valuable members of these teams.

Interdisciplinary Research When I heard about the theme for this year’s issue of the Hudson College of Public Health magazine, I decided to look up the official definition. The Oxford English Dictionary defines interdisciplinary as “involving different areas of knowledge or study.” When applied to research, many agree it means combining or involving two or more academic fields. I would take the definition further to say that it involves researchers from different fields working together with a single mission or purpose. In public health, this often takes the form of practitioners working with various medical care professionals (e.g., doctors, nurses, pharmacists, social workers and dietitians).

Yet, due to the broad nature of public health, we also find practitioners working with engineers, architects, city planners, graphic designers and artists, local leaders, nonprofit agencies, political advocates and many others. You will see some great examples of this in the faculty stories.

The reality is that so much of what we do in public health is interdisciplinary that sometimes we may not even realize or think about it. For some, it’s very apparent that their research is interdisciplinary, but for others, it may be less noticeable. When you search for it, you realize that interdisciplinary research touches almost every part of academia. I might even say that it’s at the heart of academia itself.

In each of the faculty stories, you will read about the variety of ways our public health faculty members are conducting interdisciplinary research. Each one was asked what interdisciplinary meant to them, and while the answers were similar, they were also unique. The term appears to have a slightly different definition depending on whom you ask. Perhaps that’s the nature of our work; it’s constantly shifting and changing based on its components and aims. I imagine it like a Venn diagram with multiple colored circles overlapping. Each sector interacts with the others in different ways, resulting in an array of colors. That’s interdisciplinary research; it’s a work of art in real time.

This type of research requires us to think outside of our fields and realms of knowledge. It opens our minds to new methodologies, areas of research, and so much more. I am extremely proud to highlight our faculty and the incredible interdisciplinary research at the Hudson College of Public Health. I’m also grateful for the talented graphic design students on the Norman campus who designed this magazine. I am inspired by their artistic vision and representation of public health topics and issues.

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A Word of Thanks I want to thank our amazing students, faculty and staff, leadership and donors for making the Hudson College of Public Health an exemplary educational and research institution. With the generosity of current and past donors, we are cultivating the next generation of public health professionals. As we look to the future, our college is committed to providing and expanding learning opportunities and online courses and degrees to students in Oklahoma and across the world. Thank you for supporting us and committing to improving health through public health education, workforce development, research, service and advocacy.

Dale W. Bratzler, D.O., M.P.H. Dean of the Hudson College of Public Health

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PURPOSE STATEMENT

VALUES

Promoting healthier

Excellence

Diversity and Inclusion

The Hudson College of Public Health strives to achieve excellence in all of its endeavors.

The Hudson College of Public Health is committed to a culture that respects and embraces diversity and equity and to confronting barriers to inclusion.

tomorrows through education and research today.

MISSION To protect and improve the health of people through public health education, workforce development, research, service and advocacy.

VISION The college will be nationally recognized for providing excellent education for public health practice professionals and for public health research scientists, for innovative research on contemporary issues in public health, and for translating research and scholarship into evidence-based practice, management and public health policy.

Integrity The Hudson College of Public Health adheres to the highest standards of honesty, objectivity, transparency, fairness and ethical conduct at all times.

Success The Hudson College of Public Health is committed to making sure every student has access to an affordable and high-quality education; feels valued and supported; and is prepared for a career in public health.

Public Service The Hudson College of Public Health exists to serve the people of Oklahoma and the United States and their efforts to protect and improve their health, and to contribute to international efforts to improve the health of other nations.

Responsibilities The Hudson College of Public Health strives to make the most effective use of all resources it receives, to use responsibly all state, federal and private funding, and to leverage its resources into additional resources for the college, university and state of Oklahoma.

Partnership The Hudson College of Public Health is committed to fostering collegial productive partnerships with all stakeholders who share the vision of protecting and improving the public’s health.

Health Equity The Hudson College of Public Health advocates the principle that all individuals have a right to the opportunity for a healthy life. The college is committed to reducing and eliminating health disparities among populations.

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HUDSON COLLEGE OF PUBLIC HEALTH

STRATEGIC PLAN 2023-28

FACULTY AWARDS AND PROMOTIONS The Hudson College of Public Health recognizes faculty for their outstanding teaching, research, scholarly research, creative activity, and professional service to the college and university.

The Hudson College of Public Health is one of

only 63 schools of public health in the United

States accredited by the Council on Education for

Public Health. The college was founded at the

University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center in

1967 and was first accredited in 1969. The Hudson College of Public Health has a tradition of

providing education for both public health practice

2023 FACULTY AWARDS

FACULTY PROMOTIONS

Katrin Kuhn, Ph.D.

Jennifer Peck, Ph.D.

professionals and public health research scientists,

Faculty Board Outstanding Teaching Award

contemporary issues in public health, and providing

Lancer Stephens, Ph.D.

conducting research and scholarship on

public health service to the community, state and nation.

For each strategic pillar, our strategic plan

outlines strategies, tactics and key performance

indicators. The Hudson College of Public Health

Strategic Plan aligns directly with the OU

Health Science’s Strategic Plan. This alignment

extends to the overarching goals of the University of

Oklahoma consistent with its strategic plan

and mission, including its initiative to collaborate with the evaluators from the Higher Learning

Commission in preparation for its 2023 self-study report and site visit.

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1 2 3 4 5

Strategic Plan Pillars Achieve national recognition for advancing public health research.

Lead public health education and workforce development in Oklahoma.

Lead public health efforts to improve health outcomes and reduce health disparities in Oklahoma.

Foster an inclusive environment for all.

Develop and grow partnerships to enhance the impact of our education, research and service.

Student Association Faculty Teaching Award

Chao Xu, Ph.D.

Provost’s Research Award

Sixia Chen, Ph.D.

Provost’s Teaching Award (Early Career Faculty)

Margaret Phillips, Ph.D. Dean’s Master Teaching Award

Marianna Wetherill, Ph.D. Robert Magarian Faculty Excellence Award

David Ross Boyd Professorship, Department of Biostatistics and Epidemiology

Kai Ding, Ph.D.

Katrin Kuhn

Jennifer Peck

Lancer Stephens

Kai Ding

Chao Xu

Karla Finnell

Sixia Chen

Amanda Janitz

Margaret Phillips

Janis Campbell

Professor, Department of Biostatistics and Epidemiology

Karla Finnell, Ph.D.

Associate Professor, Department of Health Promotion Sciences

Katrin Kuhn, Ph.D.

Associate Professor, Department of Biostatistics and Epidemiology

Amanda Janitz, Ph.D.

Associate Professor with Tenure, Department of Biostatistics and Epidemiology

Janis Campbell, Ph.D.

Promotion to Tenure, Department of Biostatistics and Epidemiology

Marianna Wetherill, Ph.D.

Promotion to Tenure, Department of Health Promotion Sciences

Marianna Wetherill

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2023 STAFF AWARDS The Hudson College of Public Health recognizes staff members who have made a significant contribution to the Hudson College of Public Health by providing excellent service to visitors, employees and/or students. Winners of this award have provided exemplary service to the Hudson College of Public Health in their daily job performance and demonstrated a willingness to work above and beyond the call of duty.

EMPLOYEE OF THE QUARTER Adam Hawkins

October-December 2022

Cyndie Clubb

January-March 2023

Shelley Genzer* April-June 2023

Barbara Grayson

ALUMNI AWARDS The Office of Alumni Affairs at the Hudson College of Public Health awards an annual Distinguished Alumni Award and Young Alumni Professional Achievement Award (under the age of 40) to outstanding alumni from each department within the college. Recipients of these prestigious awards are recognized for achieving professional and personal successes and demonstrating exemplary service to their community and/or the university.

Read more about each of the 2022 awardees at https://publichealth.ouhsc.edu/AlumniDistinguished -Alumni-Award.

Recipients of this award must be a graduate of the Hudson College of Public Health (any program/ department), must have a demonstrated outstanding leadership related to their field, and must have achieved distinctive and notable accomplishments in at least one of the following: Professional/Career, Community Service, or University Service.

