Miss Marie Hall was born and raised in Big Spring, Texas where her father, Dr. Granville T. Hall (UTMB 1906) was a physician and surgeon, practicing medicine for 57 years. She and her mother became active supporters of UTMB the 1970s after they were given a tour of the UTMB campus. She was a member of the Development Board and also of the SON and SAHS Advisory Boards. She is an honorary member of the SON Advisory Council, and for her 20 years of service she was made an Emeritus Member of the SAHS Advisory Board. She is Chair of the Sealy Society and was actively involved in initiating the Mustard Seed Award. The gifts to UTMB from Miss Hall and her mother total $1,625,497.

The award will be given at the APTA Annual Conference in San Antonio, Texas on Thursday, June 12th at the Grand Hyatt Texas.

• Inaugural Membership of the UTMB’s Academy of Master Teachers
• Marie Hall Scholar and Distinguished Teaching Professor
• Academy of Master Teachers Lifetime Achievement Award Finalist
• Involvement in developing multiple educational avenues in clinical laboratory sciences education and has expanded CLS educational opportunities through the use of special delivery methods such as interactive video teleconferencing and web-based courses for students in rural and underserved areas, as well as those on the UTMB campus.
• Receiving numerous honors, including:
  • The Excellence in Education Associate Member Award
  • The Kendall Professional Achievement Award
  • The Educator of the Year Award
  • Outstanding Leader and Outstanding Contributions to Continuing Education Awards from the UTMB School of Allied Health Sciences.
• Recognition internationally as a public advocate for excellence in health professional education, including her work toward promoting the teaching of clinical laboratory sciences in Africa, a wonderful example of the many ways all four schools can contribute to Global Health
• Development, along with Dr. Gretchen Stone, of a proposal, the Diabetic Home Care Model, that focuses on home visits to individuals who have diabetes and are uninsured, pairing a clinical lab scientist with an occupational therapist to help the individual better manage this difficult chronic disease.

Dr. Freeman has been a tremendously hard-working member of the Academy in addition to being recognized internationally as a public advocate for excellence in health professional education, and she richly deserves this honor!

Fisher dissertation defense - Steven Fisher successfully defended his dissertation entitled "In Hospital Functional Assessments in the Elderly and Their Association to Post Discharge Health Outcomes" in partial fulfillment of his Ph.D. in Preventive Medicine and Community Heath on July 24th.  Dr. Fisher is pictured below with his committee Dr. Ostir, Chair, Dr. Ottenbacher, Dr. Protas, Dr. Lucke, Dr. Kuo and Dr. Herzog.

"I am honored to be recognized for my work in cognitive rehabilitation for people with brain injury,” she said.

“I share this award with my patients and colleagues in Puerto Rico, New York, California and Galveston who have worked alongside me in the study of brain injury and rehabilitation.

Abreu is acknowledged internationally as a master clinician and researcher in rehabilitation science. She has published more than 50 articles and has given 300 national and international presentations. She is the director of occupational therapy at Galveston’s Transitional Learning Center.

Presented annually by AOTF, the A. Jean Ayres Award presented recognizes educators and researchers who have demonstrated sustained commitment to the application, development, and testing of theories in occupational therapy.

George W. Bush

AUSTIN – Tuition and fee rates for the next two academic years at University of Texas institutions were formally approved today (March 26) by the UT System Board of Regents.

The action came following a review of tuition and fee proposals submitted to the Regents by the campuses earlier this month.

The approved tuition and fee increases for full-time resident undergraduate students were limited to 4.95 percent per year or $150 per semester, whichever was greater, adhering to the Regents’ resolution last December to limit tuition increases.

A few exceptions to the tuition and fee cap were approved by the Regents. Among them, nursing programs will be allowed to recommend new tuition and fee proposals for consideration next year and UT Brownsville was allowed to allocate more of its increase in the first academic year to better address the effect of its policy on student satisfactory academic progress.

