April 2021 - The Epidemiology Monitor

SPECIAL PUBLIC HEALTH AND SCIENCE COMMUNICATION ISSUE The Opportunities And Challenges Of Public Communication During The COVID-19 Pandemic A Conversation With Vanderbilt University’s William Schaffner---A “Go To” Communicator Par Excellence During the COVID pandemic, Dr Anthony Fauci from the National Institutes of Health is undoubtedly the 2 most frequently appearing expert on TV and other media. Another much sought after spokesperson is Vanderbilt University’s William Schaffner, an infectious disease and epidemiology expert who served as an Epidemic Intelligence Service officer at CDC and is currently Professor of Preventive Medicine in the Department of Health Policy as well as Professor of Medicine in the Division of Infectious Diseases at the Vanderbilt University School of Medicine.

communication tasks and challenges have changed during the COVID pandemic compared to communication challenges associated with past public health problems and what insights he could share with the epidemiology community. He did not hesitate in accepting our invitation, and below are his candid remarks about his approach to science, infectious disease, epidemiology and public health communication with the public.

Epi Monitor: How did you come to play such an important and prominent role as the “go to person” for the NY Times and other publications and multiple media outlets on such a wide variety of science related topics?

Bill Schaffner served on the first advisory board for The Epidemiology Monitor and has been a longtime supporter of the newsletter since it first appeared 40 years ago.

Schaffner: Well, going way back to my youth, it's probably a theatrical

We wondered how Bill’s science April 2021

- Schaffner cont'd on page 2 •

Volume Forty Two •

Number Four

In This Issue -8Reprint The Science of Science Communication

-10Near Term Epi Calendar

-13Notes on People

-15Marketplace

-Schaffner cont'd from page 1 The Epidemiology Monitor ISSN (0744-0898) is published monthly

by Roger Bernier, Ph.D., MPH at 7033 Hanford Dr,, Aiken, SC, 29803, USA. Editorial Contributors Roger Bernier, PhD, MPH Editor and Publisher

Operations Linda Bernier, PhD, MS Operations Manager

Advertising Sales Linda Bernier, PhD, MS Director of Advertising 770.533.3436 linda@epimonitor.net Advertising Rates All ads listed below also include a banner ad on our website and in our EpiGram emails.

Full Page $1,195 7.5”w x 10” h Half Page $895 7.5”w x 4.75” h Website Ad $495 / mo.

Includes a banner ad in our EpiGram emails Multi-month discounts available upon request.

Contact Us The Epidemiology Monitor 7033 Hanford Drive Aiken, SC 29803 USA 678.361.5170 editor@epimonitor.net

2

production that I could point to. When I was in college I was also involved in theater. But then of course I put that aside when I went to medical school.

But I was always attracted to this form of communication.

When I joined the Epidemic Intelligence Service at CDC I was assigned to the state health department in Rhode Island, and while I was there the state epidemiologist left to take another position. I became the “point man” for local reporters, and I answered media questions about influenza, salmonella and other topics.

I came to see answering questions from media as a teaching opportunity just as working at the bedside or in the laboratory or giving a seminar was a teaching opportunity. Each one of those venues has distinctive characteristics and opportunities for teaching. Whether we are physicians or PHD’s, we are referred to as “doctor”.

This word derives from the Latin docere which means to teach.

I do think my predilection for performance and working in the college drama group and now resurrecting some of that fun by working with journalists helps explain how I ended up doing so much media work or what I call “performance teaching”.

Epi Monitor: Well that is a fascinating evolution for sure. It confirms the maxim that there’s often more to the story than meets the eye. There are often roots to behaviors that go way back to past interests and activities.

Given your status and experience in doing this media work you undoubtedly have some tips gathered over the years from what you’ve really

learned about doing this kind of “performance teaching”.

Schaffner: I know in later years after I started that organizations have introduced media training for their professional staff or faculty and I've had just a touch of it here and there.

Some very simple lessons --- one of them is of course you can find out what the interest of the journalist is, and what's the story all about. You may have the opportunity to work with your own public relations office since those folks are very helpful to you.

And whatever the subject is, take a deep breath, sit down for a moment, and think of what your SOCO is, i.e., your single overriding communications objective. Focus on just two or three..

And then as you do this interview, no matter what question you’re asked, you can always bridge to your SOCO. You can say “what I would like to emphasize” and then keep going back to your SOCO. Of course it’s very important to keep everything that you say based on the best and latest public health science.

