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CommunityHealthProgram CHP

Newsletter Spring 2013

Tufts University

Casino and Community in Everett, MAby Awesta Yaqubi

Interdisciplinary Cooperation:Engineering and Community Health

by Kathryn Eckhert

Engineers Without Borders in Shilongo Village, Mbale, Uganda. (l to r) Cliff Bargar E’12, Erin Fleurant LA ‘13, Misaka Nozawa E ‘13, Erin

Coonahan E’12

Engineering and public health are two disciplines at Tufts that do not intuitively appear to connect. The Community Health Program (CHP) has historically been viewed as among the most active interdisciplinary departments on campus, though at first glance it is difficult to comprehend how it might find common ground with the Engineering School. In reality, public health and engineering relate on many levels both at Tufts and around the world

According to the Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF), commonly referred to as Doctors Without Borders in the U.S., “to be appropriate technical solutions, they have to be socially acceptable.”1 Engineering for a public health purpose is exemplified through methods of water treatment and sanitation in the developing world. Dr. Daniele Lantagne, a professor in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at Tufts, is on the forefront of

research in water treatment and sanitation in developing countries. According to Dr. Lantagne, we see many of the high impact public health engineering projects being implemented in the developing world where there is the greatest need for improvement in infrastructure. Currently, Dr. Lantagne is working on several projects to improve both the availability and efficacy of water treatment products in the developing world. In one specific project, she is looking to reduce the size of biosand filters distributed for water treatment, as smaller filters have been correlated with an increase in use. “I really like how applied engineering becomes [in these situations] in a meaningful public

health way,” Dr. Lantagne said.Despite her demanding professional schedule, Dr.

Lantagne has made time to pass on her passion for public health engineering through “Public Health Engineering,” a class she co-

Four miles north of Boston sits Everett, Massachusetts, a city 3.5 square miles large with a population of approximately 35,000 people.1 Home to diverse businesses and people alike, Everett industry contributes to the economic well being of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Seemingly out of place is a 35-acre former Monsanto chemical plant, which has been of interest lately due to its potential use as grounds for a new casino site.2 While interest increased in the fall, action is currently at a standstill as the Massachusetts Gaming Commission reviews applications detailing propositions for the space. In the meantime, Everett residents are evaluating the effects of a casino on the town, some of which are directly related to health. In November of 2012, Everett mayor, Carlo DeMaria, announced that he had engaged in preliminary talks with Hard Rock International about building a casino in the city.3 After a failed attempt at creating a casino in Foxboro, Massachusetts, Hard

Rock joined in the competition with Wynn Resorts, whose CEO Steve Wynn visited Everett in December.2 As of late January 2013, those who submitted developers’ applications to the Massachusetts Gaming Commission were still awaiting a response now expected between late spring and early summer. If the Wynn proposal (or any other proposal) receives a green light, the next step would be for the developers to sign a host agreement with Everett, and an impacted community agreement with neighboring communities, such as Malden and Medford. This, however, depends on whether voting in the host community of Everett results in favor of the casino.2 In another part of the country (Crawford and Cherokee Counties in Kansas) a similar process unfolded in early 2012, sparking a Health Impact Assessment (HIA) conducted by the Kansas Health Institute.4 The assessment was justified since the issue did not appear, to the general public, to have a direct impact

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CHP Policy Board

Edith D. BalbachDirector, CHP

Carol Baffi-DuganAssoc. Dean of Undergraduate Education

Harry BernheimBiology Department

David GuteCivil & Environmental Engineering

Ann EasterbrooksChild Development

Raymond HyattFriedman School of Nutrition Scienceand Policy

Karen KosinskiCommunity Health Program

Linda Sprague MartinezCommunity Health Program

Sarah PintoAnthropology

Cora RoelofsCommunity Health Program

Pamela Schoenberg ReiderProgram AdministratorInternship Coordinator, CHP

Rosemary C.R. Taylor, Ph.D.CHP/Sociology

CHP Staff

Kim DeCrescenzoStaff Assistant

Laura PinkhamStaff Assistant

Newsletter EditorsKathryn Eckhert ‘13Alex Goldman ‘14Emma Goldstein ‘13Chelsea Hicks ‘15Sonja Kytomaa ‘15Awesta Yaqubi ‘14

From the Director After 15 happy years of teaching at Tufts, I am retiring at the end of this semester. I was having some trouble deciding what to say in my final Director’s Column; there was so much I could cover. So, I thought I would put the column in the form of a Q&A. I asked our graduating seniors what my Q’s should be. Here are some of those Q’s, along with my A’s.

