Events

* indicates an event that is part of our Semester Spotlight series.

*January 25 – Social Determinants of Health and Policy

In this seminar Dr. Pia Sen provided an overview of the social determinants of health and the role that public policy plays in population health. Dr. Sen also showcased some of the research she’s worked on related to social determinants of health in Alabama.

Co-sponsored with the Department of Health Policy and Organization

*February 8 – Bridging the Gap Between Research and Policy

For many faculty, the prospect of engaging with the policy change process is daunting an elusive. Dr. Lea Yerby (University of Alabama) shared her experiences interacting with policy makers as a scholar and demystified the process. Click here to view the recording.

Co-sponsored with the Institute for Human Rights and Office of Public Health Practice

February 22 – Woke Vote: Voters Rights Movement

DeJuana Thomspon discussed the importance of – and strategies for – engaging young voters.

Co-sponsored with the Department of History, African American Studies Program, Department of Political Science & Public Administration, UAB Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion, and the Institute for Human Rights

February 28 – Shuttlesworth Film Screening

In collaboration with our partners, we hosted local activist and filmmaker T. Marie King for a screening and discussion of her documentary featuring the civil rights leader.

Co-sponsored with the Institute for Human Rights, School of Medicine, School of Nursing, SOPH DEI, and Student Multicultural & Diversity Programs

March 22 – Criminal Justice Reform & Human Rights in Alabama

Part of the “Reclaiming Humanity in Alabama Prisons” series, this seminar featured Lisa Borden, Senior Policy Counsel for international advocacy at the Southern Poverty Law Center.

Co-sponsored with the Department of Political Science & Public Administration, Department of Social Work, Institute for Human Rights, and the Department of Criminal Justice

*April 5 – The Fight for Medicaid Expansion

Jane Adams, Campaign Director for the American Cancer Society and leader of the Cover Alabama coalition, detailed the complex field of politics in Alabama in regards to Medicaid expansion. Adams discussed the importance of framing and storytelling in policy advocacy. Click here to view the recording.

Co-sponsored with the Office of Public Health Practice and Institute for Human Rights

*May 13 – Medicaid Expansion Advocacy Training

Doctors for America and Alabama Arise joined us for a training on advocacy, with a specific focus on Medicaid expansion.

*September 20 – Systemic Reforms to Address Health Policy

Frank Alexander is the Sam Nunn Professor of Law at Emory University, where he created and directed the Project on Affordable Housing and Community Development. He also co-founded the Center for Community Progress, the leading nonprofit in turning “vacant spaces into vibrant places.” In his talk, Alexander discussed the role of civic engagement as a key prerequisite in systemic reforms. Click here to view the recording.

Co-sponsored with the Office of Public Health Practice

September 25 – Centering Black Girls and Young Women’s Mental Health Equity to Advance Wellness and Healing Using Mixed Methods Research

Dr. Camille Quinn (University of Michigan) discussed health equity associated with social and structural domains of system-involved Black girls and young women.

Co-sponsored with the Institute for Human Rights, Department of Social Work, and the Social Science & Justice Research Center

*October 10 – See the Stories: The Human Side of Medicaid Expansion

Over 250,000 people in Alabama fall into what is known as the “coverage gap,” meaning their income is high enough to render them ineligible for Medicaid but not high enough to qualify for a federally subsidized health plan. For this event we partnered with Alabama Arise to host a panel discussion featuring individuals in this gap.

Co-sponsored with the Office of Public Health Practice

October 19 – Water and Wastewater Equity Symposium

The UAB Sanitation Health Program – in collaboration with the Alabama Rural Water and Wastewater Management Consortium and with funding provided by the CDC, the Lister Hill Center for Health Policy, and the USDA – hosted its inaugural Water and Wastewater Equity Symposium at the Renaissance Montgomery Hotel & Spa at the Convention Center on Thursday, October 19, 2023, 9am – 4pm. This conference brought together several stakeholders, including federal, state, and local agencies, health providers, educators, non-profits, county commissioners, and water board members to focus on education and solutions to the water and wastewater equity crisis of the Alabama Black Belt. 

November 15 – GIS Day

This event highlighted the innovative applications of Geographic Information System technology by UAB researchers.