The other lesson is just keep it simple; don’t get complicated. Always figure out what does this mean to the average person. You can pitch your messages so that they are understood by your proverbial grandmother or relative who has a high school education. That is the level at which you want to pitch your messages.

This may not be for everyone, but I think a lot of people could become effective communicators when they find themselves in a position in academia or in public health communicating with a larger audience. .

- Schaffner cont'd on page 3

-Schaffner cont'd from page 3 EpiMonitor: What do you think are some of the personality traits that make some people more effective at this? I mean you've alluded to the fact that for you it's kind of fun just like it was fun to participate in theater. I think many people would look at it as the opposite of fun. But again what more would you say about personality traits?

more it's obvious that it is not accidental that you have come to play the role that you play, that you have really mastered some aspects of it. I think there is a recognition that you're good at what you are doing because they seem to come back to you time and time again for help with one problem or another.

Schaffner: I don't have any hidden agendas and I try to be objective. We public health professionals are still looked to with a certain respect, and I think we can take advantage of that as we communicate. I think of myself as an ambassador representing the best public health practice, and explaining infectious disease issues to the general public.

Schaffner: I try to make my interviews a little conversational and occasionally with a touch of humor.

That's not for everyone but you are allowed to smile when you do that and I think people respond to you a little bit better. I think that helps you to be comfortable in the environment.

Others prefer always to be a little bit more serious. That depends on your personality.

Part of my concept is realizing that journalists are in the business of communicating and that they need the story. And if we have important information, we need to communicate that information. We need them because they are our means of communicating with the general public. We need to be able to get on the TV news and have access to print media in order to communicate in rapid fashion to the general public.

So I have always seen journalists as partners, not adversaries and I try to convey that when I'm communicating with the journalists. You often have an opportunity to chat before you start the interviews and I try to establish a personal relationship with the journalist over time. When you see them the second and third time you can ask “how are you today”? I try to develop a personal relationship with each one.

EpiMonitor: I think the more we talk the

EpiMonitor: Changing the subject a little bit, how has COVID-19 been most different, if it has, from other topics that over the years you've been asked to talk about? I know that many epidemiologists have come out of the woodwork in the last year because anybody who has anything close to those kind of credentials has been consulted or asked to speak because the topic has been so much in the news and so important. Have you considered COVID-19 just more of the same in terms of its challenges to you as a speaker or do you think the situation has presented special challenges in communicating?

"I don't have any hidden agendas and I try to be objective."

“So I have always seen journalists as partners, not adversaries..."

Schaffner: The information about COVID that is desired by the public and by the media is unlike anything I remember in the past with any other outbreak. The Director of our news - Schaffner con't on page 4

3

-Schaffner cont'd from page 3 office once told me to remember “this is a marathon not a sprint”. Later I told him, with COVID, we’re all “sprinting a marathon”.

"I stay with the science and make nothing personal."

The other item which is really quite important to recognize is that public health policy overlaps with politics.

That's been more evident with COVID than with anything that I can remember. It is very delicate. In Washington not so many months ago you would have national public health authorities saying one thing and literally within minutes, political leadership saying something quite different.

I've had a personal goal of avoiding politics directly and more specifically avoiding two words—“President” and “Trump”. I stay with the science and make nothing personal. On occasion I will actually feel a need to say this is not a political comment I'm about to make but a public health matter.

“...local journalists always come first."

I have a personal goal or approach where local journalists always come first. I will try to make time for reporters from the local newspaper and from local TV stations and even weekly local newspapers. That's because I'm a representative of my medical center and am identified with local public health issues, so I go out of my way to be accommodating when requests come in.

EpiMonitor: As a frequently consulted person, what fraction of your total “performance teaching”, if I can keep using that term, do you think happens locally and how much of it happens with national or regional media?

4

Schaffner: About half and half.

EpiMonitor: How have you managed to stay on top of the COVID-19 situation because the amount of new information and the number of new papers being published is happening at an unprecedented pace?

Schaffner: For sure, all this new information is something that we're all trying to keep up with. Covid has really entered and taken over our lives in a very substantial way. I'm involved in a lot of teaching here at the medical center for learners at all levels. I’m also the medical director of the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases which is devoted to providing information for the entire spectrum of medical professionals as well as the general public. I continue to collaborate with colleagues at the CDC. All these activities help to keep me current.

EpiMonitor: In a way you're in a good position because the daily demands of the jobs you have do force you to stay in touch so then you can be in touch when you talk to journalists. Not everyone has jobs like that. I suspect that a lot of epidemiologists have had their jobs taken over or their daily preoccupations taken over by COVID19. In that sense whether they wanted to or not perhaps they have had to stay in touch because their job changed or their focus changed as a result of COVID. Still, there is a lot to keep up to date on. How can scientists not lose the confidence of the public when they change their guidance on a topic?