Q: What will you do next year?A: I have a lot of ideas for what I want to do next in life. I have really enjoyed my 15 years at Tufts University. The program has grown in terms of the number of faculty and students, we are more visible on campus, we have a richer array of courses, we have been bringing in grant money. But it’s time to do something else.

I have around 5 papers I need to write based on work we did as part of my last grant from the National Cancer Institute. That has been weighing heavily on my mind and I look forward to having time to complete those papers. I also have a book that is half written and I want to write the other half. No one is impressed when you say, “Look, I wrote half a book!”

I have always wanted to be a park ranger and I look forward to having time to volunteer at a local national or state park. There are several in the Coachella Valley area of southern California. I am moving to my condo in Palm Springs.

I want to have time for friends and family. It has been very wearing in the last few years to only have long weekends with them, and I spend half of those on my laptop answering emails and writing letters of recommendation.

Finally, every year I attend the Monterey Jazz Festival, and I miss Sunday night, the wonderful closing night, because I need to get back to campus. This year, I am excited that I will be there all weekend and can sleep late on Monday.

Q; What was your favorite course you taught?A: I liked all of the teaching I did at Tufts, but I think that teaching CH 1, Introduction to Community Health, was the most meaningful to me. That course helped people see pathways to improving the health of communities that involved more than getting those people access to the health care system. Students have pursued those alternate pathways into careers in law, public health, public policy, and social work, in addition to careers in the health professions and health administration. I’m hoping to see some careers in politics as well. We need more smart, thoughtful elected officials. Wonderful positive energy in that class.

Q: A favorite memory outside of the classroom? A: In 2004, I was sitting on my patio in Palm Springs, CA, enjoying spring break. (One of the great things about college teaching is that you can be 60 and still have spring break.) I received an email from Jim Glaser, then dean of undergraduate education, now dean of academic affairs for Arts and Sciences, letting me know that I had won the Lerman-Neubauer Prize for Outstanding Teaching and Advising. I remember thinking, “Wow, maybe I can do this job.”

Q: What do you think the biggest public health issue is facing our generation?A: I know those of you who have taken CH 1 think my answer will be “smoking.” But it’s a little broader than that. We need to explore all the intersections of private interests and public health, and our political system needs to mediate that intersection. Too often, in my opinion, that system is overly deferential to private interests at the expense of public health. Job creation is extremely important – I am deeply grateful to have had a job – but we need to think about long term health issues as well.

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Faculty SpotlightCH Alum Returns: Professor Meghan Woo

by Chelsea Hicks

Chelsea Hicks with Meghan Woo

As a sophomore currently studying community health I have to admit that when I first came to Tufts, I knew very little about the field of community health. This February I had the opportunity to interview with Prof. Meghan Woo, CH alum and the current CH 104 instructor for Women and Health at Tufts University, and getting her perspective on the topic of community health was an enlightening experience.

Hicks: What sparked your love of Community Health?Woo: I have always been interested in health and medicine. The large community health program here was a big determinant in choosing this school for my undergraduate degree. At first I wanted to be pre-med but after taking a community health class here at Tufts, I knew that I wasn’t interested in individual medicine but more so population health. I was and still am excited about affecting health on a population level. This allows me to touch so many more people’s lives.