July-September 2023

2023 STUDENT AWARDS

2022 DISTINGUISHED ALUMNI AWARD

Margarita Ratliff

Cuyler Snider M.P.H. (class of 2008)

Robert M. Bird Society

Department of Biostatistics and Epidemiology

Samantha Hopper* Adam Hawkins

Anne Kapka

Bachelor of Public Health Student of the Year

Cuyler Snider

Daryn Kirkpatrick

Anna Bailey

Department of Health Promotion Sciences

Anne Meredith Kapka McKenzie Cowlbeck

Epidemiology Student of the Year

Stephen Hanson

Traci Simmons

McKenzie Cowlbeck

Health Administration and Policy Student of the Year

Barbara Grayson

Araya Dimtsu Assfaw

Heather Ward

Sara Low

Madolyn Phillips*

Margarita Ratliff

Ian Peake

Interdisciplinary Public Health Student of the Year

Harry Beaulieu

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Department of Health Promotion Sciences

Interdisciplinary Public Health

Tyler Jackson M.S. (class of 2012)

Health Student of the Year *not pictured

Tyler Jackson

Traci Simmons M.P.H., CHP, CHES (class of 2016) Sara C. Low M.P.H. CPH (class of 2016)

Occupational and Environmental Mika Cheng

Department of Biostatistics and Epidemiology

Department of Health Administration and Policy

Mika Cheng

Anna Bailey

Kaitlin McGrew R.N., M.S., Ph.D. (class of 2013, 2015, 2019) Daryn Kirkpatrick M.P.H., CPH (class of 2006)

Health Promotion Sciences Master's Student of the Year

Ian Peake

Harry Beaulieu Ph.D. (class of 1976)

Department of Occupational and Environmental Health

2022 YOUNG ALUMNI PROFESSIONAL AWARD

Araya Dimtsu Assfaw

Health Promotion Sciences Doctoral Student of the Year

Department of Health Administration and Policy

Heather Ward M.P.H. (class of 2001)

Biostatistics Student of the Year

Cyndie Clubb

Stephen C. Hanson M.P.H., LFACHE (class of 1976)

Kaitlin McGrew

Department of Occupational and Environmental Health

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Remembering

DR. DANIEL BOATRIGHT December 20, 1951, to April 6, 2023

Dr. Daniel Boatright was the epitome of an interdisciplinary researcher. Over his lengthy environmental health career, he worked with individuals from a multitude of sectors, backgrounds, states and countries. As a beloved and respected member of the Hudson College of Public Health family, his passing leaves a significant void in our community. Boatright’s commitment and dedication to his students and research were unparalleled. During his twenty-six years of teaching, he directed more than 50 master of science students and 18 doctor of philosophy and doctor of public health students.

Boatright and his wife, Linda

Stories and Memories

Boatright earned a master of science degree in environmental health engineering and a doctor of philosophy degree in environmental systems management from the University of Oklahoma. He held Visiting Scientist credentials at Los Alamos National Laboratory for over 15 years, was a Fellow of the Royal Society for Public Health in the United Kingdom, and was a Delta Omega Public Health Honor Society member. Before joining the University of Oklahoma in 1990, he spent over 15 years in the private sector, working on environmental health engineering projects at local, state and federal agencies (including the United States Public Health Service and the Indian Health Service).

During his tenure at the HCOPH, Boatright served as senior associate dean and Presidential Professor of Occupational and Environmental Health; directed the Public Health Preparedness and Terrorism Response graduate program; and served as the principal investigator and director of the Southwest Preparedness and Emergency Response Learning Center and director of the Public Health Training Center. He was skilled at putting his research into practice, leading Medical Reserve Corps teams during the 1995 Oklahoma City Murrah Federal Building bombing and the 2005 Hurricane Katrina disaster in New Orleans.

Boatright retired from the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center in July 2016. Yet, he remained committed to improving public health in our state. When the

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Kathleen Shaver Director, Environment and Supply Chain Innovation, Apple

COVID-19 pandemic struck, Boatright came out of retirement to advise the Oklahoma State Department of Health. His decades of experience and wisdom made him an incredible asset during this difficult time. Boatright will be remembered as an exemplary colleague, professor, mentor and friend.

In light of his decades of service and commitment to teaching the next generation of environmental health scientists, a scholarship has been developed in his honor.

If you would like to contribute or learn more, please visit https://give.oufoundation.org/DrBoatrightMemorial.

For Dr. Boatright’s full obituary, visit https://www. dignitymemorial.com/obituaries/norman-ok/danielboatright-11238864.

Dan Boatright, or “Doctor B” as he was fondly called by so many of us, was a defining force in shaping a generation of environmental health professionals, including myself. He taught his many students to always ground themselves in sound science, to deeply respect diversity of opinion, and to foster passionate debate when problem-solving.

Doctor B was dedicated to his students’ developing knowledge and sound judgment, resilience, and confidence to tackle complex problems. You knew that he found joy in his work every day. I fondly remember a tin box called “the answer fund” that he kept in his office. If you asked him to validate your answer, he would tell you it cost a dollar. If you whined about how challenging the assignment was or claimed you didn’t know where to start, it might cost you two dollars. After making your deposit, he would Socratically guide you to answer your question and do so with conviction. At the end of the semester,

Dr. B would pull out the tin and host memorable lunches where his students would gather, laugh about what we learned, and ponder who most frequently contributed to the tin.

His risk communication course was a master class in understanding the complexity of the human condition. He intuitively understood the importance of respecting those we serve as public health professionals, acknowledging stakeholder concerns, and encouraging his students to listen first to find solutions. To this day, I use the techniques he espoused, recalling his phrase,

“TRUST OPENS THE DOOR FOR SCIENCE TO BE HEARD.” He often said that demonstrating competency in the academic material was just the ticket to start our journey as occupational and environmental health professionals. Mastery of our profession would come when we practiced our craft, learned from our failures, and stuck with it to become a mentor to others. Dr. B will forever be an example of such mastery.

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Dr. Evan Floyd

Dr. David Johnson

Associate Professor, Department of

Emeritus Faculty, Department of Occupational

Occupational and Environmental Health,

and Environmental Health, OUHSC

OUHSC

I remember Dr. Boatright’s generosity in welcoming me as a new faculty member to the department. He invited me to his house for a nice dinner, served various kinds of fancy wine, and talked about the similarities between beer brewing and wine venting—he was an accomplished vintner.

I also remember that when I came for my faculty candidate interview, he had a couple of drinks during appetizer and dinner time, so when the server came at the end of the meal and asked if anyone cared for dessert or a nightcap, I was emboldened to order a Gentleman Jack whiskey neat. Dr. Boatright gave me a slightly surprised but approving look as if he were saying, “Nice choice; I didn’t expect that from you.” Nobody else ordered ANYTHING. So, I sipped the drink, tried not to let on that it was too hot for me, pretended that I was enjoying it, and tried to converse with everyone who was forced to wait for me to finish. That was pretty funny! We laughed about it during lunch after I joined the OEH Department.

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Dan was already on the OEH faculty when I joined in the fall of 1991; he preceded me by about a year. As the two “new guys,” we naturally talked a lot; as it turned out, we had much in common. We were within one year of the same age, both were environmental engineers (Dan was a self-taught engineer and a good one), and both were practicing professionals for 17 to 20 years before joining academia. He worked with an engineering firm in the Oklahoma City/Norman area for 17 years during the 1970s and ’80s when the government was funding a lot of water supply and wastewater treatment system construction pursuant to the Clean Water Act. That was where he developed his considerable engineering skills. Dan had significant experience on large projects and project management, which informed his teaching content and approach.

He often referred to those earlier times as “before I took a vow of poverty and joined academia.” Dan was big on having students work as part of a team with only broad guidance from “the Boss” and with firm

deliverables and deadlines—a kind of “sink or swim” philosophy mirroring real-world practice; it was incredibly effective.

Dan was very proud of his heritage, which included being a card-carrying member of the Cherokee Nation. He kept a framed page from the Cherokee newspaper, written in Sequoyah’s Cherokee Syllabary, on his wall at home. Dan’s full name was Daniel T. Boatright VII (that’s right–the Seventh), with family roots in Texas going back many generations.

Dan was an avid in-land sailor and owned a 25-foot Catalina named after his daughter Jennifer. (Yep, it was named “JennyB,” just like the one in the movie Forest Gump.) I went sailing with him several times. Dan spoke of many days and nights spent on the boat on Thunderbird Lake while he worked on his dissertation. He told me he had a bad case of “31-foot fever,” meaning he really wanted a much bigger boat. Unfortunately, his nice boat was sunk with many others by a tornado that hit the marina some years ago, and he never replaced it.

at night with a friend who later owned and operated the Thunderbird Marina. The cargo was often human remains, so that must have been interesting. Along with “31-foot fever,” Dan also yearned to own—or at least fly—a Stearman biplane. “If I can start it, I can fly it,” he would say. However, his flying days were over by the time we met.