Schaffner: This is one of the most difficult challenges for all of us whether we are journalists or we are people who are trying to teach through the media. We need to keep reminding - Schaffner con't on page 5

-Schaffner cont'd from page 4 people that what we're saying today will be changed next week as we acquire new information.

EpiMonitor: I want to ask you about what I call science hesitancy. Sometimes there is a need for speaking with a certain amount of confidence about what you're saying because presumably people are getting guidance from you whether it is about wearing masks or how far you have to stay away from other people or whether you can get COVID from surfaces. Scientists by the nature of what they do have skepticism as part of their mindset. They are not really well equipped or well-qualified to speak confidently or without hesitation and without caveats.

You could say there are professional handicaps for scientists as communicators because nobody wants to hear from someone who doesn't have confidence in what he or she is saying.

How do you react to that? Do you feel that science hesitancy has sometimes been a problem?

Schaffner: That's your most trenchant question. Scientists have to re-learn if they're dealing with the media. We like to learn more and more about less and less. But when you communicate with the general public, you’ve only got 30 seconds. You have to paint with a broad brush. You look to role models. Tony Fauci is a genius at this, that is, shaping what he says in order to communicate effectively with the general public. .

Public communication is not for everyone. Some are better at it than others. Not everybody in baseball can be a third baseman or a shortstop. There are multiple individual ways to play and we can't expect everyone to be a utility

infielder who can play a whole variety of different positions.

EpiMonitor: That's very interesting and I think there is that element of people having to relearn because I think each occupation has its frameworks and its own worldviews and those come into play in dealing with the media. They are part of your training and part of the way you think and so if you have to relearn that can be difficult.

One of the things I have been aware of during my career is that public health epidemiologists have a particular learning challenge because they are both scientists and public health people and I think they have different goals, different purposes in the end. I could venture to say for scientists it's primarily about getting to the truth, and for public health people it’s about the well-being of a population. Sometimes you are willing to recommend or give guidance to take action when the amount of information you have is less than you would like to have. The amount of certainty you have is not optimal, but there's enough there so that in your opinion the prudent course of action is to recommend that people act or take action even though the data may not fully support it.

"Scientists have to re-learn if they're dealing with the media."

“...public health epidemiologists have a particular learning challenge..."

So I think public health epidemiologists wear two hats and have to not only relearn but in a sense switch hats from time to time.

This has to be more challenging then if you're a physicist or a geologist or some other scientist in a field where there isn't this “two hat” implementation or applicability - Schaffner con't on page 6

5

-Schaffner cont'd from page 5 challenge that goes along with the science. What's your reaction to that?

"...you could have different public policies based on the same science..."

“...we have not ranked the economic and personal consequences as highly as the public health."

6

Schaffner: I could not agree more. One way I talk about this challenge is using a metaphor. Think of having a house being built on a rock solid foundation of science. Based on that foundation, you can build a house that's designed by a modern architect or you can design a house that's reminiscent of a turn of the century Victorian house..

Likewise you could have different public policies based on the same science and that's particularly true when the science is very limited.

You’re going to have to justify based on the science but then you're going to have to explain how that science is going to be applied in a public health context. You have a certain amount of information and you try to apply it and you have to explain how the science justifies the particular architecture of the house of public policy on top of that foundation.

EpiMonitor: I love that metaphor because I came to learn in my career in dealing with autism and vaccines that the facts don't speak for themselves.

The foundation may be there but the foundation is not the house. There has to be something else on top of the foundation and I came to learn about the importance of the values that come into the decision making.

One of my conclusions is that it's really not all about evidence-based decisionmaking but rather it is about evidencebased and values-oriented decision making. The architecture that you were talking about is based on and created out of our values and we don't often admit that when we talk about evidence. Those values are more difficult to talk about.

Schaffner: I surely do think that our values influence our public policy. Let me give you a COVID example.

I think one of the characteristics of our public communication about COVID has been that we have not ranked the economic and personal consequences as highly as the public health. We have not recognized that these are also imperative. In order to make public policy you are like a tightrope walker with a pole. The public health issues are at one end of the pole with the economic, social, and cultural issues at the other end.. The governor, or mayor, or president are all trying to balance these values to get through to the other side of the pandemic. I don't think we in public health have sufficiently recognized good public policy has more items in it than simply flattening the curve. We have to recognize that there are also other values that are important to the continuing optimal functioning of our society. The trick is to keep them in balance.