Hicks: How long have you been in this field?Woo: I have been involved since college, so that means it’s been between 10 to 15 years that I have spent working in the community health field. After graduation from Tufts, I worked as a research assistant at the Brigham and Women’s Hospital. It provided me a good introduction into research and clinical trials. After being there a year, I decided to look for another research opportunity that could provide me with more responsibilities. I wanted a position that dealt more with health disparities work. I then started working for Cambridge Health Alliance Center for Multicultural Mental Health Research. There I served as Project Manager for a study which examined the mental health of Latinos and Asians in the US and their access to mental health care. I put two and a half years toward this project and I continue working at the Center part-time while I pursued graduate work. I then received my Masters and Doctorate of Science from the Harvard School of Public Health focusing on the social determinants of health and social policy.

Hicks: Did you always know you wanted to be a teacher?Woo: I had the opportunity to teach throughout grad school, and I really enjoyed these experiences. When I was approached about the position at Tufts I knew it was a position that I always wanted to take on. It has been fantastic teaching at Tufts. It is great being able to connect with students and have open discussions on various topics relating to health and community. The students seem genuinely interested about the topics.

Hicks: I hear that you’re involved in a Community Health corporation. Could you tell us more about it?Woo: I work for Abt Associates, a research consulting firm. I work in the public health and epidemiology practice of the company. Some recent projects that we have been involved in

are an intervention program to reduce infant mortality in the 13 states with the highest infant mortality rates, and an evaluation of the LAUNCH program. LAUNCH is an early childhood mental health program for children ages 0 to 8 years of age which works to ensure that all children reach physical, social, emotional, behavioral, and cognitive milestones. My job is to perform an evaluation on its effectiveness. I enjoy consulting because my day-to-day focus is less on publishing and more on conducting applied research and direct guidance to my clients.

Hicks: How can people in the field of Community Health impact the world?Woo: This is such a diverse field. You can have so many interests and still make both public health and community health apply to that field. I think that people should apply a public health perspective to the field that

they are in whether it is law, clinical, research etc. They should understand how people and policy can impact health. Find what you are passionate about and apply principles learned in this program to that particular field.

Hicks: What advice can you give to students looking to get involved with organizations to experience community health work?Woo: Don’t be shy about reaching out to alumni and directly to organizations for informational interviews. Internships and volunteer opportunities are not always publicized and these conversations can also help you figure out the type of work environment you might like. Many times informational interviews can help you find out if you really like a field and they help you make connections. My past two positions were found through informal networking.

Hicks: Is there anything else you want to say to the Community Health majors out there?Woo: Yes. I know that it is a challenging time in terms of economy, but I’ve found that the people who work in the field of public health are passionate and genuine and truly enjoy what they are doing. I am always happy to talk with students about career paths. I would also tell them to make use of our Tufts alumni network. I’ve found alumni eager to answer questions and talk with students. The best way to see if you want to pursue something is to talk to someone in that field and position.

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GAVI staff and partners pose with the staff of the SinzaClinic in Dar es Salaam

The GAVI Alliance 2012 Partners’ Forum: Rising to the Challengeby Alex Goldman

While studying abroad this fall in Geneva, I completed an internship at the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunization (GAVI Alliance). My assignment was to work on GAVI’s fifth semi-annual Partners’ Forum. This year’s Forum, held in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, brought together over 500 partners in the vaccine industry, including ministers of health, representatives from vaccine manufactures, non-governmental organizations, and public health experts with the common goal of rising to the challenge of immunizing every child, everywhere. GAVI is a public private partnership (PPP) that came into existence in 2000 with the goal of universal immunization coverage. Countries apply for GAVI aid, and, with the help of its partners, including the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, WHO, and UNICEF, GAVI has been responsible for the immunization of 370 million children in the last ten years. The PPP uses these forums as an opportunity to connect with partners, celebrate accomplishments of the past, and figure out what needs to change in the future. Much of the Forum this year focused on celebrating the progress made in the past ten years. GAVI estimates that four out of five children receive routine immunization. The emphasis moving forward is to bring vaccines to that fifth child. This proverbial fifth child is often located in the most remote communities without easy access to basic health services, leading to a phrase used throughout the Forum, “the problem with the fifth child is that he/she’s not standing next to the other four.” One of the most inspiring parts of the Forum was hearing representatives from the vaccine industry talk about how to best accomplish this. In a plenary session, Christopher Viehbacher, head of Sanofi-Pasteur, which manufactures vaccines for GAVI use, addressed how reaching these children can start at the manufacturing level. He stated that his research and development team understand the