Co-sponsored with the Center for Clinical & Translational Sciences and Minority Health & Health Equity Research Center

*December 4 – Evaluation of State Policy in the Southeast

Dr. Whitney Rice, an alumna of the School of Public Health, provided an overview of state policies across the southeast which affect women’s health, with a particular focus on reproductive wellbeing in the wake of the Dobbs decision. 

Co-sponsored with the Office of Public Health Practice

 * indicates an event that is part of our Semester Spotlight series.

January 26 – Conversation on Healthcare Access in The Maasai Mara, Kenya with Nashulai Maasai Conservancy

Nelson Ole Reiyia, Cofounder of Nashulai Conservancy, and Maggie Koshal Reiyia, Director of Family, Gender, and Education with Nashualai, joined us for a conversation about the different facets of healthcare access for people living in the Maasai Mara region of Kenya. Watch the recording here: Video Link

Co-sponsored with the Sparkman Center for Global Health, Office of Public Health Practice, and Education Abroad

*January 27 – Constructive Communication: How to Have Difficult Conversations

Why is it so hard to have conversations on difficult topics like climate change? Dr. Adam Brooks, co-founder of Engineered to Speak and Director of the Speaking Studio at The University of Alabama, discussed how we can use critical communication skills to successfully navigate difficult and controversial issues. Watch the recording here: Video Link

Co-sponsored with the Institute for Human Rights and Office of Public Health Practice

January 29 – Global Health Case Competition Final Round

For more information about the Global Health Case Competition and to view the finalists’ presentation, visit the Sparkman Center’s page here: View Presentation

Co-sponsored with the Sparkman Center for Global Health and Education Abroad

*February 16 – Climate-Smart Agriculture: What is it and how does it impact our health?

Dr. Eri Saikawa, Associate Professor of Environmental Health Sciences at Emory University, presented her research on nitrous oxide and the importance of agriculture in reference to climate change. Dr. Saikawa’s work was recently cited in the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report. Watch the recording here: Watch Video

Co-sponsored with the Institute for Human Rights and Office of Public Health Practice

February 22 – Drowning: The Silent Killer & How an Unlikely Partnership is Changing the Way We Address this Public Health Challenge

What happens when you move to a new state and see a glaring policy gap? Dr. Diana Bowman, Associate Dean of Applied Research & Engagement at Arizona State University’s Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law, presented on the groundbreaking work she’s done to change policy around drowning prevention in Arizona.

Co-sponsored with the Department of Health Services Administration

February 22 – 6000 Waiting: Disability Advocacy in the Deep South

After a screening of the short film “6000 Waiting,” we hosted a panel discussion including Georgia Council on Developmental Disabilities ED, Eric Jacobson and Shandra Monterastelli, Alabama Disability Advocacy Program.

Co-sponsored with the Institute for Human Rights and the Lakeshore Foundation

February 24 – Meltwater Info Session

Meltwater is a social media monitoring tool available to UAB researchers through the Lister Hill Center for Health Policy. This webinar showcased the “Explore” feature, which allows researchers to search trends in public social media posts.

*March 9 – Local Action: How the Urgency of Climate Change is Impacting Birmingham

How do we combat a global issue like climate change at the local level? What is being done to protect the city of Birmingham from air pollution and environmental hazards? In this webinar, the Greater Birmingham Alliance to Stop Pollution (GASP) presented a detailed look at the national, regional, and local implications of climate change policy and what you can do to get involved. Watch the recording here: Watch Video

Co-sponsored with the Office of Public Health Practice

March 23 – My Right to Live: Rights and Reporting in Long-Term Care

Sheree Head, Ombudsman Representative with Jefferson County’s Area Agency on Aging, gave an overview of long-term care, the rights of residents in long-term care facilities, and what residents and their families can do when those rights have been ignored. Watch the recording here: Watch Video

Co-sponsored with the Institute for Human Rights and Office of Public Health Practice

*April 12 – Code Red for a Healthy Future: The Lancet Countdown on Health and Climate Change