EpiMonitor: Well as someone who's thought a lot about the connection between science and values in policy making, I do really appreciate your metaphor. It is difficult to discuss and navigate conflicting values.

Schaffner: I think conflict has become more stubbornly entrenched. It is more difficult for us to speak with each other. We recognize that we come to an issue with different values. Many people are harder for us to understand whatever the issue is because we don't speak with each other. I take my hat off to my wife because she periodically listens to different news sources to find out what they're saying and what the - Schaffner con't on page 7

-Schaffner cont'd from page 6 thought process is. In her own way she's trying to reach out and understand people who have a different political philosophy than we have in our house.

EpiMonitor: I know that we have had different stages in this pandemic and things have not always been the same, but let me just throw it out there. Do you have an opinion on our overall public communication during COVID. What grade would give public communication at this point?

Schaffner: I think clear, science-based, honest, and sustained communication to the general public should be the goal

at the very top of the list. In the United States the highest level of communication often led to confusion and uncertainty and a loss of confidence. That’s changed over time and I think we are restoring good science-based public health communication.

EpiMonitor: Thank you Bill for sharing your valuable insights about public communication of science related topics. You have set a high bar for all good communicators to aspire to and we are all in that situation of speaking to a large audience during our careers at one time or another.

■

“...the highest level of communication often led to confusion and uncertainty..."

Epidemiology Events Do you have an event of interest to the epi community?

Please help The Epidemiology Monitor keep the community informed by sending your event information to us for inclusion in the calendar on our website and in the monthly issue of The Epidemiology Monitor http://www.epimonitor.net/Events.htm events@epimonitor.net Linda Bernier / 770.533.3436

7

Reprint from the October 2013 Epidemiology Monitor

The Science of Science Communication Discussed At National Academies Colloquium [Editor’s Note: This month's feature, the conversation with William Schaffner, prompted us to reprint the article below from eight years ago. The report on a Science Communication meeting contains many insights that should be considered in bringing about effective public communication and is a useful adjunct to the concepts discussed by Dr Schaffner.]

“You can’t persuade someone you don’t respect.”

“You can’t persuade someone you don’t respect.” That attention-grabbing statement was only one of many uttered by Kathleen Hall Jamieson, Professor of Communication and Director of the Annenberg Public Policy Center at the University of Pennsylvania, speaking at a colloquium held at the National Academy of Sciences in September in Washington DC. According to the Science Academies, the colloquium was organized because topics critical to the welfare of society are suffering from ineffective communication.

Keynote Talk

“...improved communication involves efforts to breakdown the partisan filters..."

8

Social, behavioral, and decision scientists presented on “The Science of Science Communication” to help attendees better understand the complexities of successful science communication. The keynote address entitled “Responding to the Attack on the Best Available Evidence” was given

by Jamieson who tried to help her audience understand how scientists can communicate with the public in situations where trust has been lost, scientists are accused of not being impartial, and the public itself has come to see the facts through a partisan lens.

Topics such as communicating uncertainty, belief and attitude formation about science topics, and

social networks were also discussed.

On the third day, participants had the option to attend concurrent workshops on climate change, evolution, obesity/nutrition, and nanotechnology.

Prescription Jamieson’s prescription for improved communication involves efforts to breakdown the partisan filters that prevent persons from being able to see evidence more objectively. Techniques useful for this purpose include the use of evocative narratives and the use of clarifying metaphors.

The “Lock-Down” Metaphor Jamieson’s example of such a “lockdown” metaphor is likening global warming to a driver in a car in the habit of traveling slightly above the speed limit. It does not mean that the speed itself will be the cause of a future accident, but it suggests that speeding makes it more likely that something else encountered such as an oil spot on the road will cause an accident. And if so, the accident will be more calamitous. This helps explain the difficult concept to grasp that because of global warming, the number and severity of weather events will increase, though not all such events - Reprint con't on page 9

- Reprint cont'd from page 8 will be caused by global warming. Not an easy concept to get across without an effective or “lock-down” metaphor, according to Jamieson.

More Prescription Her prescription also includes speaking with a respectful voice, using impartial rhetoric, and envisioning the audience as an intelligent one worthy of engaging. This is the section of her talk where she stated “you can’t persuade someone you do not respect”.

Common Premise She noted the importance of finding common ground with the audience, finding a common premise on which to build communication. Without this common premise she said, effective communication is not possible. “The audience has to invest meaning for the communication to work,” said Jamieson.

