Shane Wurdeman, PhD, MSPO, CP, FAAOP and Eleanor G Rogan, PhD
Alumni Highlight – Two College of Public Health (COPH) Alumni were recognized at the Annual COPH Awards Dinner in recognition of their service.
Michele Kassmeier, MPH
Michele Kassmeier, MPH, is the 2015 recipient of the College of Public Health Alumni Association Spirit of Service Award. Michele is a Program Coordinator/Communications Specialist with the UNMC COPH Center for Preparedness Education. She is involved with the planning and development of several educational programs that PrepEd offers. Michele received her Bachelor of Science degree in Biochemistry with minors in Spanish, Math, and Chemistry from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. She received her Master of Public Health degree, concentrating in Epidemiology from the University of Nebraska Medical Center COPH.
Michele served as a Student Association officer and serves on the College of Public Health Alumni Association Board. Through the various opportunities afforded by these organizations she has been able to continue serving and helping people. She currently resides in Omaha, Nebraska where she grew up, and enjoys playing indoor or (weather permitting) sand volleyball. In the fall of 2015, Michele will begin training as a Physician Assistant.
Shane Wurdeman, PhD, MSPO, CP, FAAOP
Dr. Shane Wurdeman, PhD, MSPO, CP, FAAOP, is the 2015 recipient of the Chancellor Harold & Beverly Maurer “Excellence and Promise” Prize. Dr. Wurdeman obtained his doctoral degree from the College of Public Health in Occupational Health-Biomechanics. During this time, he worked as a graduate research assistant at the University of Nebraska Omaha Biomechanics Research Building. His dissertation work focused on the effects of amputee rehabilitation on stride-to-stride fluctuations, culminating in 4 published manuscripts and another in review. In total, his dissertation and research efforts throughout his 4 years of doctoral studies resulted in 11 published manuscripts, all as first author. In this same time frame he presented 50 abstracts, mentored young graduate and undergraduate students, and taught the graduate biomechanics course series at UNO. Dr. Wurdeman has written federal grants to government entities including the NIH, NIDRR, VA, and DOD.