Several campus proposals also included student-initiated fees – such as fees to fund recreational facilities and transportation needs – which were proposed by the students themselves and have been approved through student referenda, thus slightly increasing total academic costs.

The approved rates for Fall 2008 and Fall 2009 may be found on the UT System Web site.
Regents approved rates for two years largely at the request of students who desired more financial predictability.

“We believe these modest increases in tuition and fee rates will go a long way toward furthering excellence at our campuses,” said Regents’ Chairman H. Scott Caven, Jr. “The Board remains committed to ensuring an affordable and quality education for our students, but at the same time we must continue to enhance our operations and programs to keep our institutions competitive in the higher education arena and ever-changing global environment.”

UT institutions will use the additional tuition revenues to continue to enhance student services and academic programs, such as hiring additional faculty and advisers, reducing class sizes, and repairing and renovating campus buildings.

“These tuition increases will allow our academic and health institutions to hire more faculty and advisors and improve course offerings and availability,” UT System Chancellor Mark G. Yudof said. "These additional funds and the services they provide are essential to maintaining the quality of a UT education. The most important thing to remember is that an education in the UT System is still a great value, and we have set aside money for financial aid that ensures no qualified student will be turned away because of financial need.”

Since 2003, additional tuition revenues have allowed UT institutions to hire more than 650 faculty members and create nearly 500 course offerings.

The plans approved also include a variety of incentives to encourage students to graduate on time by taking more semester credit hours in each term they are enrolled.

Last week, the UT System launched a revamped Web site aimed at helping inform students, parents and others about accessing and paying for college. The updated site includes the campus tuition and fee proposals planned for the next two academic years. The expanded Web site contains information and resource links on financial aid, how tuition is used, campus cost-saving initiatives and how to pay for college, among other things.

SAN DIEGO – Injections of testosterone appear to improve bone density and reduce bone loss in older men who have low testosterone levels and may help to prevent osteoporosis, a new study announced my UTMB researchers suggests. The article quotes lead researcher E. Lichar Dillon, of UTMB’s Department of Internal Medicine. Study results were presented at the American Physiological Society’s annual meeting in San Diego. Also conducting the study were Randall J. Urban, James A. Angel, Shanon L. Casperson, Melinda Sheffield-Moore and Douglas Paddon-Jones, all of UTMB. The study is titled “Continuous Testosterone Administration for Five Months Reduces Markers of Bone Turnover in Older Men.”
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/04/07/AR2008040701040.html

This study, by UTMB’s Kurt A. Mossberg, Brent E. Masel, Charles R. Gilkison and Randall J. Urban, concluded that individuals with traumatic brain injury with normal growth hormone secretion have below normal aerobic capacity and those patients who have GH insufficiency/deficiency are further deconditioned.
http://jcem.endojournals.org/cgi/content/abstract/jc.2008-0368v1

Congratulations Dr. Freeman!

Center for Rehabilitation Sciences 2007 Lecture Series

"The anti-depressive effect of qigong as a mindful exercise among elderly with depression"

Presented by:
Hector W. H. Tsang, PhD, OTR
Associate Professor, Department of Rehabilitation Sciences
The Hong Kong Polytechnic University

Thursday, August 23, 2007
4:00 – 5:00 p.m.
1.102 SAHS/SON

All Are Welcome!

Occupational therapy efforts at ADA House began several years ago with a grant-funded service learning project entitled Partnerships, coordinated by Drs. Elicia Cruz and Loree Primeau. Students continue to provide occupational therapy interventions in several community sites, including ADA House, during coursework within their last summer semester. Convinced of the merits of occupational therapy, Ellie assumed the costs of funding occupational therapy last October.

“The Cohen/Gerstein Memorial scholarship was awarded to me as an incoming SAHS student. I am thankful that I have been blessed to receive a scholarship to ease some of the burden of paying for school, so I can in turn use my education to help others, as was the hope of the donors.”