Dan had a very good ear and could mimic many different accents. I didn’t realize he could sing until I learned of his involvement with his church choir. However, his interest in community theater was always clear, and he became a productive playwright and performer after retirement from OU. I guess the extra free time gave his left-brain side more opportunity to flex.

I will forever cherish my friendship with Dan and the many years we spent teaching in the OEH Department. It was a real pleasure knowing and working with him.

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Interdisciplinary Public Health

MAKING THE MAGAZINE The Vision The inspiration for this magazine's theme of interdisciplinary health came from a previous collaboration between the Hudson College of Public Health and the Weitzenhoffer Family College of Fine Arts. The result was a book titled Oklahoma Pride: Working Together for the Well-Being of All Oklahomans, about health outcomes in our state. This project was the brainchild of OU alumnus, philanthropist and entrepreneur Gene Rainbolt, who came up with the idea after receiving a piece of art from Oklahoma artist Greg Burns. (That image was eventually used to create the cover art for the book.) In 2018, Rainbolt approached Dr. Gary Raskob at the HCOPH with his idea to use art and imagery to start a social conversation about health in Oklahoma. With Raskob's guidance and the help of the former Oklahoma Commissioner of Health, Dr. Terry Cline, Rainbolt assembled a team of visionaries, leaders and experts in public health, community engagement, art and graphic design to serve as a steering committee for the project.

Rainbolt felt that the image from Burns was an incredible example of how art can be used to elicit emotion and encourage people to act.

Rainbolt’s goal was to use imagery to capture Oklahoma’s current state of health and also depict aims for improving health across our state. The decision was made to work with the

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graphic design senior capstone class taught by Karen Hayes-Thumann on the OU Norman campus. “The involvement of OU visual arts students made this book unique,” says Rainbolt. “As our next generation of leaders, today’s students will bear the consequences of these challenges, and viewing these issues from their perspective was a critical aspect of this project.”

The steering committee agreed on the top five to seven health indicators they felt were important to discuss in the book. These indicators were explained and presented to the graphic design students during the fall 2019 semester. After receiving a Public Health 101 crash course from Raskob and Cline, the design students created images for the chosen health indicators. Two concept meetings were held for Rainbolt, Raskob and Cline to give students feedback on their renderings. This culminated in a final presentation for the entire steering committee at the HCOPH. It’s important to note that the teams of students produced more than just images; they created entire micro-campaigns with imagery for social media, billboards, etc. Out of the numerous designs, the committee had the difficult task of choosing the top images to include in the book. In recognition of their hard work, the class received a paid trip to New York City to attend an annual art exhibit. Given the

partnership's success, Rainbolt decided to develop a scholarship for future graphic design students interested in public health topics.

The Outcome The magazine team at the HCOPH was excited to work with Hayes-Thumann and her fall 2023 semester graphic design students to design the 2023 edition. Nine groups of two students worked together to share their vision.

The version you are currently reading is the first-place design chosen by Rainbolt, HCOPH Dean Dale Bratzler, the featured faculty members from each HCOPH department, and the magazine contributors.

This year’s magazine design was created by OU visual communication seniors Abby McInnis and Emma Williams. With the generous scholarship from Rainbolt, we have provided both Abby and Emma with a $1,000 scholarship. The covers from the second-place and third-place winners can be found on the

back cover of the magazine. Each second-place winner received a $500 scholarship, and each third-place winner received a $250 scholarship.

1st Place Winners: Abby McInnis and Emma Williams

ABOVE: Collage of student designs for the book, Oklahoma Pride: Working Together for the Well-Being of All Oklahomans

2nd Place Winners: Mia Carnahan and Tran Nguyen 3rd Place Winners: Shane Hamlin and Ivan Rivera This was an incredible opportunity for our college to work with colleagues and students on the OU Norman campus to promote public health. Thank you to Hayes-Thumann and her outstanding seniors for their artistic expertise, insight and support in developing the 2023 edition of OU Public Health!

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Trauma Triage

The Intersection of Epidemiology and Emergency Care

D

r. Tabitha Garwe is no stranger to interdisciplinary research. She is an

associate professor of epidemiology at the Hudson College of Public Health.

She also holds a joint faculty appointment with the Department of Surgery in the OU College of Medicine, where she is the director of surgical outcomes research. In this position, Garwe collaborates with the Department of Surgery faculty to design and analyze research studies. “They bring the clinical aspect of the research to the table,” she says, “and I help design the study, advise them how the data should be collected, analyze the data, and then discuss findings with the principal investigator.” This is a fantastic example of interdisciplinary research and collaboration. When prompted for her definition of interdisciplinary, Garwe responds, “It’s when people with different skills come together to do research.” She explains that interdisciplinary research is “more translational because it involves different aspects and opinions of people with unique skill sets trying to solve the same problem.” One of the many benefits is that this encourages diversity of thought, which generally results in the best solutions.

When Garwe joined the Department of Surgery, she mainly focused on trauma research. As the only level I trauma center in Oklahoma, OU Health is required to conduct research to maintain certification. In Oklahoma, hospitals are classified from level I through level IV, with level I providing the highest level of trauma care and level IV signifying more rural hospitals.

The main difference between level I and level II trauma centers is that level I trauma centers are university teaching hospitals and are required to conduct research. In the Department of Surgery, Garwe’s primary role is to ensure residents and faculty conduct trauma research.

In addition to working with faculty and residents, Garwe also works as an independent researcher. For the past 15 years, she has researched trauma triage. Her interest in this field began with her doctoral dissertation and has continued with her current research. “My focus is on how injured patients are triaged and how it affects their health outcomes,” says Garwe. This includes triage from the scene of injury to the initial hospital and from the initial hospital to a higher level of trauma care. Garwe explains that when emergency medical personnel report to a scene with an injured person, the paramedics have to decide where to take the patient. “If all of the patients came to OU, it would overwhelm the system,” notes Garwe. “Since OU has the resources to treat the most severely injured, we want to ensure those resources are there when needed.” In essence, the trauma system aims to match the severity of a patient’s injury to the hospital with the appropriate level of trauma care. This ensures that the system functions efficiently and we don’t end up taking seriously injured patients to hospitals that don’t have the resources to care for them. It also means we don’t take patients with minor injuries to hospitals equipped to care for the severely injured. Garwe’s research aims to optimize this system.

Oklahoma only has two level II trauma centers (both in Tulsa) along with the level I trauma

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“In trauma, time is everything; one hour can mean the difference between life and death for a patient.”

center at OU Health. “That’s all we’ve got,” states Garwe. So, what happens if a patient needing level I or II trauma care is transported to a lower-level trauma center? According to Garwe, a delay of that nature is associated with an almost 200% increase in mortality.

Unfortunately, one of the groups often undertriaged to level I or II trauma centers is older people.

With grant funding from the Oklahoma Center for the Advancement of Science and Technology, Garwe has researched geriatric trauma triage and how it impacts patient outcomes. She notes that “this is a nationwide problem where the same triage guidelines are used for everyone—from the healthy 18-year-old to a 95-year-old who may be on numerous medications.” This means that if you have two patients with the same injury, one young and the other old, the younger person is more likely to be taken to a higher-level trauma center. Why does this matter? Garwe says this “results in excess mortality in the older age group that could be prevented if they were taken to a level I or II trauma center.” When asked what ages qualify as geriatric, Garwe responds that the definition is 55 years and up. However, she remarks that studies have shown that under-triaging starts at 50 years old.

Garwe’s follow-up grant proposal focused on researching interfacility triage guidelines, which help physicians decide which patients need to be transferred to a center with a higher level of care.

