News & Events

Ozgur Araz, PhD: Developing System Simulation Models to Inform Public Health Policy Decisions

Spotlight on Research at COPH – Dr. Araz’s research focuses on developing system simulation models to analyze and understand the behaviors of complex systems and to inform policy decision making about complex public health issues. Simulation gives policy makers the ability to see the real-time impact of their decisions. As an industrial engineer trained in systems simulation and computational methods, Dr. Araz participates in various research projects in the College of Public Health (COPH) and collaborates with faculty from other colleges on campus. His recent… Continue Reading

Dr. Baojiang Chen, PhD, Research on Biostatistical Methodological Development and Applications

Spotlight on Research at COPH – Dr. Chen’s current research focuses on both methodological development and statistical applications to research, such as in Alzheimer’s disease (AD) studies and cancer studies. Dr. Chen has been working on statistical methods and analyses for Alzheimer’s disease (AD) in the National Alzheimer’s Coordinating Center (NACC). Approximately 5 million people in the United States and more than 37 million people worldwide are affected by AD. With AD, a person’s memory and ability to learn and carry out daily activities such… Continue Reading

Shinobu Watanabe-Galloway, PhD, Research on Mental Illness and Substance-Related Disorders

Spotlight on Research at COPH – Across the United States, two million persons with serious mental illnesses are booked into jails each year. According to the National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia University, about 40% of state prison and local jail inmates have substance use disorders, and 25% have substance use disorders with mental illness. There is a substantial overlap between the behavioral health and criminal justice systems. Dr. Shinobu Watanabe-Galloway and her research team worked with the Behavioral Health Division of… Continue Reading

“Sleep tight! Don’t let the bed bugs bite!”

Public Health Community Advisory – Over the last two years, bed bugs have increasingly been found in hotels, apartments, houses, shelters, cruise ships, buses, trains, airplanes, dorm rooms, schools, hospitals, and department stores. Bed bugs even invaded the New York Ritz Carlton Hotel in January 2012, showing that bed bugs know no boundaries regardless of income bracket. The cause for the rise in infestations remains unclear, but is likely due to bed bug populations developing resistance to pesticides, increased domestic and international travel aiding transport,… Continue Reading

The College of Public Health Takes Part in Husker Harvest Days

Public Health Community Advisory – This year’s hot, dry, drought conditions have produced a triple threat to the safety, security, and health of the agriculture community, with an increase in fire danger, significantly reduced yield in crops, and dangerous levels of aflatoxin in the corn crop. The gritty combination of dry top soil and gusty winds greeted this year’s participants of Husker Harvest Days (HHD). Taking place in the middle of a dry corn field just west of Grand Island on September 11-13, HHD prides… Continue Reading

Patrik Johansson, MD, MPH

Faculty Highlight – Dr. Patrik Johansson joined the College of Public Health 2009. Prior to 2009, he was an assistant professor at The George Washington University School of Public Health and Health Services, deputy chief medical officer for Greater Southeast Community Hospital in Washington, DC, and account executive for Hill and Knowlton Japan in Tokyo. He earned his bachelor of arts in international relations from Brown University and his MD from the UNMC College of Medicine. He did his residency in primary care/internal medicine at… Continue Reading

Niccolette Ramsey

Student Highlight – Nicci Ramsey is originally from Albuquerque, New Mexico, but was raised in Omaha. She is a student in the UNMC COPH MPH Program, with a concentration in Public Health Administration.  Nicci’s path to the field of public health began with her pursuit of a bachelor’s degree in psychology with a minor in peace studies from Chapman University in Orange, California. She continued to pursue her education goals by earning a master’s degree in counseling psychology with a focus on substance abuse and… Continue Reading