difficulties in delivering their vaccines around the world. The need to keep most vaccinations cold before they are delivered proves to be a huge barrier in reaching the fifth child. Viehbacher cited the Forum as an important venue for bringing together both manufacturers and distributers to collaborate on how to best address these problems. He also emphasized the importance of GAVI’s work in gathering the data necessary to predict future vaccine demand and help manufacturers prepare. The work of GAVI and its partners was made real to me when I had the opportunity to attend a field visit to the Sinza

Clinic in Dar. While there, I saw pentavalent vaccines that GAVI had funded being administered to infants. While mothers waited for their children to be vaccinated, they received lessons on proper newborn care. It was also wonderful to be in Tanzania for the launch of GAVI-funded programs to bring the pneumococcal and rotavirus vaccines into routine immunization. This dual launch, made possible by both GAVI and the Ministry of Health of Tanzania was a highlight of the

Forum proceedings and represents a huge step in reducing unnecessary deaths from both pneumonia and

diarrheal diseases. Another important event of the Forum was a session between representatives from Germany and Tanzania, whereby Germany committed to funding health and water improvement projects. This bilateral agreement was inspiring, and it was exciting to see these types of funding agreements in action rather than as abstract concepts. Overall, this year’s Forum was a great success. Participants left feeling energized and excited about the progress that has been made and the remaining steps towards 100% immunization coverage. With the continued participation of GAVI and its partners, the industry should have made significant progress by the time the next Forum rolls around!

on health. However, the report identified risks and benefits beyond pathological gambling and economic benefit associated with the presence of a casino.4 New jobs were likely to increase quality of life, but not without the possibility of increases in nicotine dependence, substance use, and depression.4 The Kansas HIA does not advocate one side over the other; rather, it provides an overall look at the impact a casino could have on the health of its host city’s citizens. In the event that the Kansas casino was approved for development, the researchers offered suggestions for reducing the risk of overall harm. Examples of recommendations include: “Eliminate smoking within and around casino buildings,” and “Train primary care physicians to screen for problem gambling

behaviors at medical homes.4” Policymakers and community members in Everett may

find the Kansas HIA useful moving forward. Bob Marra, Director of the Everett Community Health Improvement Partnership, agrees since the document imparts a well-rounded perspective and Everett has yet to conduct an assessment of its own. So far, discussions have mainly involved the Mayor, but he has assured the community that the Everett Common Counsel will play a role if discussions proceed.5 Everett officials and the Mayor have reportedly indicated support of the casino.5 In terms of public opinion, Marra estimates that the split is about 70 percent in favor to 30 percent opposed the casino. Overwhelming support may be

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Timmy Global Health’s Trip to Guatemalaby Sonja Kytomaa

This past January, I had the opportunity to travel to Guatemala with the Tufts chapter of Timmy Global Health. Our group visited for one week, each day traveling to a different community, which included Concepción Chiquirichapa, Quetzaltenango, Pujujil, Buena Vista and Xeabaj. At each location, we set up a mobile clinic, carrying with us boxes and boxes of medications and other supplies. All of the volunteers were assigned various tasks, including translating, writing down patient histories, measuring vital signs, keeping antsy children entertained, providing them with toothbrushes and fluoride, and helping organize and hand out medications at the pharmacy. This wide variety of duties reflected the diversity of our group. Students ranged from economics to biochemistry majors, demonstrating that an interest in lessening health disparities reaches well beyond the typical health fields.