The reality is that most emergency department providers don’t stop to read and flip through the triage guidelines to see which ones apply to a patient; it simply isn’t practical. “Since emergency services can’t take every patient to a level I or II trauma center, we wanted to focus on the point that a patient gets to a hospital,” says Garwe. “Then we want to identify if the patient needs to be transferred and, if so, get them transferred as quickly as possible.” To decide which patients should be transferred to a level I or II trauma center, Garwe and her team used machine learning and artificial intelligence to develop a triage model to assist physicians. The main question was: “How can we identify patients who need to be moved to a higher level of trauma care quickly and objectively?” The model focused on several factors (such as vital signs, type of injury, etc.) related to the patient’s condition at the initial facility. Garwe then assigned different

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weights to each factor to identify patients at the highest risk for adverse outcomes. Instead of flipping through pages of triage guidelines, the physician can now use an app and answer yes or no questions about the patient. For example, “Do you suspect internal organ injury?” The physician answers yes or no, and the model combines the responses to predict the patient’s probability of dying and whether or not the patient should be transferred to a higher-level trauma center.

Garwe and her team have recruited three hospitals in the Oklahoma City metro area to test the model.

They are currently in the testing phase to see if the app can be used in real-time or semi-real-time to influence decision-making on whether or not to transfer the patient. Garwe stresses, “Integrating artificial intelligence into decision-making is intended to help clinicians make the decision faster, not to take over or replace their role.” Her ultimate goal is to integrate this technology into the electronic health record system in the emergency department. “We wouldn’t be the first to do that,” notes Garwe. The hope is that this tool will help save lives by ensuring that patients who need to be transferred to a higher-level center are identified and moved quickly. Her research on automating triage guidelines has attracted quite a bit of attention. Garwe notes, “Sometimes people are afraid that artificial intelligence will take over everything, but we are just working with models.”

When asked about the challenges of interdisciplinary research, Garwe expresses that it can sometimes be difficult when team members aren’t open to the expertise others bring to the project. It makes her appreciate clinicians who are accepting and recognize her expertise in epidemiology and statistics. “Ideal interdisciplinary research is to feel like you’re a team,” Garwe says. “When people try to become involved beyond their discipline, it can break down the team.”

What she likes most about interdisciplinary research is the challenge that diverse topics provide. “I enjoy working on different topics, especially the work I do in the Department of Surgery,” states Garwe. Even though her primary focus is trauma, she also works in surgical oncology, pediatric surgery and other subspecialty research areas. “It encourages me to grow as a professional,” says Garwe.

Moreover, her interdisciplinary research laid the foundation for a course she developed in 2015 called Methods of Clinical Epidemiology. This class was inspired by her experiences working with residents in the Department of Surgery and the need to expand knowledge beyond what’s taught in traditional epidemiology courses. “Over time, I realized that we needed a course to tackle some of the methodology issues,” states Garwe. “When working in an interdisciplinary environment, you need certain additional skills.” Garwe uses numerous examples from her interdisciplinary research in her class, helping lead the way for students to conduct clinical research after graduation. Additionally, because of her interdisciplinary clinical research experience, Garwe was appointed as the statistical editor for the Journal of Trauma and Acute Care Surgery (the top journal in the field of trauma research) in 2022.

Book Recommendation “One of the books that changed how I look at things is The Celestine Prophecy by James Redfield,” says Garwe.

This book helped her understand that there is a reason why things are happening and how interconnected events are. “You see how things tied together to get you where you are,” she remarks. Garwe also enjoys reading peak performance books. “I feel like, as human beings, we can be more efficient and do more with our time,” she says. “I started with golf, so one of my favorite books is Zen Golf: Mastering the Mental Game by Joseph Parent.”

Favorite Food “I enjoy seafood even though it can be difficult to find here,” says Garwe. “I love lobster tail.” She especially enjoys the grilled lobster that her husband makes.

Inspiration “My dad is a huge inspiration in my life,” she says.

Garwe grew up in Zimbabwe, where her father is a Supreme Court Justice. “From an early age, he inspired me and made me believe that I could be whatever I wanted if I just put the work into it.”

MORE ABOUT

Dr. Tabitha Garwe Hobby You might be surprised to learn that Garwe is a professional golfer. She toured with the Ladies Professional Golf Association Futures Tour while getting her doctoral degree and working as a trauma epidemiologist at the Oklahoma State Department of Health. “Whenever I went to a tournament, people were always interested in how I could do it all,” says Garwe. “I used to play every day except for Sunday.” Her Zoom background is the Augusta National Golf Club course. She explained that the image is of amen corner, aptly named because “it’s where you say your prayers before playing the holes with water and dune obstacles.” Garwe is a self-proclaimed sports junkie. She’s a fan of OU football and the Oklahoma City Thunder. “I like to see people perform under pressure; it’s fascinating to me— that’s probably why I like trauma,” she reflects.

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Beyond Business

The Intersection of Health Administration and Patient Care

D

r. Ganisher Davlyatov briefly hesitates when asked about his interdisciplinary research. He notes that much of his work involves health-related research and participation in various projects. As he begins to discuss his current projects, Davlyatov’s initial uncertainty about discussing interdisciplinary research quickly vanishes.

Social Workers and CMS Determinants of Health Screening One of his interdisciplinary projects focuses on collaborating with social workers to collect data on the social determinants of health. He notes, “The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services encourage all health care organizations to collect social determinants of health measures from patients.” This means that OU Health also collects the data to ensure compliance with CMS requirements. While nurses, nurse practitioners, physicians and other health care providers can conduct the screening, typically, it is the social workers who conduct more in-depth assessments and connect patients with necessary resources and support services.

He has found that a significant barrier to data collection is that social workers aren't paid enough for the time they spend conducting the screenings. That's the first issue. The second issue is the challenge of seeing the benefits of conducting the screenings. “I have spoken with social workers, and they don’t see the value because we just do it for the sake of compliance, but we are not following up and helping the patients,” states Davlyatov. The screening data is much more valuable if utilized to help improve the quality of life and access to care for patients. “My goal is to figure out how we can use this data to help people,” says Davlyatov. For this project, he is interviewing social workers to understand how the screening rates can be increased, how the social workers can be fairly compensated for their time, and ways to ensure patients benefit from the screening data.

The second component of this research is looking at disparities in how social determinants data are collected. “Let's say we have 10,000 patients, and we need to screen all of them (100% response rate), but that's not possible for a variety of reasons (e.g., time, availability of social workers, and patients’ willingness to respond),” Davlyatov explains. “In an ideal scenario, screening would be random, but the reality is that individual demographic factors such as the patient's race, age, gender, and even clothing could affect the likelihood of one’s screening.”

Davlyatov stresses the need for continuous education and monitoring of the screening process to minimize selection bias and ensure random screening selections. He appreciates that this research has exposed him to the field of social work, helped him understand their perspectives and shed light on why the response rate is so low. “As a researcher in health care administration, I'm thinking about developing a process so that the patients benefit from the screenings and the health care providers are motivated to conduct them,” states Davlyatov.

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“At the end of the day, unless we change the policies, it’s difficult to make any change at all, and policies start at the local level with local support to ensure they are tailored to local communities.”

“It's not just about being CMS compliant; it’s about helping local patients.” As a next step, Davlyatov is considering using artificial intelligence and machine learning, in combination with electronic health record data, to deter bias and help health care providers predict which patients would be appropriate for social screening.

The Rise of Contract Nurses Another project that Davlyatov is working on involves collaborating with the OU College of Nursing to research the impact of contract nurses post-COVID. He remarks that many organizations, such as hospitals, nursing homes and hospices, rely on nursing staff as their main employees. These facilities typically employ nurses full time, which usually benefits both the nurses and the employers. The pandemic highlighted a significant shortage of nurses in Oklahoma and across the country, leading many facilities to rely on contract work. Contract nurses are full-time employees of a third-party agency, not of a hospital, nursing home or hospice. “The agency then contracts with multiple organizations, meaning the same nurse may work at 10 different locations,” notes Davlyatov. The benefit for the nurses is that the pay is often double or triple what they would receive in a traditional setting. However, these positions often lack benefits like insurance, pension, paid leave, etc. Contract nurses benefit an organization when the demand is high, such as during a pandemic, since they can hire nurses on demand but are not committed to paying them when the demand drops.

“You don't have to worry about it hurting your bottom line,” says Davlyatov. Contract nursing was a win/win situation during the pandemic, but it has persisted. “Many of the younger generation nurses want flexible hours and higher pay,” he notes. One of the issues that Davlyatov has observed is that this impacts the culture of traditional organizations and may affect the quality of care.

