Global health speakers set for September

Sharon Medcalf, Ph.D.

Presentations by global health and policy expert guest speakers for the interdisciplinary Global Health Seminar are now open to faculty, staff and students across the University of Nebraska system, said Martha Goedert, Ph.D., faculty coordinator of the seminar. The presentations are held at 5:30 p.m. in the College of Public Health, Room 2001.

September speakers are:

Sept. 13:

  • Steven Duke, Ph.D., assistant vice president for global strategy and international initiatives, office of the executive vice president and provost, University of Nebraska. Dr. Duke supports all aspects of global engagement in the university system. His areas of specialization are modern Russia and the Soviet Union as well as the Baltic states. He advocates student and faculty interest in global scholarship and activities, Fulbright opportunities and curriculums that advance international knowledge and sensitivity. Dr. Duke will explain about global funding of educational opportunities and navigating in a culturally competent manner.
  • Ward Chambers, M.D., professor of health services research and administration in the College of Public Health and former executive director of international health and medical education at UNMC. Dr. Chambers is an internist and cardiologist. A 1973 graduate of UNMC, Dr. Chambers and his wife Suzanne introduce Nebraskans to international partnership opportunities and global immersion and encourage public health graduate students to experience international fellowships. The Chambers sponsor a fellowship that has become a popular and successful summer program spanning the globe and creating leaders among the student awardees as they return to work with a global view. Click here to apply to the Chambers Fellowship program.

Sept. 20:

  • Sharon Medcalf, Ph.D., is assistant professor of epidemiology and director of the Center for Biosecurity, Biopreparedness and Emerging Infectious Diseases at UNMC. She will speak on the topic of “Biocontainment and Global Outreach for Emergency Response.” Her research expertise is in disaster and emergency preparedness, social media use in disasters, and smallpox vaccination of laboratory workers at the U.S. testing sites for variola. Dr. Metcalf’s expertise is in nursing, basic science, adult education and emergency preparedness. She is responsible for the Global Standby Task Force Network, that includes ‘mining’ social media in a disaster to guide Urban Search and Rescue Teams, including Coast Guard, to people in need.