By way of summary, Jamieson repeated that effective communication requires establishing that scientific consensus exists on an issue, establishing the credibility of experts based on past successes, and countering the partisan filter. This latter achievement requires explaining what we know and how we know it, employing evocative narrative, and using clarifying metaphors. Succeeding in communication, according to Jamieson, means we as a society will be more likely to lead the kind of lives that are compatible with good science.

Scientists and Policy World During the question and answer period, Jamieson was asked if scientists

should become more conversant with values so as to be more effective in disputes about evidence. She made a distinction between scientists operating in the world of science trying to describe what we know and how we know it from the world of policy where participants are debating alternatives for action. She said the expertise in these two worlds was different, and appeared to be discouraging scientists from entering the policy world because it risks the credibility of the scientists.

"The audience has to invest meaning for the communication to work..."

A second questioner followed up to ask if Jamieson was really saying that making recommendations on the basis of evidence such as might occur for vaccines known to be effective was off limits for scientists. She said this was a “fuzzy area”, but said the case for vaccines should be made on the merits of evidence for safety and efficacy.

Whether or not the government should mandate vaccines or pay for vaccines is another matter, she said, and appeared to call that off limits for scientists.

Minority Views Another provocative question was asked about when it was appropriate or acceptable to ignore minority views since it is widely accepted that there will always be such a minority in a democracy. Jamieson answered that in a democracy we can resolve disputes or get consent by counting votes. She did not answer directly the question of what to do about minority views. She added that very often the goal may be to persuade one person with the power to decide and not 51% of any group since the power may actually reside in that president, governor, or other official.

■

“...we as a society will be more likely to lead the kind of lives that are compatible with good science."

9

Near Term Epidemiology Event Calendar Every December The Epidemiology Monitor dedicates that issue to a calendar of events for the upcoming year. However that often means we don't have full information for events later in the upcoming year. Thus an online copy exists on our website that is updated regularly.

To view the full year please go to: http://www.epimonitor.net/Events The events that we are aware of for the next two months follow below.

May 2021 May 4-20 http://bit.ly/34gLGZh Conference / APHL 2021 / Association of Public Health Laboratories / VIRTUAL May 10-11 http://bit.ly/2K4p3Dl Short Course / Multiple Imputation for Missing Data / University of Bristol / VIRTUAL May 10-28 https://bit.ly/3d36Gc4 Short Course / Modeling Food Safety and Animal Health Risks Using R / EpiX Analytics / VIRTUAL May 15-19 http://bit.ly/3oVSpT3 Conference / Preventive Medicine 2021 / American College of Preventive Medicine / Washington, DC May 16-19 http://bit.ly/36gZsMC Conference /42nd Annual Meeting / Society for Clinical Trials / Chicago, IL May 17-21 http://bit.ly/3gQCH8N Conference / 2021 Annual Mtg American Association for Cancer Research (Part 2) / AACR / VIRTUAL May 17 - June 4 http://bit.ly/2P1VUrR Summer Program / Summer Public Health Institute / University of Minnesota / Minneapolis, MN May 24-25 http://bit.ly/344s0Ya Conference / 5th International Molecular Pathological Epidemiology (MPE) Meeting / Multiple / VIRTUAL May 31 - June 2 http://bit.ly/33YKQQx Short Course / Cardiovascular Epidemiology / Erasmus MC / VIRTUAL May 31 - June 4 http://bit.ly/2RvLH8H Conference / 46th Annual Kettil Brunn Society Meeting / Kettil Brunn Society / Helsinki, Finland May 31- June 4 http://bit.ly/34kMPl6 Conference / 10th SE Asia & Western Pacific TEPHINET Scientific Conference / TEPHINET / Taipei, Taiwan May 31 - June 18 http://bit.ly/38mW6tl Summer Program / Infectious Disease and Global Health / McGill University / Montreal, Canada

Help complete the epi calendar for 2021 The events listed on the next page in blue have traditionally run in May each year.

As of the date of publication, we cannot locate updated information for these specific events for 2021. We will be updating our calendar monthly throughout 2021. If you have any information on these events please contact us at events@epimonitor.net Please check our website and newsletter issue often for new information.