“A new nurse every day means that patients and providers don't have an opportunity to bond with the nursing staff,” he remarks. In the long term, this ends up hurting the organization's bottom line financially since contract nurses cost significantly more than traditional employees. With this in mind, Davlyatov is working with the OU College of Nursing to brainstorm possible solutions. They plan to speak with several hospital administrators to determine how they are dealing with the rise of

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contract nursing, whether they have plans to adapt, and if there are policy changes that might help. “The nursing shortage in Oklahoma is a real issue, and it’s increasing our reliance on contract nurses,” claims Davlyatov. One of the potential solutions is to increase pay to traditionally employed nurses, but who foots the bill? Patients could end up paying more for care to offset a salary increase. “It's a bit complicated, but we want to understand how administrators are approaching this and what the state and federal governments could do to assist,” says Davlyatov. “It was a great temporary solution during the pandemic, but contract nursing isn't sustainable in the long run.”

Oklahoma Medicaid Expansion In June of 2023, the George Kaiser Family Foundation awarded Davlyatov a grant to study the economic and fiscal impacts of the 2021 Oklahoma Medicaid expansion. His primary aim is to determine how the expansion affects the State of Oklahoma. 'Essentially, we are looking at how much money the expansion is bringing in and how it’s impacting the state’s budget to determine if we are in the red or the green,' states Davlyatov. His research is multifaceted and considers a variety of factors.

For example, states that have expanded Medicaid have noted additional revenue. However, these states have also recognized the need for additional medical providers to serve the expanded Medicaid population. Furthermore, the taxes generated by the expansion also impact secondary businesses in the state. While this research has a significant monetary focus, Davlyatov is also interested in how Medicaid expansion in Oklahoma is helping to improve access to care and the quality of life among our citizens.

“Now that more people are eligible for and being covered by Medicaid, I want to research which services they are using, how often they are using these services, and how this all affects access to medical care,” states Davlyatov. Fortunately, there is an existing roadmap for this research due to the numerous other states that have previously expanded Medicaid. “We are late in the game,” he says. “We have excellent examples from other states of how and what they did and how it impacted their economy, population, etc.” When asked about his data sources, Davlyatov noted that his team primarily uses public information from the state (e.g., budget details) and Medicaid enrollment data from 2017 to 2022 to determine how many people were enrolled pre- and

post-expansion. This data provides critical information about the number of patients, demographics, where they live, and the capacity of the providers in those areas. Davlyatov raises a couple of questions related to the findings: “Do we have enough providers to serve the patients, and how far do the providers live from the population?” At this point, Davlyatov is still in the data collection phase. Once ready for analysis, he will work with his research team on developing policy briefs.

“Most people view health administration as helping large organizations and businesses figure out how to be more profitable, but I see it differently,” Davlyatov says. “We all work as a team, and I want to work with patients and providers to bring the administration and business point of view to help us impact policies that benefit patients.”

MORE ABOUT

Dr. Ganisher Davlyatov Background

Hobbies Davlyatov is a poet and enjoys writing poems in his native language. Many of his poems are about Uzbekistan and his family. He has even published a poetry book in Uzbekistan.

Davlyatov was raised in the country of Uzbekistan. During

“The whole book is about my mother,” says Davlyatov. “She

high school, he represented the country at an international

is always encouraging me to be a better person, and I give

biology competition in Germany. His love of biology and

credit to her 100% for everything I have achieved so far.”

talent earned Davlyatov a full scholarship to medical school.

Family is vital to Davlyatov. He recently started fishing with

His interest in public health began when he was working on

his son at Lake Hefner. “I won’t say we are expert fishermen,”

a World Health Organization project involving tuberculosis

he confesses, “but it’s a great opportunity for me to bond

research in Uzbekistan.

with my son, and we enjoy it.”

Travel

Book Recommendation

He loves to travel and has been to several countries in

Leadership and time management books are a staple in

Europe and the Middle East. Davlyatov’s favorite country

Davlyatov’s office. In fact, he gives his advisees different

so far is Germany. “I love Frankfurt,” he says. “I enjoy the

books on leadership to help them learn how to be better

nature and the numerous museums.”

people, leaders and team players. “One book that had a huge impact on me was How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie,” he says. “I’ve read that at least 20 times, and it’s helped me a lot throughout my career.”

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Dietary Delights

The Many Meanings of “Food is Medicine”

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r. Marianna Wetherill describes interdisciplinary health science research as “leveraging the perspectives from diverse professions to better understand determinants of well-being for people and populations.” As a dietitian and public health practitioner, she values the unique viewpoints that different disciplines can bring when studying any nutrition-related health problem. Wetherill explains, “The way a social worker might strategize to improve food security will likely be different from how an occupational therapist might work to study and solve the problem—integrating these perspectives can facilitate deeper understandings of complex issues that single disciplines are unlikely to solve on their own.” This interprofessional awareness is an important focus in her Lifestyle Medicine in Public Health course, offered via live Zoom for Tulsa and Oklahoma City students. The course covers various lifestyle medicine intervention areas—ranging from food to sleep and stress. In addition to being a faculty member in the Department of Health

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“Interdisciplinary

research forces everyone to grow in their ability to view problems more broadly and to listen to other perspectives.”

Promotion Sciences, Wetherill also holds a joint appointment in the OU-TU School of Community Medicine, where she co-teaches lifestyle medicine and culinary medicine courses to community medicine and physician assistant students. “These courses are one of the defining features of the School of Community Medicine specialty track,” says Wetherill.

After earning a bachelor's degree in nutritional sciences from the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Wetherill became a registered dietitian. “I was really intrigued during my studies about the complex nutrition needs of people living with HIV,” she says. An internship with RAIN Oklahoma in Oklahoma City helped her learn more about that specific population. After graduation, Wetherill looked for work opportunities in Tulsa that would allow her to specialize in HIV nutrition, but there were none. “There weren't any dietitians serving the HIV community in my area, so I reached out to Tulsa CARES, an HIV social service agency, to offer my services pro bono,” says Wetherill. “This allowed me to start seeing people through the organization's food pantry, where I provided nutrition assessment, counseling, and eventually small group nutrition classes.” This was when Wetherill became interested in public health. “I quickly realized that supporting people's health and well-being requires much more than just telling them what to eat,” she remarks. “Lack of knowledge is not the main barrier for most people.” Wetherill recognized that factors in the community, home environment, relationships and many other dynamics play a part in health.

“My training as a dietitian did not prepare me for the kind of intervention work that I wanted to do that included moving beyond the basics of nutrition education. I was able to find exactly what I needed in public health,” she says. Wetherill completed a master of public health degree in health administration and policy on the OU Tulsa campus and then decided to pursue a doctor of philosophy degree in health promotion sciences—driving between the Tulsa and Oklahoma City campuses all while continuing her full-time work with the HIV community.

Today, Wetherill's research focuses on the health consequences of food insecurity. It often involves a “food is medicine” intervention element to improve

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the physical or mental well-being of people with limited food resources. Some of her studies have been purely observational, with the goal of documenting the disparity to inform future work.

However, most of her research involves a two-phase approach that begins with data collection, followed by creating a solution to the identified problem(s)— all in partnership with the community. For example, Wetherill conducted a nutrition needs assessment of people receiving free meals at Iron Gate Tulsa, Tulsa's largest soup kitchen. She worked with an OU-Tulsa MPH practicum student, Lacey Caywood, to identify the nutrition needs of people affected by homelessness. Wetherill and Caywood then collaborated with another OU-Tulsa MPH alumni, Valarie Carter of the OU Culinary Medicine team, to develop and introduce new menu items (designed to fill key nutritional gaps in the standard menu) at Iron Gate Tulsa. Soup kitchen guests were invited to vote on their favorite items.

Wetherill notes that this project didn't include a collection of any nutrition biomarkers or other objective nutrition-related health data, but she says that type of study is very much needed. “People without housing face numerous nutritional risks, yet ironically, there is very little information on the

nutritional status of this population; they're a neglected population that often lacks control over their food options, and if you think about the high disease burden in that population—much of it being diet-related—it's a critical group that could benefit from food is medicine interventions,” she concludes.

“The Tulsa campus

Wetherill is currently working on a five-year project funded by the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases called Nutrition to Optimize, Understand, and Restore Insulin Sensitivity in HIV for Oklahoma (NOURISH-OK). The project is being conducted in partnership with Tulsa CARES, and its goal is to examine the relationships between food insecurity, diet and insulin resistance among people living with HIV. The team is in the fourth year of the study and has accomplished the first two of its three research aims. During the first three years, the Aim 1 study enrolled over 400 people who each completed a comprehensive nutrition assessment and a survey on their social determinants of health and provided fasting blood work to test chronic inflammation and insulin resistance levels. “I think one of the more unique aspects of this study is we are diving fairly

very supportive, collegial

encourages you to network across colleges and schools, and the campus atmosphere is and interprofessional.”