Anthropogenic climate change threatens to undermine the last 50 years of gains in public health, exacerbating inequalities and impacting the most on the world’s vulnerable. Yet, delivering the necessary mitigation and adaptation response, together with their associated health co-benefits, could be the greatest global health opportunity of the 21st century. The Lancet Countdown: Tracking Progress on Health and Climate Change is an international, multi-disciplinary research collaboration that exists to monitor the world’s response to this unprecedented challenge, and the health benefits that emerge from this transition. It draws on the expertise of 43 leading academic and UN institutions from around the world, providing annual updates on 44 indicators spanning across five key domains: the health impacts of climate change; progress on adaptation for health; mitigation actions and health co-benefits; economics and finance; and public and political engagement. Publishing its findings in The Lancet prior to the UN’s Climate Change Negotiations each year, the initiative aims to provide robust scientific evidence to put health at the centre of an accelerated response to climate change. Watch the recording here: Watch Video

Co-sponsored with the Office of Public Health Practice and UAB Sustainability

*May 4 – Climate-Disease Connections: Associations, Processes and Incorporation in Infectious Disease Forecast

For this event, Dr. Jeffrey Shaman, director of the Climate and Health Program at the Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, explored the relationship between disease systems and the broader effects of climate and weather on human health. Watch the recording here: Watch Video

Co-sponsored with the Office of Public Health Practice and Alabama Regional Center for Infection Prevention & Control

June 14 – Pandemic and Post-Pandemic Health Reform in the U.S.

Changes in U.S. health policy since 2020 have been substantial, noteworthy and little noticed. Now Congress must decide whether to renew these and other changes beyond 2022 and whether to close the Medicaid coverage gap affecting low-income households in Alabama & 11 other states. For this seminar, Dr. John E. McDonough, DrPH, MPA, an architect of the ACA and prior Massachusetts coverage reforms, discussed these developments in U.S. health policy and their implications for future policies. Dr. McDonough is the Professor of Practice, Department of Health Policy & Management and Director, Executive & Continuing Professional Education at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.

Co-sponsored with the Blue Cross Blue Shield of Alabama Endowed Chair in Health Economics

*September 7 – A Changing World: Communicating Climate Change and Influencing Policy

To kick off the fall semester, we hosted a half-day symposium bringing together a diverse group of speakers with a wide range of experiences moving the needle on climate change policy.

Co-sponsored with the Institute for Human Rights, Sparkman Center for Global Health, and Office of Public Health Practice

September 13 – A(MEND)

For this creative workshop, we revisited the history of the AIDS Memorial Quilt and friends form the Bib & Tucker Sew-Op facilitated a sewing session. Attendees’ quilt panels were added to the organizations 2022 community quilt!

Co-sponsored with the Institute for Human Rights and Bib & Tucker Sew-Op

*September 28 – Progress Via Process: How Good Policy Follows Good Politics

Former Arkansas Representative Warwick Sabin gave a presentation on why a clear understanding of how legislative bodies function is the prerequisite for achieving desired policy outcomes. According to Sabin, this is usually overlooked or sidelined in favor of ephemeral point-scoring in the public discourse. Real measurable progress is achieved only through strategy, political cultivation, and compromise – which is how our government was originally designed, and which is why it is so dysfunctional today.

Co-sponsored with the Office of Public Health Practice

October 13 – The Human Rights Implications of Fatphobia

Dr. Sabrina Strings, author of Fearing the Black Body: The Racial Origins of Fat Phobia, discussed how the obesity epidemic in this country has stigmatized poor black women as “diseased” and “burdensome” on the healthcare system. This book opens your eyes to a much larger issue at hand in this country.

Co-sponsored with the Institute for Human Rights and UAB Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion

*November 30 – A Local Lens: How Environmental Policy is Impacting Birmingham

This panel discussion featured representatives from the business, local government, and nonprofit sectors. Our goal in hosting this event was to promote productive and actionable discussions of local environmental policy. We provided a sustainable lunch from Blueroot Co, a Gold Sustainable Partner with the Alabama Environmental Council. Speakers included James Little (co-owner, Filter Coffee Parlor), Thomas Yuill (senior planner, City of Birmingham), Victoria Miller (advocacy assistant, Alabama Rivers Alliance), and Nelson Brooke (Black Warrior Riverkeeper). Watch the recording here: Watch Video

Co-sponsored with the Office of Public Health Practice and UAB Superfund Research Center

 * indicates an event that is part of our Semester Spotlight series.