For more information about Annual Giving, please contact: Marie Marczak, Associate Director of Annual Giving at (409) 266-9504  mmarczak@utmb.edu

Students will develop skills and gain experiences working collaboratively across cultures with patients, patients' families, other healthcare professionals, and community-based providers to enhance patient care and wellness.

There are already active interprofessional teams, activities and/or exercises at UTMB, and the QEP Study Group wants to be sure these are incorporate in the formulation of the QEP. To that end, please submit comments on the QEP Blog, addressing the following questions:

• What interprofessional teams, activities and/or exercises are you aware of at UTMB?
• Who are the members (titles or names)?
• What do they do; how do they function (one paragraph please)?

Please include your name and contact information so the QEP Study Group can reach you if they have any questions. You may provide additional comments if you wish.

Looking for alumni - The School of Allied Health Sciences is trying to reconnect with all of its alumni.  Our goal with what we've dubbed "MISSION RECONNECT" is to celebrate our alumni, cultivate lifelong relationships, and reaffirm our commitment to you.  If you haven't already done so, please update your contact information.

Freeman, Peloquin, Rahr admitted into the UT Academy of Health Sciences Education - Dr.s Vicki Freeman, Suzanne Peloquin, and Richard Rahr have been notified that they have been admitted into the Texas Academy of Health Science Education.  Please join in in congratulating Dr.s Freeman, Peloquin, and Rahr on this recognition of their outstanding achievements in teaching. 

Christiansen receives professions highest honor reflecting lifetime of service - Dr. Charles Christiansen EdD, OTR, FAOTA was awarded the Presidents’ Commendation from the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA) and the American Occupational Therapy Foundation (AOTF) at AOTA’s 87th Annual Conference & Expo in St. Louis, MO on Friday, April 20. The award is the profession’s highest honor and is only given to those who exemplify the pursuit of excellence over a lifetime of professional service.

A former Vice President of AOTA, Christiansen led the development process for the profession’s Centennial Vision, providing a roadmap to move the profession forward as the Centennial approaches in 2017. He is currently serving as the Director of the Center for Allied Health Programs at the University of Minnesota.

“For nearly four decades, Dr. Christiansen has honored our profession with his investment of time, talent, and treasure,” said AOTA President M. Carolyn Baum, PhD, OTR/L, FAOTA. “He has lived his professional life with commitments defined by “civic professional responsibility,” by building foundations for the future, and by challenging himself and his colleagues to face that future with dedication to excellence.”

deVries Award for Distinguished Research on Aging - Dr. Elizabeth J. Protas, Dean ad Interim, SAHS, was given the Herbert deVries Research Award for Distinguished Research on Aging on March 15, 2007 by the Council on Aging and Adult Development at the American Alliance for Physical Education, Health, Recreation, and Dance in Baltimore, MD. Along with the award, Dr. Protas was given the opportunity to present a talk to the Council with protégé, Dr. T. Brock Symons, post-doctoral fellow in the Division of Rehabilitation Sciences, entitled “Living longer and stronger: Contributions of exercise and nutrition to aging muscle.” Dr. Protas presented an overview of factors contributing to muscle loss with aging or sacropenia, and discussed an intervention directed at eliminating strength and functional loss in mobility impaired elders. Dr. Symons presented several of his studies on nutrition aging while he has been a fellow at UTMB.

Dr. Protas thought that the format of the talk was a wonderful opportunity to highlight the quality of the research conducted by our research fellows.

Faculty and Staff Awards - At the December 2006 SAHS holiday luncheon, the following people were recognized for their outstanding contributions to the mission of the school.