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the same foundational knowledge as another. She also recommends taking time within your team to determine the research problem's collective goal and how each team member defines success in meeting that goal. When asked about the benefits of interdisciplinary research, Wetherill enjoys the diversity it brings. “A bunch of dietitians sitting around a table talking about people's diets can be very boring,” she says with a laugh. “It forces you to see things in a way or consider alternative perspectives that maybe you had never even considered before.”

MORE ABOUT

Dr. Marianna Wetherill Pets Although Wetherill's family has eaten a plant-based diet for many years, they have four backyard chickens who provide Wetherill with a great way to relax after a stressful day. The family's new rescue dog, Betty, also enjoys watching the chickens. Wetherill's 5-year-old daughter, Emmaline, named each one. “We have Fluffy, Sparkles, Ladybug and Buttercup,” she declares.

Travel Bucket List Wetherill loves to travel and has visited England three times with hopes to return soon. She also likes road-tripping

"Interdisciplinary research forces everyone to grow in their ability to view problems more broadly and to listen to other perspectives."

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deeply into sources of trauma, adversity and resilience,” notes Wetherill. “For example, how might adverse childhood experiences, trauma related to HIV diagnosis, or discrimination be related to food insecurity, and what are some resiliency factors (such as social support or self-esteem) that might provide protective effects?” The Aim 2 study is qualitative and was designed to explore significant relationships identified within the first aim, such as linkages between food insecurity and diet. The Aim 3 study will apply findings from Aims 1 and 2 to develop and test a “food is medicine” intervention.

“This will be a 12-week intervention where we hope to improve people's food security status and their diet and hopefully also reverse insulin resistance through the foods we provide,” says Wetherill. The team is also collaborating with Oklahoma State University on Aim 1 and 3 studies to examine

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differences in gut microbiome profiles based on diet and food insecurity and whether these differences may be associated with chronic inflammation or insulin resistance levels. “This project has provided the community with a fascinating opportunity to look at the macro and micro of things from both a quantitative and qualitative perspective,” comments Wetherill. Students from nursing, social work, medicine, dietetics and public health have all had the opportunity to participate in data collection and analysis for this project.

When asked about the challenges of interdisciplinary research, Wetherill initially hesitates. “I think the benefits outweigh the cons,” she answers, “but sometimes finding shared language that makes sense to everyone can be difficult.” Wetherill stresses the importance of not assuming that one discipline has

When prompted about why interdisciplinary research is vital to public health and its students, Wetherill stated, “Public health is an interdisciplinary profession, but sometimes we can get trapped in our departments or silos.” She enjoys reaching outside the Hudson College of Public Health because it provides new ways to collaborate, offers unique perspectives and gets other researchers interested in collaborating with public health. She views this as “sharing and bringing people into public health sometimes through the back door.”

throughout New England, and her family plans to make it

As one of the few Hudson College of Public Health faculty members on the Tulsa campus, Wetherill has the opportunity to work with faculty and students beyond the Oklahoma City campus. When asked what it's like to work there, she grins and says that the Tulsa campus is a well-kept secret. “I absolutely love the Tulsa campus because its design and small size promote interprofessional collaboration,” she replies. “It's the kind of environment where you have to be open to working with others across multiple programs, schools and colleges.” This allows Wetherill to network with colleagues that she would otherwise rarely see if she were on the

Wetherill picked up Loving and Leaving the Good Life by

Oklahoma City campus.

up to Prince Edward Island in Canada next summer.

Hobbies Wetherill is passionate about supporting local farmers.

“I always look forward to the summer season,” she says. ”We participate in the Three Springs Farm co-op and experiment on weekends with new recipes based on the growing season; it's a joy to know who grew the food that feeds your family.” When asked if she has a garden, she laughingly replies, “I'm a terrible gardener; I try, but I'm not good at it.”

Book Recommendation Helen Nearing during a recent vacation to Maine. The book focuses on the planned death of 99-year-old Scott Nearing, a social justice advocate and well-known homesteader, as told by his widow. The book reinforced to Wetherill the importance of “being intentional about where I want to spend my time and energy.”

Inspiration Dr. Hilary Seligman (an early career mentor of Wetherill) is one of the leading national experts on food insecurity and chronic disease. “After an encounter with a patient living with diabetes and food insecurity, Dr. Seligman took the time to listen to the patient and recognized that access to healthy food was the prescription he needed,“ says Wetherill. “Her research after that helped define the food is medicine movement and pushed us forward in implementing it at the patient and population levels.”

TOP LEFT: Dr. Wetherill explaining dietary benefits of a recipe with Physician Assistant Program students from the OU-TU School of Community Medicine.

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Making OK Cool

The Intersection of Environmental Health Science and Urban Planning

D

r. Hongwan Li boils the term interdisciplinary down to teamwork. “I enjoy doing interdisciplinary research because my background is interdisciplinary,” she says.

Li received her bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering. Her master’s thesis focused on testing for and removing methamphetamine-contaminated drywall in housing to ensure that future occupants were protected. After publishing her thesis work, several communities and nonprofit organizations contacted Li to request information and guidance. “I tried my best to provide information based on the results from my experiments,” says Li. “This made me feel like my research was helping people.” Li recognizes the importance of working with people in different fields to help build and maintain healthy communities. After completing her doctoral degree, she spent time with the Environmental Protection Agency.

“Then COVID-19 hit, and my research transitioned slightly to the microbial side, focusing on airborne viruses,” she states. During the pandemic, Li took her aerosol instruments to restaurants and fitness centers to collect air samples. She hoped to address questions like: “Is it safe to dine out at a restaurant?” and “Should I wear a face mask when I’m at the gym?” Some business managers asked her not to sample in their locations, but many were open to it. “The businesses that allowed me to sample were very supportive and confident in scientific research,” says Li. She explains that people would ask her what she was doing when they saw her with the instruments. One of the unexpected benefits of this research was it helped Li learn how to talk with various people and share scientific information with them—both of which are critical for interdisciplinary research. “I feel I have a heart to work for the people,” she says. Li is especially interested in research involving vulnerable populations like children and seniors. One of her research projects involves studying how to improve dementia care outcomes in nursing homes by optimizing architectural and environmental quality factors. “When I take my air quality equipment into nursing homes, I get to make a difference in helping to improve the lives of the residents,” says Li. Her main research focus is risk assessment, specifically health risks related to air quality. “I enjoy fieldwork and being out in communities, but I also spend

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“The reason I love academia is that I really enjoy working with students.”

time in the lab working to develop the next generation of bioaerosol samplers,” says Li. She stresses the importance of collaborating and communicating with stakeholders to create policies to reduce risk. Li always takes a portable carbon dioxide sampler with her when she engages with communities or anyone not in her field. “When I talk about an air quality sensor, people often give me a blank stare,” admits Li. “Having the sensor with me allows me to show them what the sensor looks like and how it functions.” Many sensors can even be linked to your phone, allowing the data to be read in real-time.

Li’s research and knowledge take center stage when she participates in community workshops to educate community members, hear their concerns and engage in open discussion. “This helps us determine what our next project should be,” she says. This summer, Li led a workshop in the JFK neighborhood in Oklahoma City. She invited faculty from architecture, geography and environmental sustainability, and meteorology to speak. “I make it simple by saying I’m here to help you tell if the air quality is good for you,” she says. She notes that community and interdisciplinary research are like the inverse of an academic paper. Instead of starting with the introduction and moving into the methods, results and discussion, talking to the general public begins with discussing the research goal and then leads into the methods and background. “It’s a very interactive process to help people understand the point,” says Li. She feels that people are generally supportive of environmental exploratory studies. However, she has encountered people who wonder if the samplers are recording or tracking them.

“I explain that it’s commercially made, and I can provide all manufacturer instructions,” confirms Li. A great example of interdisciplinary research at a citywide level is a National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration-funded research project with Oklahoma City to collect heat data for the Urban Heat Island Mapping campaign.

Researchers from three University of Oklahoma colleges are involved: Hudson College of Public Health, College of Atmospheric and Geographic Sciences, and Christopher C. Gibbs College of Architecture. Li is on the steering committee and

helped design training for the campaign volunteers.