*January 25 – Vin Tangpricha, MD, PhD

Dr. Vin Tangpricha, who more or less pioneered transgender medical care in the Southeast, shared his experiences in working with transgender medical care and explain some of the challenges that he and his patients have faced. Watch “Policy Barriers in Transgender Medical Care” here: Watch Video

January 27 – Akiesha Anderson & Katie Glenn

Akiesha Anderson (Policy Director for Alabama Appleseed) and Katie Glenn (Policy Associate with the Southern Poverty Law Center) presented an overview of the practices and policies in place known as the “School to Prison Pipeline.” To learn more about this phenomenon and how it can be addressed, watch the recording here: Watch Video

Co-sponsored with the Office of Public Health Practice and the Public Health Student Association

February 3 – Lois Privor-Dumm, IMBA

Mrs. Privor-Dumm is the Director of Adult Vaccine and Senior Advisor for Policy, Advocacy & Communications at the International Vaccine Access Center, housed in the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. Watch “Vaccine Uptake in Low and Middle Income Countries” to learn more about her experience in advocating for vaccination campaigns abroad. Recording link: Watch Video

Co-sponsored with the Office of Public Health Practice, Sparkman Center for Global Health, and the Public Health Student Association

February 6 – Global Health Case Competition Final Round

For more information about the Global Health Case Competition and view the finalists’ presentation, visit the Sparkman Center’s page here.

Co-sponsored with Education Abroad and the Sparkman Center for Global Health

*February 17 – Sa’ed Atshan, PhD

Dr. Atshan is an Assistant Professor of Peace and Conflict Studies at Swarthmore College, where he is also Coordinator of the Mellon Mays Undergraduate Fellowship Program. He discussed his most recent book, Queer Palestine and the Empire of Critique, with the Director of UAB’s Institute for Human Rights, Dr. Tina Kempin-Reuter. The webinar recording is available upon request. The folks at Thank You Books are ready to make your order for you if you want a copy of the book!

Co-sponsored with the Institute for Human Rights

February 22 – Meltwater Crash Course

Representatives from Meltwater walked through some of the unique features of their platform, a resource available to UAB researchers through the Lister Hill Center. The recording from this session is available on request.

*March 1 – An Evening with Dominique Jackson

From fleeing persecution as a transgender woman in her home country of Trinidad and Tobago to starring in television hits, Dominique Jackson has seen it all. After experiencing homelessness and rejection from her own family, Jackson has used her success to shed light on the challenges transgender women like herself too often face. Featured as a part of Blazer Spirit Council’s Blazer Way event series and a Queer Peer’s BlaqOut series, this event will transition us from Black History Month into Women’s History Month as we chat with the Pose star about struggles she has faced in her life as.

The LHC was one of many co-sponsors for this event.

March 3 – Celebrating Women’s Suffrage: Engagement and Representation in a Comparative Perspective

This panel reflected on the women’s rights movements in the US and Switzerland, and explored areas in which both countries can still experience growth. Recording Video: Watch Video

Co-sponsored with the Institute for Human Rights and the Consulate General of Switzerland in Atlanta

*March 10 – LGBTQ+ Research at UAB

With this semester’s focus on LGBTQ+ health, we think it’s important to explore the good work that is already taking place at UAB! Click here to learn about the exciting research that Drs. Ronit Elk, Nicholas Van Wagoner, and Olivia Van Gerwen are leading.

Co-sponsored with the Office of Public Health Practice and the Public Health Student Association

March 18 – Birthing Models on the Human Rights Frontier: The Global Reproductive Rights Movement

Learn more about the global reproductive rights movement and innovative ways to integrate a human rights agenda into childbirth and maternal care. Expert speakers include Robbie Davis Floyd and Betty-Anne Daviss, co-editors of Birthing Models on the Human Rights Frontier: Speaking Truth to Power, Cristen Pascucci, founder and director of Birth Monopoly, and Dr. Yashica Robinson, MD, OB/GYN at Alabama Women’s Wellness Center. We will post the recording soon!

