CHHS News

A new study from Amira Roess in the Department of Global and Community Health highlights the differences in breastfeeding initiation between African Americans and Black immigrants enrolled in the Washington, D.C. WIC supplemental nutrition program.

The Mason community is invited to attend public presentations by the four current finalist candidates for the position of dean of the College of Health and Human Services. Those who attend will be asked complete an online survey to provide feedback regarding each candidate.

Michael S. Bloom, PhD, associate professor in George Mason’s College of Health and Human Services, was recently appointed to the Editorial Board of Fertility and Sterility.

Amira Roess, professor in the College’s Department of Global and Community Health, says that while several Middle Eastern countries had preparedness plans in place prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, the region’s response shows that the implementation plans remain underdeveloped and under-resourced.

Congratulations to Michael S. Bloom, PhD, associate professor in the Department of Global and Community Health, for being elected as a Fellow of the American College of Epidemiology (FACE). The American College of Epidemiology (ACE) is the professional organization dedicated to continued education and advocacy for epidemiologists in their efforts to promote public health.

Amid reports that many advanced degree programs in the United States leave graduates in financial debt for years after graduation, the Wall Street Journal published an online tool comparing the debt-to-income ratio of graduates from different programs and different universities across the country. When using this metric, Mason’s Master of Public Health (MPH) degree fared the best compared with other MPH programs in Virginia.

Jhumka Gupta, ScD, MPH, associate professor in the College of Health and Human Services’ Department of Global and Community Health, says that she has always been drawn to research that seeks to “bring the ‘hidden side’ of things out in the open: such as violence against women and girls and refugee populations.” Gupta’s research on period poverty, and more broadly, stigma and menstrual health, is helping to inform a national policy discussion on health equity, reaching well beyond the public health community. U.S. Rep. Grace Meng (D-Queens) has referenced Gupta’s research in support of legislation for menstrual equity. After Gupta saw her research referenced on Rep. Meng’s social media, she reached out to Meng’s office to share additional resources. In May 2021, Meng introduced the Menstrual Equity for All Act of 2021, aimed at increasing access to menstrual products, and she met with Gupta to learn more about her work. 

For Master of Public Health (MPH) student Jorge Garcia, the COVID-19 pandemic provided an opportunity to obtain real-world experience in infectious disease surveillance by applying the skills he learned throughout his MPH courses while working at the Fairfax County Health Department.

Four new members have joined the College of Health and Human Services (CHHS) Advisory Board: Alison Ansher, district health director for Prince William Country; Anton Arbatov, vice president of revenue cycle management and compliance for SOC Telemed; Michael Fraser, chief executive officer at ASTHO; and Patricia Haresign, health and wellness coach and founder of Coaching Wellness for Life.

Thanks to the generosity of Michael von Fricken, professor of Global and Community Health, the One Health Scholarship will provide a selected graduate student with funding and/or support to pursue a research project relating to the One Health initiative.