Outstanding Secretary: Carolyn Cooper
Outstanding Support Staff: Lynn Verret
Outstanding Leadership Award: Dorothy Pearrow
Award for Scholarship Excellence: Dr. Kurt Mossberg
Award for Educational Excellence: Dr. Jean Brickell

Flowers receives TOTA Student Leadership Award - The Department of Occupational Therapy is pleased to announce that Kate Flowers, OTS, was recipient of the Student Leadership Award of the Texas Occupational Therapy Association at the Mountain Central Conference held in Dallas, Texas. Kate was elected Vice-President of the AOTA’s National Pi Theta Epsilon Society. After attending the AOTA Conference in 2006, she wrote an article summarizing her experience at a workshop. The article, entitled “Empowering clients to participate,” appeared in Advance for Occupational Therapy Practitioners. Kate is an exceptional student who is held in esteem by faculty and colleagues. Her open communication among her peers, her desire to do more than her fair share of the work, her commitment to and enthusiasm for occupational therapy, and her even-tempered disposition best characterize her leadership style.

Peloquin appointment - Suzanne Peloquin, PhD, OTR, FAOTA, professor in the Department of Occupational Therapy, has been appointed to the Honours Committee of Revista de Terapia Ocupacional, a journal published in Spain, in recognition of her many publications in occupational therapy. A historical article on the founders of occupational therapy in the US will appear in the journal in March.

Baker elected APA Fellow - Dr. Jeff Baker, Associate Professor in the School of Allied Health Sciences and Department of Orthopedics and Rehabilitation has been elected Fellow by the American Psychological Association (APA) membership committee. Three APA members were elected to Fellow status as initial applicants to the Division of Clinical Health Psychology. Dr. Baker also received his diplomat in clinical psychology this past year. Dr. Baker is Director of Counseling & Student Services for the School of Allied Health Sciences and Chief Psychologist in the Anesthesiology Pain Clinic at UTMB.

Who's Who - The following SAHS students have been selected for Who's Who in Colleges and Universities for 2006.  Clinical Laboratory Sciences: Jonathan Ramsey, Rita Hogg, Steven Hightower, William Hamm, James Weizer, Kimberly Frank; Occupational Therapy: Lindsey Hopkins, Karine Urbin, Alyssa Wheeler, Kathryn Flowers, Anima Mupier, Lauren Robinson; Physical Therapy: Bethan Degray, Shanna McClure, Dale Mendenhall, Kristel Louis, Laura Smith, Ashley Smith; Physician Assistant: GaryTaggart, Leah Partridge, Lindsey Hickman, Haley Hart, Dusting Deemer, Ashley Kapalski; Respiratory Therapy: Elizabeth Ostrander, Saif Ahmedi, Rakhi Patel, Renjit George, Xiaojun Miller, Sympson Valimattathil.

Occupational Therapy Helps Those with Dementia - Occupational therapy -- training to do simple things around the house -- improved the lives of people with dementia such as Alzheimer's disease, as well as the people who care for them, a Dutch study found. The results of the study, reported in the November British Medical Journal, could help change the attitude of health insurance companies and Medicare about paying for occupational therapy for persons with dementia, one expert said. "I like the validation of what I knew instinctively," said Elicia Dunn Cruz, an assistant professor of occupational therapy at the University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston. Medicare sometimes refuses to pay for such therapy because of a belief that people with dementia "don't have a good rehabilitation potential," Cruz said, an attitude also shared by some, but not all, health insurers. "I think this article counters that," she said. (Forbes, Nov. 17, 2006)

Rahr to serve on panel to advise on UTMB president - A committee has been named to recommend candidates to succeed UTMB President John D. Stobo. James R. Huffines, chairman of the board of regents, has set a goal of naming a new president of the University of Texas Medical Branch by May. Members of the advisory committee will be asked to present the names of no more than 10 candidates — unranked — to the board, which will make the final decision. Dr. Richard R. Rahr, chair of the Department of Physician Assistant Studies, will be representing the School of Allied Health Sciences. Read the complete story...