Co-sponsored with the Institute for Human Rights

*March 23 – Heather Walter-McCabe, JD & Representative Neil Rafferty

Walter-McCabe’s research investigates legislation meant to drive LGBTQ+ equity. Neil Rafferty represents District 54 in the Alabama House or Representatives. We hosted both of them for a conversation on “Pursuing Equity through Legislation.” Watch the recorded webinar here: Watch Video

Co-sponsored with the Institute for Human Rights

March 29 – Seeking Environmental Justice in North Birmingham

Nina Morgan, an organizer with GASP, discussed environmental injustice in the North Birmingham community. After her presentation, the LHC’s Health Policy Ambassadors presented ways to advocate for positive change. Recording: Watch Video

Co-sponsors: GASP, Green Initiative, AFECT, URGE, SJAC

March 30 – Selcan Kaynak

Professor Selcan Kaynak of Bogazici University in Istanbul presented on the state of human rights for refugees in Turkey.

Co-sponsored with the Institute for Human Rights

April 6 – Brittany Packnett Cunningham

As part of the Selma Bridge Crossing Jubilee, the IHR is hosting a panel and workshop on how to continue the work of equal justice and civil rights in a digital space. Graduate student Jaylah Cosby will lead a conversation with Brittany Packnett Cunningham on her activism for human rights, criminal justice reform, and racial equity and how to use digital platforms to advocate for justice, freedom, and social change.

Co-sponsored with the Institute for Human Rights

*April 7 – Billy Caceres, PhD, RN, AGPCNP-BC

Dr. Caceres and his PhD students are investigating LGBTQ+ friendly policies and regulations across the United States. Watch his recorded lecture here: Watch Video

Co-sponsored with the Office of Public Health Practice and the Public Health Student Association

*April 13 – Kristen Clark, MSN, RN

Conducting research with vulnerable populations comes with quite a few challenges. Several factors play into communities’ reluctance to join research studies, and the LGBTQ+ community is not shielded from this. However, the PRIDE Study – the first major cohort study specifically for LGBTQ+ communities – is off to a great start. Watch “Building a Cohort Study for LGBTQ+ Health – Lessons from the PRIDE Study” here: Watch Video

*April 21 – Issues and Challenges Facing the LGBTQ+ Community in the Caribbean

Join the Sparkman Center for Global Health, the Lister Hill Center for Health Policy, the CFAR Behavioral and Community Sciences Core, and the Caribbean Vulnerable Communities Coalition (CVC) for a presentation and discussion on the issues and challenges facing LGBTQ communities in the Caribbean with a special focus on access to healthcare.

Co-sponsored with the Sparkman Center for Global Health and the Center for AIDS Research

May 18 – The Care of Older Adults in a Post-Pandemic World

The COVID-19 pandemic has been particularly devastating for the older population, and approaches to care for aging populations have dramatically shifted in the past fifteen months. In this webinar, Dr. David Grabowski, Professor of Health Care Policy at Harvard Medical School’s Department of Health Care Policy, and one of the leading national experts on economics of aging and long-term care, discussed the policy landscape for geriatric care in the post-pandemic era. Watch the recording here: Watch Video

This was the second seminar sponsored by the Blue Cross Blue Shield of Alabama Endowed Chair in Health Economics and Lister Hill Center for Health Policy.

July 29 – Works In Progress

Last year, the Lister Hill Center for Health Policy launched Pilot Grants for Health Policy Research, a program aimed at building an evidence base for policymakers and researchers to draw from. With the funding having started in January 2021 this webinar served as the midpoint check-in for our three pilot projects.

*August 31 – Reporting Back: The COVID-19, Race, and Students and Postdoctoral Fellows Mental Health Study

The COVID-19, Race, and Mental Health Study, supported mainly by a back-of-the-envelope award from the School of Public Health, conducted surveys, interviews, and focus groups with UAB students leading up to and during the 2020-2021 academic year. The study sought to uncover how students are coping with the pandemic and social issues around race, and identify how UAB might better support the mental health of students. Drs. Robin Lanzi, Lisa Schwiebert, and Angela Stowe presented some of their initial findings.