On Aug. 12, approximately 300 volunteers attached portable sensors to their vehicles to measure temperature, humidity and carbon dioxide. Each volunteer team drove predesignated routes throughout Oklahoma City to collect the data. There were three shifts: morning, noon and evening. Each group consisted of two volunteers: a driver and a navigator.

One of the goals was to determine if communities and areas with lots of trees and shade had cooler temperatures. “We are bringing stakeholders from many sectors together to learn how to cool Oklahoma down,” says Li. The results will determine areas in Oklahoma City with the hottest temperatures. The city will prioritize areas with the most vulnerable populations for risk reduction by planting trees, installing cooling shelters, shade structures, etc. To learn more about the Urban Heat Island Mapping campaign, visit https://www.okc. gov/departments/planning/programs/sustainability/ extreme-heat.

When asked about the challenges of interdisciplinary research, Li notes that language can be a challenge. “I don’t mean English,” she says, “I mean terminology.” For example, an epidemiologist’s definition of risk may pertain to outbreaks or the

percentage of people who get sick. However, when Li talks to a microbiologist, they might define risk as a dose-response (e.g., a dose lethal enough to kill 50% of a population). “I’m still learning from each experience,” comments Li. “When I talk to people, I first try to understand their background and field so that I can avoid any confusing words.” She typically starts with the definition to ensure everyone is on the same page. The goal is to make sure each team member speaks the same scientific language for the research project. Li notes that the pandemic provided an excellent opportunity to promote public health and generate interest in the field. One of the benefits was that scientists from other fields transitioned their research to bioaerosols or airborne viruses during the pandemic. This meant that people from many areas and backgrounds provided their knowledge to conduct pandemic-related research. One of the downsides to this was that some researchers weren’t trained on the fundamentals of airborne viruses, leading to unclear research articles. “When I was doing literature reviews, maybe 10-20% reported the limit detections of their studies,” says Li. “I realize the need for information during the pandemic was urgent, but we should create an interdisciplinary framework to help researchers collaborate quickly and efficiently.”

MORE ABOUT

Dr. Hongwan Li Bucket List Li hopes to visit Alaska someday. She grew up in southern China and recalls the hot and humid weather. “When I was little, I saw a picture of Alaska and really wanted to go there,” she says.

Food Li always has a variety of individual snacks in her office that she offers her students. Her hometown is known for the hotpot. “The soup is so good!” Li proclaims. She especially enjoys spicy dishes.

Hobbies Li enjoys hiking and spending time with friends. She has two children, and they like to visit the local library and splash pad in the summer. Before initial meetings with anyone outside her field, Li presents her slides/information to her daughter. “If she can understand it, that’s a good sign that the audience will understand it,” says Li. Her daughter also asks questions and helps Li clarify her words and phrases.

Along with her 7-year-old and 8-year-old children,

Li has a 10-year-old dog named 狗 (pronounced Gǒu).

“Our dog has a Chinese name which means dog,” laughs Li.

Role Model Dr. Jade Mitchell, Li’s post-doctoral mentor at Michigan State University, is her role model. Previous mentors taught Li how to work and write papers, but Dr. Mitchell taught her how to manage work-life balance. “When my father passed away, he was in China, and my mother and I were in Michigan,” says Li. “During that time, Dr. Mitchell shared her personal experiences and encouraged me to take time off to be with my family.”

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MEET THE 2023-2024 HUDSON COLLEGE OF PUBLIC HEALTH STUDENT ASSOCIATION (HCOPHSA) Why did you choose to get a public health degree?

President and Sovereignty, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion liaison

Kalyn Neighbors Epidemiology Ada, Oklahoma

“I chose to study public health because it is a field that protects the health of a population and works to improve quality of life for all people. Public health promotes my research interests in chronic illnesses, preventive health, community health, underrepresented populations and health equity. I enjoy that public health is very versatile and involves collaboration with many different disciplines. One of my favorite aspects of public health is that our work has a wide reach, which makes it possible to effect change not only at the individual level but at the population level.”

Community Service Chair

Yashaswi Joshi

Interdisciplinary Public Health Surat, Gujarat, India

“When I was working as an intern physician during COVID-19 pandemic, I got a chance to work with skilled public health professionals who were trying to develop different measures to curb the deadly pandemic. At that time, I understood the importance of public health field that as a physician I can treat a patient individually but as a public health professional, I can study the trends and take adequate steps to prevent pandemics like COVID-19. I decided to pursue MPH because I think that the having knowledge of clinical medicine and population medicine is essential to become a well-rounded physician.”

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Secretary

Senator

Social Chair

Health Administration and Policy Kurnool, Andhra Pradesh, India

Environmental Health Sciences Oka-Akoko, Ondo State, Nigeria

Biostatistics Indianola, Iowa

Deepthi Padakandla

“I chose to study public health due to my passion for community wellbeing. It provides a unique avenue to tackle complex health issues on a large scale. My goal is to prevent diseases, promote healthy lifestyles and advocate for health equity.”

David Bolade

“My decision to pursue a public health degree is rooted in its role as a preventive medicine that plays a crucial part in tackling worldwide health issues, including pandemics, infectious diseases and environmental health issues.

Public health is a field that enhances the health and quality of life for both individuals and communities.”

Heather Willmott

“I knew that I’d always enjoyed math and health science and was looking for a way to combine my interests when I heard about biostatistics. The COVID-19 pandemic solidified my interest in the field when I saw the need for accurate and timely data analysis. I knew this was a field I could be successful in and enjoy!”

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Our Future DEPENDS ON THEM The demand for public health professionals has never been greater.

The Hudson College of Public Health is committed to preparing the next generation of leaders who promote the well-being of our families and communities.

In 2003, the Hudson College of Public Health had three scholarships to award. This year, the college awarded 31 scholarships of at least $2,500 to deserving students. Each of these scholarships were created by generous donors and are named to honor them and their loved ones.

While the incredible growth of donor-funded scholarships has helped dozens of students in recent years, today the college has the resources to provide scholarships to 75% of the talented students who apply with financial need.

Please join us in supporting our students as they work to protect and improve the health of the people of Oklahoma and beyond. Invest in our future today: home.oufoundation.org/ph

Peter Kim Azimi Family Scholarship

Ryan Kim Roy B. Deal Jr. Scholarship

Carolyn Nolan Elisa T. Lee Scholarship

Doctor of Philosophy, Environmental Health Sciences, 2025

Master of Science, Biostatistics, 2024

Master of Health Administration, Health Administration and Policy, 2025

Deepthi Padakandla Rod and Shirley Bradley Scholarship

Brianna Anduss David J. Falcone Memorial Scholarship

Hanxia Li Dan J. Macer Scholarship

Master of Public Health, Health Administration and Policy, 2025

Master of Health Administration, Health Administration and Policy, 2025

Anne Kapka Edward N. Brandt Jr. Scholarship

Honieh Sowdagar James N. George Scholarship in Biostatistics and Epidemiology

Doctor of Philosophy, Epidemiology, 2027

Bethany Lor Edward N. Brandt Jr. Scholarship Master of Health Administration, Health Administration and Policy, 2024

Quantonia Amado Dale W. Bratzler Scholarship “As an international student with no financial support from home, being a scholarship recipient means a lot to me. The scholarship I received will go a long

Scholarships provide not only critical financial resources to our students, but also invaluable encouragement that someone believes in their potential and wants to see them succeed.

2023 SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENTS

way in alleviating my financial burden and allow me to focus on my studies. Your kind contribution to my academic pursuit is greatly valued.”