Though this is a cliché, the trip was a learning experience in many ways. We spent most of last semester learning about Guatemalan culture, along with fundraising and gathering medical supplies. Despite these preparations, I was still taken aback when interacting with the patients. It was not culture shock in the classical sense, however. What really surprised me was, despite the dramatically different environment, how many similarities there were between the patients I met and people I know back home. One particular patient, a 19-year-old girl like me, named Gloria, is a great example of this. At work in pharmacy, I called Gloria’s name to give her the vitamins prescribed by the doctor. Noting her age, I expected to be greeted by a fully-grown individual. I am only 5 feet tall, so I can very rarely say this, but when she got up, I felt tall. Due to the lack of access to proper nutrition, stunting is a major problem in Guatemala. This is one, highly visible, example of the health disparities impacting the population: Gloria is not able to receive nourishment we so often take for granted in the

US. Gloria greeted me with a large smile, started joking about my blonde hair (which made me stand out like a sore thumb in a solely dark-haired community) and talked about her hopes of one day becoming a doctor. I could have easily had this same interaction with any of my peers in the US. Even though she might have had a lot of difficulties in her life, she was able to maintain an impressive level of optimism, and is a true testament to people’s potential for perseverance.

Another striking trend I noticed in my short visit was the number of returning patients to the clinics. Most of the patients we saw were simply there to refill their prescriptions for medications they were already taking in order to control issues which were already diagnosed. Though this must have been intellectually boring for the incredible medical professionals we traveled with, it speaks to the strength of the Timmy organization. These clinics do not drop in and provide quick fixes. They work on a sustainable model in which the relationship between Timmy and the host

communities is long term, ensuring that patients receive follow-ups and a full course of any treatment.

An additional highlight of the trip included breaking the record for number of patients seen in a day at, not just one, but two of our sites. The lines snaked around the clinic, and despite having to wait sometimes for hours, each patient entered the make-shift doctor’s office with a grin and enthusiasm to receive care, rather than the dread and groan commonly associated with a visit to the doctors.

More recently, everyone on the trip had the chance to meet with Matt McGregor, the executive director of Timmy, when he was visiting Tufts for the EPIIC symposium. He talked a lot about potential future directions for our local chapter, as well as the national and international groups. We now hope to take the enthusiasm inspired by our experiences and help Timmy continue to accomplish great things into the future.

Timmy volunteers along with medical professionals and Guatemalan doctors on route to a clinic site

due to the prospect of new jobs. Whether Everett voters stop or support the effort, a look at the Kansas Health Impact Assessment may prove helpful in doing what is best for the City of Everett.

(1) City of Everett Department of Housing and Community Development (2006). Retrieved from http://www.ci.everett.ma.us/Everett_files/facts.htm(2) Moore, G. (2012, December 23). Proposed Everett casino site could be a gamble for developer Steve Wynn. Boston Business Journal. Retrieved from http://www.masslive.com/business-news/index.ssf/2012/12/everett_casino_site_could_be_a_gamble_fo.html(3) Mayor: Hard Rock eyes Everett, Mass. Casino site. (2012, November

8). The Boston Herald. Retrieved from http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/2012/11/08/mayor-hard-rock-eyes-everett-mass-casino-site/ALF1TKTF9t3QfVv7gvXi5N/story.html(4) New HIA Identifies Possible Health Effects of Casino Development in Southeast Kansas (2012, October 24). The PEW Charitable Trusts. Retrieved from http://www.pewhealth.org/news-room/in-the-news/new-hia-identifies-possible-health-effects-of-casino-development-in-southeast-kansas-85899425182(5) Domelowicz, Joseph Jr. (2013, January 30). CasinoDetails Forthcoming: City Anticipates Rendering from Developer in the Coming Weeks. Everett Independent. Retrieved from http://www.everettindependent.com/2013/01/30/casino-details-forthcoming-city-anticipates-renderings-from-developer-in-the-coming-weeks/

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Internship Spotlight

I am drawn to hospitals because of the action. A large academic hospital is a city unto itself. There are hundreds of different people working there; everyone has a specific role to make the place function. What initially drew me to Mass General Hospital, was that the hundreds of staff there were not doing their specific jobs in isolation. Each member of the team, from physicians to nurses to cafeteria workers seemed to be working on a larger mission--to better health outcomes for all. The feeling radiated throughout the MGH campus. When I began working there two summers ago, I was struck by the tangible feeling of this mission.