Co-sponsored with the Graduate School, Student Counseling Services, and the Department of Health Behavior

*September 8 – Exploring Mental Health

Program Manager Sean McMahon sat down for a conversation with Amber Martin, national certified counselor and PhD student in the department of Health Behavior, about the different facets of mental health and wellbeing. Watch the recording here: Watch Video

Co-sponsored with the Office of Public Health Practice and the Public Health Student Association

*September 22 – Okanagan Charter & UAB’s Role as a Health Promoting University

In 2020, UAB became the first institution in the United States to adopt the Okanagan Charter and become an internationally recognized Health Promoting University. Health Promoting Universities are an international community that aspires to transform the health and sustainability of current and future societies, strengthen communities, and contribute to the well-being of people, places and the planet. Dr. Rebecca Kennedy, Assistant Vice President for Student Health and Wellbeing, presented on what the Okangan Charter means for UAB. Watch the recording here: Watch Video

Co-sponsored with the Office of Public Health Practice and the Public Health Student Association

September 29 – Social Justice Café: Gun Violence and Human Rights

Katie White, one of the Summer 2021 MPH interns at the Lister Hill Center, has written on gun violence prevention in Birmingham and led a discussion on guns and human rights.
The Institute for Human Rights’ Social Justice Café provides a virtual space to engage on topical issues related to human rights and social justice facing our community, our nation, and our world. Anyone is welcome to participate as long as they are respectful to others and do not attempt to dominate the conversation. Specific topics will change week to week.

Co-sponsored with the Institute for Human Rights

October 7 – Cooked: Survival by Zip Code Film Screening

In COOKED: Survival By Zip Code, Peabody Award-winning filmmaker Judith Helfand uses her signature serious-yet-quirky connect-the-dots style to take audiences from the deadly 1995 Chicago heat wave — in which 739 mostly black, elderly, and poor Chicagoans died during the course of one week– deep into one of our nation’s biggest growth industries: disaster preparedness. Along the way, Helfand forges inextricable links between extreme weather, extreme disparity, and extreme racism, daring to ask: what if a zip code was just a routing number and not a life-or-death sentence?
“Cooked” is an adaptation of Eric Klinenberg’s groundbreaking book Heat Wave: A Social Autopsy of Disaster in Chicago.

Co-sponsored with GASP, UAB Sustainability, Green Initiative, and Sustain at UAB

*October 12 – EACC Resources

Attendees learned more about the mental health resources available to UAB employees!

October 13 – Vaccine Mandates and Human Rights

This installment of the Social Justice Café focused on vaccine mandates and human rights. Epidemiologist Dr. Suzanne Judd joined us for the discussion.
The Institute for Human Rights’ Social Justice Café provides a virtual space to engage on topical issues related to human rights and social justice facing our community, our nation, and our world. Anyone is welcome to participate as long as they are respectful to others and do not attempt to dominate the conversation. Specific topics will change week to week.

Co-sponsored with the Institute for Human Rights

*October 26 – Head Trauma and Brain Health, Protecting the Mind for Years to Come

Thirty years ago, it was not uncommon for children and adults to have head injuries in which they lost consciousness only to “wake up” and be told to walk it off. Today we know these concussions can lead to issues with cognitive function and mental health into adulthood. There are many ways to ensure the brain will stay healthy as we age and we will cover what is currently known about the science of maintaining strong cognitive health. Watch the recording here: Watch Video

Co-sponsored with the National Alumni Society and School of Public Health

*October 27 – Lay Health Worker Approaches for Addressing Mental Health Challenges in Populations Affected by HIV in Kenya

Dr. Ongeri is a Medical Research Scientist in the Centre for Clinic Research with Kenya Medical Research Institute. In this webinar, she shared her experiences working in the mental health field in Kenya. Watch the recording here: Watch Video

Co-sponsored with the Sparkman Center for Global Health and Center for AIDS Research

November 3 – Public Health from a Disability Perspective

Disability Rights and Resources’ mission is to empower people with disabilities to fully participate in the community. They encourage people with disabilities to support one another in reaching their own independent living goals, and also promote equal access and disability rights through advocacy and public awareness activities. Ms. Elizabeth Patton spoke about the mission, work, and programs of Disability Rights and Resources including the use of identity-first language when communicating about people with disabilities. Watch the recording here: Watch Video

Co-sponsored with the Office of Public Health Practice, Public Health Student Association, and Institute for Human Rights

November 4 – An evening with Harriet Washington

Harriet Washington, author of Medical Apartheid: The Dark History of Medical Experimentation on Black Americans from Colonial Times to the Present, spoke about her groundbreaking work. Find out more about her book here: View Book

Co-sponsored with the Institute for Human Rights; College of Arts and Sciences; and Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

November 8 – PolicyMap Crash Course

Overview of PolicyMap, a mapping resource open to all UAB students, staff, and faculty through the LHC! Experts from PolicyMap will show audience members how to utilize the platform for their research.