Toluwanimi M. Oni MPH 2024 Ph.D., Environmental Health Sciences

Master of Health Administration, Health Administration and Policy, 2024

Shweta Kulkarni Burns-Schaiff Scholarship Doctor of Philosophy, Epidemiology, 2024

Aaron Zahn Calvey Family Scholarship Master of Public Health, Health Promotion Sciences, 2024

Tolumwanimi Oni Ronald L. Coleman Scholarship Doctor of Philosophy, Environmental Health Sciences, 2024

Bukunmi Akanji ConocoPhillips Occupational and Environmental Health Endowed Scholarship Doctor of Philosophy, Environmental Health Sciences, 2025

Mika Cheng ConocoPhillips Occupational and Environmental Health Endowed Scholarship

Master of Public Health, Epidemiology, 2023

Whiskey Kelsey Edmund H. Gleason Scholarship Master of Public Health, Health Promotion Sciences, 2024

Ella Rose Adams E. Scott, Susie, Regan and Shannon Henley Family Endowed Master of Health Administration, Health Administration and Policy, 2025

Britten Allen HCOPH Advisory Board Scholarship Master of Public Health, Interdisciplinary Public Health, 2025

Kalyn Neighbors Hudson Family Scholarship Master of Public Health, Epidemiology, 2024

Jackie Lartey Brent Hurd Scholarship Master of Health Administration, Health Administration and Policy, 2024

Mingze Zhu Johnson Family Scholarship

Doctor of Philosophy, Biostatistics, 2027

Morgan Rom Dan J. Macer Scholarship Doctor of Philosophy, Health Promotion Sciences, 2025

Ozair Naqvi Dan J. Macer Scholarship Doctor of Philosophy, Epidemiology, 2025

Osariemen Omoregie Dan J. Macer Scholarship Doctor of Philosophy, Epidemiology, 2025

Mary L. Williams OU Giving Day Scholarship Doctor of Philosophy, Epidemiology, 2024

Yesenia Vicuna Gary E. Raskob Scholarship Master of Health Administration, Health Administration and Policy, 2024

David Bolade Kathleen A. Shaver Scholarship Doctor of Philosophy, Environmental Health Sciences, 2026

Heather Willmott Julie A. Stoner in Biostatistics Master of Science, Biostatistics, 2024

Savannah Chy Erivin J.C. Watts Family Health and Wellness Scholarship Master of Public Health, Epidemiology, 2024

Doctor of Philosophy, Environmental Health Sciences, 2025

Weiyi Li Robert W. Ketner Scholarship Master of Public Health, Biostatistics, 2024

Master of Public Health, Environmental Health Sciences, 2023

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Class of 2023 On May 13, Dean Dale Bratzler, D.O., M.P.H., along with the Hudson College of Public Health faculty, conferred the degrees of more than 60 M.S, M.P.H., M.H.A., Ph.D. and B.P.H. public health students. The event was held at the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum, and more than 600 family members and friends were in attendance to celebrate the 2023 graduates.

Anna Bailey Biostatistics

Bachelor of Public

“I chose to study public

Health

health because I have a

health because it would

“I’ve always wanted to

heart for the Oklahoma

allow me to take a more

work in health care and

community, and I want

comprehensive look at

community well-being,

to give back to our state

health. Learning about

and I like the wide range

“I chose to study public

by improving health outcomes and the quality of

the determinants of health has also changed my

of options that public health offers and how different

care and resources provided to all residents.”

perspective on how to address the current health

they can be from each other. Public health encom-

issue of our world. Thankfully, the Hudson College

passes a lot of what everyday life can look likeand

of Public Health has prepared me well, and I look for-

I enjoy how it continuously evolves and changes

ward to making a difference for the lives of others.”

depending on the needs of the community.”

Anne Kapka

Epidemiology

“I chose to study public health because it

Public Health graduates will go on to work in the very important fields of epidemiology, biostatistics, occupational safety, environmental health, industrial hygiene, health promotion and health administration and policy.

Michelle Sandoval

Marco Rayos

Epidemiology

combined my interests

McKenzie Cowlbeck

Reena Pillay

Health Administration

Bachelor of Public

in medicine and

and Policy

implementation sci-

“I found public health

“I chose to study

ence. I wanted to pursue a career that would help

late in my undergrad at

public health because I

improve health outcomes. I used to think medical

OU Norman while in a

wanted to understand

school and being bedside was the only way to

disability studies class.

how to create impact-

Health

achieve this, then I found public health. In epidemi-

I am disabled and was born with fibular hemimelia

ful change before entering the health care field.

ology, I can learn about disease processes through

affecting my right leg and foot, and a few instances

Studying public health has given me the opportunity

research while also focusing on exposures and

of structural and interpersonal bias during college

to understand all aspects of what it means to helping

interventions. This research provides essential data

prompted me to reflect on how I frame and under-

people stay healthy and has opened my eyes to the

that influence those bedside decisions made by cli-

stand my own disability and how society approaches

meaningful role we can have as health care profes-

nicians. Public health and the methods you learn in

disability. I became very interested in how culture,

sionals. Public health has given me the opportunity

your degree can be applied to any research topic

attitudes and subsequent rules influence how peo-

and ability to truly serve our communities and work

or setting, providing endless opportunities.”

ple, especially marginalized people, can live their

to keep them healthy.”

Gracie Pearcy

lives. This population-level and social approach to

Science

trying out various mathematics and clinical health

Health Promotion

“I chose to study public health because I wanted to create a more equitable world for those who needed health care services. The challenges facing public health are staggering: the impacts of social determinants of health on society, the inequitable access to care across the United States and the dire

health fascinated me after three and a half years of sciences throughout undergrad. I finally found myself in Dr. Gary Raskob’s Health Policy, Law, & Ethics class in the fall of 2020 while the COVID-19 pandemic was just beginning. The confluence of redefining my understanding of equity and justice, finding the intersection of public health policy, politics, and law, and how the pandemic was unfolding at the time made public health the obvious choice."

conditions many people find themselves living in. If I can change just one person’s life through work in public health, I’ve done my job!”

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Looking Ahead

A

s we look to the future, Hudson College of Public Health leadership, faculty and staff are committed to increasing access to public health education for students across the globe. Halley Reeves, HCOPH director of online education, has been working diligently to develop online Master of Public Health and Graduate Certificate programs for the college. “The online MPH in Population and Community Health is currently accepting applications for the spring 2024 semester,” she says. For now, the college mainly targets existing students, medical students who might want to expand their public health knowledge, and career professionals looking for additional public health training. “I like that the Graduate Certificate in Population Health is embedded in the MPH, so someone who may be uncertain about applying to the MPH program could opt to get the certificate and then decide to continue with their training to complete the MPH,” comments Reeves.

Reeves is working with a steering committee of individuals from each HCOPH department (including the chairs), faculty, administration and finance, and student services to develop and expand online courses and degree offerings in the college. Several online courses are asynchronous, meaning students can watch the lectures and complete the course independently. However, some online courses meet virtually on specific days and times. Recognizing that many prospective students are already employed and may need flexibility, Reeves is committed to developing convenient online content. “Essentially, we are trying to expand how our services can be delivered in different formats,” states Reeves. When asked about the number of students per online course, she notes that the steering committee is discussing the maximum number of students.

“It’s not unlimited, but it will increase the number of students that we can have in the program for sure,” she says.

“Creating online course content is a way to modernize our programs.”

Interdisciplinary Research In Public Health Fall Issue | 2023

Reeves explains that university in-person enrollment across the country was down before the pandemic. “When the pandemic hit, it created a perfect storm to tank a lot of enrollment numbers,” she says. Many programs were forced to move their in-person course content to a completely online format. “A lot of programs just took their in-person offerings and recorded their lectures (sometimes with suboptimal audio and visual) and pushed it out with minimal changes to the curriculum,” notes Reeves. “There has been a decrease in online program use over the past couple of years because the quality of online education has been questionable and inconsistent.” The silver lining is that the pandemic created an ideal opportunity to learn how to provide more flexibility in educational offerings. The HCOPH is working to rethink the existing curriculum to make it more interactive for students, increase educational outcomes and offer new opportunities for students to engage with materials. “We’ve created online education workshops for faculty to help them learn best practices for teaching in an online environment as well as provided tips and tricks on the practical application of producing online lectures,” says Reeves.

For now, the college is focusing on its MPH program. “At the moment, we are exploring other programs’ viability for online. We have a few current applications which are going through the approval process at the university,” says Reeves. “It's an exciting time to expand the learning opportunities for students.”

Beyond expanding services, the college is also broadening its reach by encouraging students across the globe to enroll in its online programs.

“We recognize the importance of international students and the value of breaking down barriers for folks to receive an OU education in all sorts of settings,” Reeves remarks. Another benefit of online courses is that the cost is the same for every student. The current fee is $575 per credit hour for the online MPH and Graduate Certificate in Population Health.

This amount is roughly between in-state and out-of-state student tuition and fees. “As we’re reviewing the curriculum of the different programs, our team is working to identify ways to make the programs more efficient, which might include reducing hours,” comments Reeves.

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