May 2021 continued Short Course / Psychopharmacology / Erasmus MC / https://bit.ly/2JTrTuh Conference / 69th Annual Epidemic Intelligence Service Conference CANCELLED FOR 2021 / CDC / http://bit.ly/38nmB26 Conference / International Epidemiology Conference / Athens Institute for Education & Research / http://bit.ly/2E0NTxe Short Course / Training Course on Epidemiological Data Analysis Using STATA / Data-Afrique Consultancy / http://bit.ly/2YBlM0U Conference / 14th Interest Conference (HIV) / IeDEA / http://bit.ly/2DXzS3d Conference / International Society for Radiation Epidemiology and Dosimetry, Inaugural Meeting / National Cancer Institute / http://bit.ly/36p0O8o Conference / WREN 2021 / Western Regional Epidemiology Network / http://bit.ly/2E2bYn2 Conference / 73rd World Health Assembly / WHO / http://bit.ly/2PuSCMM Summer Program / Summer Program on Modern Methods in Biostatistics & Epidemiology / BiostatEpi / http://bit.ly/2PtVfhM

June 2021 June 1-4 https://bit.ly/2IrMuWg Conference / 2021 Annual Conference / Society for Prevention Research / Location TBA June 1-30 https://bit.ly/2WdMtIy Summer Program / Episummer@Columbia / VIRTUAL June 4 http://bit.ly/37u0852 Conference / 8th annual Symposium on Advances in Genomics, Epidemiology and Statistics (SAGES) / University of Pennsylvania - CCEB / Philadelphia, PA June 5-16 http://bit.ly/2Kxw9QD Short Course / Epidemiological Evaluation of Vaccines / London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine / London, England June 7-9 http://bit.ly/2K4p3Dl Short Course / Causal Inference in Epidemiology: Concepts and Methods / University of Bristol / VIRTUAL June 12-15 http://bit.ly/3h0U1bh Conference / 2021 Annual Research Meeting / Academy Health / TBA (may be virtual) June 13-17 http://bit.ly/2Pkd8Q4 Conference / 2021 CSTE Annual Conference / Council of State & Territorial Epidemiologists / Pittsburgh, PA June 14-15 http://bit.ly/2Rvu2y4 Short Course / Introduction to Rates and Survival Analysis / University of Bristol / VIRTUAL

11

June 2021 continued June 14 - July 2 http://eepe.org/ Summer Program / 33rd Residential Summer Course in Epidemiology / EEPE - European Educational Programme in Epidemiology / Florence, Italy June 15-18 https://bit.ly/2INiyE6 Conference / NAACCR Summer Forum / NAACCR - North American Association of Central Cancer Registries / VIRTUAL June 21-22 http://bit.ly/2RyvIGU Conference / 34th Annual SPER Meeting / Society for Pediatric and Perinatal Epidemiologic Research / San Diego, CA June 21-25 http://bit.ly/3poaZn0 Summer Program / Real World Epidemiology / University of Oxford / Oxford, England June 22-24 http://bit.ly/38mi8wf Conference / Brain Tumor Epidemiology Conference / BTEC / Lyon France June 22-25 https://bit.ly/2LsgmTo Conference / 2021 Annual Conference / Society for Epidemiologic Research / San Diego, CA June 28-30 http://bit.ly/36c2Ubi Conference / APIC 2021 / Association for Professionals in Infection Control / Austin, TX June 29 - July 1 http://bit.ly/3mgiL0k Conference / 2021 NACCHO 360 - "Driving Public Health Forward" / NACCHO / Detroit, MI & Virtual

Help complete the epi calendar for 2021 The events listed on the next page in blue have traditionally run in June each year.

As of the date of publication, we cannot locate updated information for these specific events for 2021. We will be updating our calendar monthly throughout 2021. If you have any information on these events please contact us at events@epimonitor.net Please check our website and newsletter issue often for new information.

Short Course / Epidemiology in Action w/"R" Studio / Emory University SPH / http://bit.ly/2scdrVb Short Course / Intl Course in Applied Epi w/"R" Studio / Emory University SPH / http://bit.ly/2Edn7BX Short Course / Evidence Based Clinical Practice Workshop / McMaster University / http://bit.ly/2LARbvo Summer Program / Summer Program in Epidemiology / Harvard University / http://bit.ly/368xRgK Conference / 6th World One Health Conference / Multiple / http://bit.ly/35iHxFd Conference / 2021 ACHI National Conference / Association for Community Health Improvement / http://bit.ly/2Rvu2y4 Summer Program / Pharmacoepidemiology Summer School / Aarhus University / https://bit.ly/2ru6Kud Short Course / Intro to Infectious Disease Modelling / London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine / http://bit.ly/38mlLCo Short Course / Causal Inference in Epidemiology / University of Bristol / http://bit.ly/2E2pDL6 Short Course / Intro to Qualitative Research Methods / University of Bristol / http://bit.ly/2RwI4zn Short Course / Psychiatric Epidemiology / Erasmus MC / http://bit.ly/36mvib7

Notes on People Do you have news about yourself, a colleague, or a student?