*November 16 – Reporting Back: The COVID-19, Race, and Students and Postdoctoral Fellows Mental Health Study

The COVID-19, Race, and Mental Health Study, supported mainly by a back-of-the-envelope award from the School of Public Health, conducted surveys, interviews, and focus groups with UAB students leading up to and during the 2020-2021 academic year. The study sought to uncover how students are coping with the pandemic and social issues around race, and identify how UAB might better support the mental health of students. Join us to hear more about the study, and it’s implications for UAB policies, from Drs. Robin Lanzi, Lisa Schwiebert, and Angela Stowe shared more about the study and its implications for UAB policies. Watch the recorded webinar here: Watch Video

Co-sponsored with the Graduate School, Student Counseling Services, and the Department of Health Behavior

*November 17 – Identifying & addressing mental health disorders among adolescents in Lusaka, Zambia

Dr. Carolyn Bolton Moore is a South African physician who has been living and working in Zambia since 2004. Dr. Moore is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Infectious Diseases at the UAB School of Medicine. Watch the recorded webinar here: Watch Video

Co-sponsored with the Sparkman Center for Global Health

November 18 – UPB Fall Lecture Series: Scott Dikkers of The Onion

Scott Dikkers, a founder of The Onion and a current editor-in-chief, will give a talk about his rise in the world of comedic writing and how he helped create the satirical news company.

With humor, Dikkers shared the inspirational story of how he crafted The Onion’s unique brand – and then grew the publication into a comedy empire with almost no marketing budget. The Onion was a small campus publication launched in 1988, which Dikkers nurtured with a popular website, books, and cable shows.

Co-sponsors: Department of Criminal Justice, Department of History, Honors College, University Programs Board

 * indicates an event that is part of our Semester Spotlight series.

February 5 – Mike Stobbe, DrPH

Dr. Stobbe is a medical writer for the Associated Press, and an adjunct professor at UNC’s School of Public Health’s department of Health Policy and Management. He also wrote the book Surgeon General’s Warning: How Politics Crippled the Nation’s Doctor. Dr. Stobbe presented “Communicating Science: A Journalist’s Perspective,” discussing some of his experiences with the intersection of journalism and science.

February 12 – Alan Alda Center for Communicating Science

You read that correctly. After his tenure with M*A*S*H and Scientific American Frontiers, actor Alan Alda founded the Center for Communicating Science at Stony Brook University ten years ago in New York. Since 2010, the experts from Stony Brook have traveled around the nation giving communication workshops and trainings to researchers and medical professionals. On February 12, from 11:30 to 1:30 at the Alumni House, we learned some of the best practices for communicating complex material to non-experts. After his plenary, we also hosted a small workshop in the afternoon, Crafting Clear and Vivid Communication.

March 10 – Holly Gainer

Holly Gainer, with UAB Media Relations, works regularly with UAB faculty who want to get the word out to the public about their research. This isn’t an easy thing to do, so she gave an overview of how to interact with the press about your research.

September 10 – Pam King

Pam King, a former UAB History Instructor, presented to Dr. Allen’s Environmental Justice class about the history of Birmingham, noting the oppressive policies in place from the very founding of the city. Watch the recording of “Birmingham: The Perfect City” here: Watch Video

September 23 – Katie Glenn & Dillon Nettles

Together with the Office of Public Health Practice and Institute for Human Rights, we hosted Katie Glenn of the Southern Poverty Law Center and Dillon Nettles of the American Civil Liberties Union to learn about mass incarceration. Watch the recording of “Mass Incarceration: Policy Landscape in Alabama” here: Watch Video

October 1 – Offender Alumni Association

About 95% of the people who go to state prisons will be released at some point. How do past offenders navigate a world that stigmatizes them and holds them back? We hosted the Offender Alumni Association to learn about the re-entry process. Watch the recording of “Life After Prison” here: Watch Video

October 6 – Cool Green

As part of the International Urban Cooperation, Ariann Nassel (UAB SOPH) and Francesca Gross (Cawaco RD&C Council) presented findings from their Cool Green collaboration to Birmingham’s sister city of Padua, Italy.

