UNMC for the record

Dr. Cohen named an AAAS fellow

Samuel Cohen, M.D., Ph.D., a professor in the UNMC Department of Pathology and Microbiology and Havlik-Wall Professor of Oncology, has been named a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS).

Dr. Cohen was elected as an AAAS Fellow for his pioneering research on mechanisms of chemical carcinogenesis and the application of these findings to advancing the safe use of chemicals as consumer products and pharmaceuticals.

Dr. Cohen will be presented with an official certificate and a gold and blue (representing science and engineering, respectively) rosette pin on Saturday, Feb. 15 at the AAAS Fellows Forum during the 2020 AAAS Annual Meeting in Seattle.

Omaha to receive funding to address mental health needs

Omaha is one of 18 communities across the country to receive funding through the BUILD Health Challenge® in response to the need to address mental health in the North Omaha community.

This unique national program is focused on bold, upstream, integrated, local, and data-driven projects that can improve community health.

The BUILD Health Challenge® award is $250,000 over two-and-a-half years, with equal match contributions by four local health systems: CHI Health, Children’s Hospital & Medical Center, Methodist Health System, and Nebraska Medicine, adding up to a total award of $500,000.

As Nebraska’s first BUILD® Awardee, Heartland Family Services and its project partners will address social determinants of health contributing to mental health disparities in northeast Omaha’s 68111 zip code.

Brandon Grimm, Ph.D., associate dean of public health practice in the UNMC College of Public Health, is an adviser to the project who will be helping with the metrics and evaluation.

“The BUILD Health Challenge will allow us to leverage existing community assets to address social determinants of health in one of our most under-resourced communities. Very few communities around the nation have been able to bring together every health system, a federally qualified health center, the local health department, service organizations, non-profits, a community council, and an accredited college of public health to develop a place-based intervention,” Dr. Grimm said.

College of Nursing leadership changes

The UNMC College of Nursing has announced several leadership changes, effective Jan. 1:

• Kathy Hanna, Ph.D., will re-assume the role of director of the Ph.D. program for two years;
• Amy Ford, Ph.D., who served as specialty track coordinator of the women’s health specialty, will take on the role of director of the M.S.N. program;
• Christine Eisenhauer, Ph.D., will continue to chair the recruitment committee;
• Robin Lally, Ph.D., will chair a task force to examine sustainability of the Ph.D. program;
• Tiffany Moore, Ph.D., will convene a committee to examine the feasibility of a Ph.D./D.N.P. program; and
• in the master’s degree in nursing program, Jennifer Cera and Libby Mollard, Ph.D., will share the role of specialty coordinator for the women’s health specialty.

College of Nursing students receive awards from March of Dimes

Three UNMC College of Nursing students received awards in November during the March of Dimes 2019 Nurse of the Year Awards event.

Monica Arens (Northern Division), Payden Hunke (Kearney Division) and Mallory Woods (Omaha Division) received Nursing Student Awards during a dinner at the Omaha Marriott Downtown in the Capital District.

The award recognizes outstanding senior student nurses in Nebraska/Western Iowa nursing programs. Criteria includes academic excellence, extraordinary care and compassion, a positive image, leadership potential and community service participation.