Please help The Epidemiology Monitor keep the community informed by sending relevant news to us at this address for inclusion in our next issue. people@epimonitor.net

Died: George Seage III, on January 2, 2021 at age 63 from acute myeloid leukemia.

Dr Seage was professor of epidemiology at the Harvard School of Public Health and was particularly well known for his work on behavioral aspects of HIV transmission and in investigating the effects of antiretroviral therapy on the longterm health of children with perinatal HIV infection. In a statement from Michelle Williams, Dean at Harvard, she said “George leaves a remarkable legacy not just in infectious disease epidemiology, but also in the great love he shared with his family and the indelible imprint he left on so many dear friends and colleagues. It was an immense privilege to work with and know him.” A memorial recounting his professional and personal life will be published in May 2021 in Epidemiology by his wife Ann Aschengau, professor of epidemiology at Boston University School of Public Health.

Moving: Angela Dunn, state epidemiologist in Utah is quitting her job at the state level to take a position as executive health director of the Salt Lake County Health Department. Dunn was a prominent spokesperson during the COVID1-19 pandemic and drew strong supporters as well as detractors for her focus on wearing masks and maintaining restrictions on businesses and gatherings, according to local media accounts. The governor praised her as one of his most trusted advisers and the Utah Department of Health said “ it’s hard to overstate the truly lifesaving contributions Dr Dunn has made to Utah’s COVID-19 response.

Whether it was her steady voice at the press briefing podium, or her capable leadership at the table where decisions are made, Dr Dunn was always a champion for the health and well-being of Utah residents.”

Named: Jennie H Kwon, as vice chair for the Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America Research Committee. Dr Kwon is an assistant professor of medicine at Washington University School of Medicine in St Louis. She is also an associate hospital epidemiologist and the associate medical director for infection prevention at Barnes-Jewish hospital.

13

- People cont'd on page 14

Notes on People, continued from page 13 Do you have news about yourself, a colleague, or a student?

Please help The Epidemiology Monitor keep the community informed by sending relevant news to us at this address for inclusion in our next issue. people@epimonitor.net

Resigned: Mario Fafangel, as an advisor on the panel providing advice to the government on measures to contain COVID-19. Dr Fafangel is head of the center for communicable diseases at the National Institute of Public Health in Slovenia.

This is Dr Fafangel’s second resignation from the panel, according to local media accounts. He reportedly resigned because decisions made were often in disagreement with the opinions and protocols of epidemiologists. According to Fafangel, when he received the invitation to rejoin the expert team, “…I honestly believed things would be different this time around. They are different indeed, worse.”

Debuted: Kate Q Johnson, postdoctoral fellow and outcomes health researcher using epidemiology methods at the University of Washington, has been published with her first historical romance novel entitled “Daughter of Carthage, Son of Rome”. According to her publisher Bellastoria Press, the romance novel reveals the similarities between ancient Rome and today.

Your Ad Should Be Here Do you have a job, course, conference, book or other resource of interest to the epidemiology community? Advertise with The Epidemiology Monitor and reach 35,000 epidemiologists, biostatisticians, and public health professionals monthly Advertising opportunities exist in this digital publication, on our website and Facebook page, and in our Epi-Gram emails.

Linda Bernier, Director of Advertising / 770.533.3436 / linda@epimonitor.net

14

Assistant or Associate Professor Systemic Racism & Health Position description The Department of Epidemiology, Biostatistics & Occupational Health (EBOH) invites applications for a tenure track position at the rank of Assistant or Associate Professor for a candidate with research expertise on the epidemiology of racial inequalities in health. The ideal candidate will have substantive research interests in the effects of systemic racism and its effects on population health and/or interventions to improve the health of racialized populations and address inequalities.

Competitive candidates will also possess demonstrated or strong potential for excellence in teaching.

Qualifications and Education Requirements Applicants must hold a PhD or equivalent advanced degree with a research focus on systemic racism or racial inequalities in health. The ideal candidate will possess research training and experience in the epidemiology of racial inequalities in health, systemic racism, and/or social epidemiology, and will have proven excellence or high potential for excellence in their field.

Applicants with background and training in other social science disciplines (e.g., economics, psychology) with a research focus on systemic racism or racial inequalities in health are also encouraged to apply. Among candidates deemed to meet with equivalence the requirements of this position, preference will be given to Black candidates.