I was introduced to the Integrated Care Management Program (iCMP), the department with which I am interning, by accident. I met my current supervisor, Mary Neagle, while

working with a Psycho-Oncologist two summers ago. I had been helping on a project looking at managing cancer care for psychotic patients. I met Mary, the project manager of iCMP at Mass General, as part of a series of informational interviews I had been doing to create a context for the project. Upon hearing her speak about iCMP, I knew I had to be a part of it. I stayed in touch with Mary and through my CH internship, have the chance to work with her on this project.

iCMP began at Mass General in 2005 as a Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services demonstration project. The program worked to better the outcomes and decrease the costs of high risk, medically complex Medicare patients. This was done through the role of nurse case managers. The nurses worked with specific primary care practices and other staff at iCMP to craft

Integrated Care Management Program at MGHby Emma Goldstein

Arielle BaranNicole BeckerNatalie Bruck

Charlotte BurgerSarah Camitta

Maria CampbellAlexis Donnaruma

Sophie DoverAvery EpsteinRyan FlanaganCelina Garza

Rachel GerhardtEmma GoldsteinAmanda GreavesMaya Isaacsohn

Max JaffeAnna Kanter

Rebecca KoganLindsay LebelNoemia Nau

Alexanne NeffCaroline Patterson

Namratha RaoJoseph Rego

Ariana RiccioHannah TadleyAubrey Thrane

Eliza Ziegler

AIDS Action Committee of MAMedford Health Matters

Center for Families, Children’s HospitalShape Up Somerville

Cambridge Health AllianceTufts University School of Medicine

MA Dept. of Public HealthSouthern Jamaica Plain Health CenterMGH Center for Addiction Medicine

Division of Critical Care, Children’s HospitalMedford Health Matters

Center for Families, Children’s HospitalCare Management Program, MGH

Disparities Action NetworkPACT, Partners Health

Home for Little WanderersPartners in Health

Academic Hospitalist Service, MGHAcademic Hospitalist Service, MGHAcademic Hospitalist Service, MGH

Boston Center for Refugee Health , BUMCAIDS Action Committee of MA

Friedman School of Nutrition, TUMCCharles Group Consulting

Jumpstart for Young ChildrenHospitality Homes

FXB Center for Health and Human RightsNuestro Futuro

Where Are Our Community Health Interns This Semester?

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Congratulations CHP Class of 2013

Brent AbelHailey Alm

Maalika BanerjeeArielle BaranUshashi Basu

Nicole BeckerNatalie Bruck

Eugene BuonaccorsiCharlotte Burger

Nicole ByerSarah Camitta

Hafsa ChaudhryLaura Corlin

Alexis DonnarumaSophie Dover

Kathryn EckertLeah Effron

Avery EpsteinRyan FlanaganErin Fleurant

Mariel FranklinRachel GanzCelina Garza

Caroline GeigerRachel Gerhardt

Laura GlickSamantha Glickman

Emma GoldsteinJames GrableNatasha Guha

Sarah HartmanAmelie Hecht

Claire HeineggElena Hill

Maya IsaacsohnMax Jaffe

Olivia JaplonAnna KanterShaina Kaye

Jason Kerstein Sarah Kester

Rebecca KoganLindsay Lebel

Lura LongAustin Mak

Joshua MalkinDaniel MarkowitzMercedes MartinRebecca MatyasKelly McNallyLaurie MerkerDavid Meyers

Melanie Monroe

Monica MoweryNoemia Nau

Alexanne NeffPat Oungpasuk

Emily PaineCaroline Patterson

Sandra PeprahBronwen RaffNamratha Rao

Joseph RegoAriana Riccio

Alexa RosenthalJessica Rubine

Erica Satin-HernandezTaylor Schwartz

Monica StadeckerKathryn Sullivan

Hannah TadleyAubrey ThraneSamantha Tye

Daniel WeinsteinKristine Wiitala

Alexandra WollumChloe Wong

Marian YoungePaulina ZhengEliza Ziegler

individualized care plans to decrease hospital admissions, better outcomes and in turn, decrease costs. Now, eight years later, the program has proven results. It has expanded dramatically, with programs throughout Partners Healthcare and has broadened its population to include commercially insured patients, as well as non-elderly patients.