October 6 – Voting as a Human Right: What’s at Stake in 2020

As part of a larger effort to raise awareness of voting rights, we supported the Institute for Human Rights in hosting a panel discussion. Recording available via Facebook: Watch Video

October 15 – Derecka Purnell

Human rights lawyer, activist, and writer – Derecka Purnell – sat down for a conversation with Odion Ovbiagele, one of our Health Policy Ambassadors. Purnell is an advocate for police abolition, not just reform. You can watch the recording of “A Conversation on Police Reform” here: Watch Video

November 4 – Beyond Pretty Maps

This talk introduced viewers to spatial analysis techniques that move data beyond simple maps. Dr. Joseph Kerski explained how to use geographic data in statistical analyses in research projects. He also addressed the importance of proper data for GIS and the skills needed to perform quality GIS analyses.

November 9 – Future of the Affordable Care Act?

Dr. Michael A. Morrisey, professor emeritus (Health Care Organization and Policy) and former director of the Lister Hill Center for Health Policy, spoke on the future of healthcare in the U.S. if the Affordable Care Act is overturned by the Supreme Court. This was the first seminar sponsored by the Blue Cross Blue Shield of AL Endowed Chair in Health Economics, and we look forward to further collaborations in the future! Recording: Watch Video

November 13 – PolicyMap Crash Course

Ariann Nassel, the Center’s Director of Geospatial Data Visualization, gave a quick overview of PolicyMap, a new resource offered by the Lister Hill Center. You can view the recording here: Watch Video

November 18 – What Now?

We don’t want to simply talk through problems without providing space to explore solutions. We hosted Brandon Johnson, the director for the City of Birmingham’s Office of Peace and Policy for a conversation on how to move forward in reforming policing policy in Birmingham. Recording available here: Watch Video

 * indicates an event that is part of our Semester Spotlight series.

April 12 – Katherine Tucker, PhD

Dr. Katherine Tucker, Director of the Center for Population Health at University of Massachusetts Lowell. The title of her talk was “Nutrition and Health Among Older Puerto Rican Adults: The Boston Puerto Rican Health Study.”

May 15 – Bradley Herring, PhD

We hosted Dr. Bradley Herring from the Johns Hopkins University School of Public Health. His lecture was titled “Neighborhood Poverty and Healthcare Utilization: Evidence from the Moving To Opportunity Experiment.”

September 4 – Rouzbeh Nazari, PhD

Dr. Nazari gave his talk “Resiliency and Vulnerability Planning Through High-Resolution Sensing and Multi-Scale Modeling.” Click here to view the recorded lecture.

October 2 – James McClintcok, PhD

Dr. McClintock, Endowed University Professor of Polar and Marine Biology at UAB, gave his talk “From Penguins to Plankton – the Dramatic Impacts of Climate Change on the Antarctic Peninsula” on October 2. This lecture was recorded, and can be viewed here.

October 9 – Lois Gibbs

Together with the Office of Public Health Practice, we’re brought Lois Gibbs to campus to present “Lessons From Love Canal.” Gibbs, a grassroots organizer and environmental health activist, was essential in the evacuation of the Love Canal neighborhood in Niagara Falls, NY in the late 70’s due to environmental contamination. She is often called the Mother of the Superfund, as the incident at Love Canal spurred the EPA to implement its Superfund policies. In 1980, she formed the Citizens’ Clearinghouse for Hazardous Waste, later renamed the Center for Health, Environment and Justice.

You can view Ms. Gibbs’s lecture here!

October 29 – Lisa McCormick, DrPH

Dr. McCormick, Associate Dean for Public Health Practice at UAB’s School of Public Health, presented “Managing Waste and Protecting Health.” This was in collaboration with the Sparkman Center for Global Health and was meant to serve as a resource for students participating in the Global Health Case Competition.

November 20 – Kari White, PhD

Dr. Kari White is an Associate Professor of Social Work at the University of Texas at Austin, and the director of the Texas Policy Evaluation Project. Dr. White’s talk, “Impact of Abortion Policy on Women’s Health,” centered on recent bills in state governments restricting abortion access, and the negative health implications these policies have,