Please apply using the following link as an external if you are not a McGill employee, and as an internal if you are currently a McGill employee and have an active McGill Workday account: https://bit.ly/3gcOrEf

Your Ad Should Be Here Do you have a job, course, conference, book or other resource of interest to the epidemiology community? Advertise with The Epidemiology Monitor and reach 35,000 epidemiologists, biostatisticians, and public health professionals monthly.

Advertising opportunities exist in this digital publication, on our website and Facebook page, and in our Epi-Gram emails.

For more information please contact: Linda Bernier, Director of Advertising / 770.533.3436 / linda@epimonitor.net

Senior Clinical Research Coordinator Tulane University School of Public Health and Tropic Medicine Department of Epidemiology, New Orleans, LA

We are seeking a detail-oriented, energetic, and dynamic person to coordinate and oversee daily operations of a multisite clinical trial to improve hypertension control in underserved populations. Responsibilities include training and supervising research staff; monitoring participants’ recruitment, retention, and implementation of the intervention; overseeing data collection and quality control; and communicating with partner healthcare system leadership and clinic staff. The senior clinical research coordinator works directly with principal investigators and the leadership team. She/He is required to have an in-depth knowledge of protocol requirements and good clinical practices as set forth by federal regulations. The senior clinical research coordinator will act as a liaison between patients, staff, investigators, collaborators, partner institutes, and the IRB. The senior clinical research coordinator serves a key management and administrative role for the project by supervising research staff to ensure compliance with protocol, federal, and institutional requirements, and by frequently traveling to clinics to conduct trainings and site visits.

Requirements: experience supervising and training research staff; willingness to travel to clinics for site visits; flexibility to work outside regular hours as needed, and available to respond promptly to study participants, clinical research coordinators, and clinic staff for emergency situations; knowledge of good clinical research practice; ability to interact well with patients and staff; excellent organization, interpersonal, and communication skills; ability to maintain confidentiality in all work performed; proficient in various software programs; and ability to acquire and maintain all required training certificates, including CITI. Experience in clinical research in hypertension and cardiovascular disease is preferred.

Education requirement: a master's degree in clinical research, epidemiology, public health, or a related field with 2 years of related work experience or a bachelor's degree or RN with current state licensure with 5 years of related work experience.

APPLY HERE: https://jobs.tulane.edu/position/IRC20418

ASSISTANT / ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR - EPIDEMIOLOGY The Department of Epidemiology, Graduate School of Public Health, University of Pittsburgh invites applications for a faculty position at the level of Assistant/Associate Professor in the appointment stream. This position is available immediately and requires a doctoral degree in epidemiology (PhD or DrPH). We are particularly interested in applicants who have a substantial interest in pedagogy and educational program development. The candidate will support the Bachelors of Science in Public Health (BSPH) degree program and the master’s degree programs in epidemiology, will serve on the admissions committee, and actively recruit students for our programs. The candidate will also serve as a major advisor to the master’s students, develop public health training and internship opportunities, oversee and evaluate these internships and coordinate student activities. The candidate will be expected to develop an applied epidemiology course at the master’s level and an undergraduate epidemiology course and teach one or more courses per academic year. The position will also require that the candidate sustain an independent program of research by obtaining independent research funding and publishing research manuscripts. It is expected that approximately 60% of the candidate’s effort will focus on the educational mission of our Department, including both the BSPH and the Master’s program, and 40% on research. In addition to the qualifications above, appointment at the Associate Professor level requires five years of experience and demonstrated scholarly productivity, including teaching, funded research, and extensive publications in peer-reviewed journals. Salary will be commensurate with experience.

Review of applications will commence upon receipt of all application materials and will continue until the position is filled.

Please apply by going to www.join.pitt.edu and applying for requisition#20006036. Please attach a cover letter, curriculum vitae, a statement of current and future research directions, and the names of three references to your online application.

The University of Pittsburgh is an Affirmative Action/ Equal Opportunity Employer and values equality of opportunity, human dignity and diversity, EOE, including disability/vets.

The Epidemiology Monitor in a Digital Version is available FREE to subscribers The Epidemiology Monitor is available exclusively online in the same familiar print format subscribers are accustomed to, and they can read through the publication on their electronic devices in the same manner they did with the print version. In addition, you’ll be able to download and save copies of The Epidemiology Monitor for easy future access. Over the next year we’ll be exploring ways to make this publication available on additional mobile devices.

This publication format provides: ► Easier access to information that is more timely ► ► ► ►

Publication alerts via email Embedded hot links in articles Full color advertising Wider circulation for advertisers

SUBSCRIBE FOR FREE TODAY AT: http://epimonitor.net/Subscribe.htm