I was lucky to join the program at this time. The program has reached a point of established success, but also is still innovating. An average day at my internship might include shadowing a meeting with social workers, psychologists, psychiatrists and nurses from MGH, Brigham and Women’s and Newton Wellesley hospitals to craft a standardized protocol for mental health referrals. This meeting might be followed by an opportunity to do comparative research of similar programs with a pediatric population, evaluating best practices and seeking areas

of potential growth for iCMP.This internship has continued to feed my fascination with

hospitals and with the MGH ethos in particular. There are many different types of people that make this program function. There are biostatisticians, nurses, community resource specialists, project managers, pharmacists--the list goes on and on. From my position, I often am privy to discussions about planning and evaluating. On countless occasions, deep in conversation about numbers and measures, a member of the team has paused, looked up from the spreadsheet, and reminded the group, “At the end of the day, this stuff doesn’t matter. It’s about patient care. The numbers will follow.” The work at iCMP is dynamic and growing. The work has quantitative results. The work helps the “city” of MGH to function more efficiently. But, above all, at the end of the day, the work is about bettering health outcomes for the patients.

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Tufts UniversityCommunity Health Program112 Packard AvenueMedford, Ma 02155(617) 627-3233www.ase.tufts.edu/commhealthchp@tufts.edu

In This Issue:1. Interdisciplinary Cooperation Casino and Community In Everett2. Director’s Column3. CH Alum Returns: Meghan Woo4. The GAVI Alliance5. Timmy Global Health Trip6. Internship Spotlight Where are our Interns?7. Congratulations Seniors!

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teaches with Dr. David Gute, also a professor in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering. This class, offered in the spring semester, focuses on using a creative engineering perspective to tackle public health problems. Students in this class, diverse in their academic backgrounds, develop a dual appreciation for the challenges that behavior change can pose to effective engineering solutions and that structural barriers can pose to the success of public health interventions.

In keeping with the Tufts’ mantra of active citizenship, the cooperation between public health and engineering goes beyond the laboratory or classroom. Engineers Without Borders (EWB) provides this critical link as a student organization serving to implement sustainable engineering projects in developing countries including El Salvador and Uganda. Co-president and Community Health major Erin Fleurant (A’13) said that she often receives odd looks when explaining that she is an Arts and Sciences student involved with a club based in the Engineering School. Fleurant joined EWB because she “strongly believe[s] that no engineering project can be completely successful, no matter how structurally sound the design, without community partnership and education—key components often stressed in community health

curriculums.” In considering the community health implications of their water treatment projects, EWB has been able to provide salient engineering solutions to the public health problems of many communities in the developing world.

Whether it’s in a classroom, lab, or foreign country, public health engineering is everywhere at and beyond Tufts. This budding field is sure to become not only a mainstay in the curriculum, but also a distinctive discipline within engineering in the coming years. For more information about Dr. Lantagne’s research, please visit her page on the Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering’s website http://engineering.tufts.edu/cee/people/lantagne/index.asp. To get involved with the Tufts Engineers Without Borders (EWB) or to learn more about the projects they are currently working on, please visit their website (http://sites.tufts.edu/ewb/).

1. Van Den Noortgate, J. & Maes, P. “Public Health Engineering: In Precarious Situations” Medecins Sans Frontieres. 2010. 2nd Edition. http://www.refbooks.msf.org/MSF_Docs/En/Public_health_en.pdf

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Q: What will you miss most about Tufts?A: I realize that this answer is playing to the audience but I really will miss interacting with students. Tufts undergraduates, especially the CH majors, are some of the finest people I have ever

met, and I will cherish those memories. So, my Tufts email will continue to work. And as long as my laptop doesn’t die, I promise to check email regularly while sitting on my patio. Stay in touch.

Director’s column continued from page 2