Renovated lobby ribbon cutting - The School of Allied Health Sciences and School of Nursing recently held a Ribbon Cutting and Unveiling Ceremony to celebrate the completion of the newly renovated lobby. Deans Christiansen and Watson welcomed faculty, donors, advisory council members, staff, students and other campus dignitaries to view the new surroundings.  Photo

SAHS awards over $115,000 in scholarships - On October 17, 2006, the School of Allied Health Sciences awarded over $115,000 in scholarships to 123 allied health student.  This was our largest year for scholarship awards to date.  The ceremony and luncheon was held on campus and recognized recipients and benefactors alike.  Special guests, many of whom have endowments in their name and all of whom are financial supporters of the school, included: John Stobo, Brigadier General (ret.) Donald Wagner and his wife Jan, Susan Wittjen, Larry and Phyllis Jendrusch, E. Burk Evans, Archie and Lanell Sanders, Polly Turner, Jill Kaiser, Ruth Morris, Ed Protz, Pamela Christiansen, James Selig, and Ruth Morris.

Protas to serve as interim dean of SAHS - Effective Dec. 1, Dr. Elizabeth Protas will be appointed interim dean of the UTMB School of Allied Health Sciences. In late August, Dean Charles H. Christiansen announced that he would be leaving UTMB after 17 years to take a leadership position at the University of Minnesota Academic Health Center. Christiansen’s last day in his leadership role at UTMB will be Dec. 1. Protas, chairwoman of the Department of Physical Therapy in the School of Allied Health Sciences, came to UTMB in 2002. Protas earned her Ph.D. from the State University of New York at Buffalo. Her research interests include geriatrics, rehabilitation of adults with stroke, Parkinson's disease and spinal cord injury. She has received numerous honors and awards during her career, most recently the Herbert H. deVries Award for Distinguished Research in the Field of Aging.

TSAHP honors Verret - The Texas Society of Allied Health Professions honored Ms. Lynn Verret on Thursday, September 28, 2006 at their Annual Business Meeting and Awards Ceremony. Recognition was given for the grateful appreciation of 20 years of service as Executive Director to the professionals across the State of Texas.

Christiansen and Peloquin contributors to award-winning book - Dean Charles Christiansen and Dr. Suzanne Peloquin wrote chapters for the book Educating for Moral Action that has been selected as a winner in the 2006 Alpha Sigma Nu National Jesuit Book Awards in the science category. There were 44 entries from 15 Jesuit institutions. The chapters were entitled "Creating community: An essay on the social responsibility of health professionals" (Christiansen), and "Affirming empathy as a moral disposition" (Peloquin).

Stone to receive UTMB President's Cabinet award - Dr. Gretchen Stone, Chair of the Occupational Therapy department, was selected to receive the UTMB President’s Cabinet award in recognition of her grant application, Hurricane Preparedness for Vulnerable Citizens. The award of $25,000 will assist in funding the project aimed at extending a caring and healing environment at UTMB by offering students across all four schools the opportunity to support people with medically and physically challenging conditions in ways that enable them to plan for their own health and well being in the advent of an emergency situation. 

Protas receives prestigious award - It is with great pride that we recognize P.T. Department Chairwoman Elizabeth Protas for receiving the Herbert H. deVries Award for Distinguished Research in the field of Aging for 2007. The Council of Aging and Adult Development is part of the American Association for Active Lifestyles and Fitness. As part of that group's commitment to the field of Aging, they annually recognize an individual who has made significant contributions in the area of gerontological research.

Past award winners have included: Evertt Smith (University of Wisconsin), Wayne Osness (University of Kansas), Roy Shephard (University of Toronto), Robert Wiswell  (USC), Barbara Drinkwater (University of Washington), Leonard Hayflick (University of California), Denham Harman (University of Nebraska), Linda Fried (John  Hopkins), Carl Cotman (University of California), Arthur Kramer (University of Illinois), Susan Resnick  (NIA), John Holloszy (Washington University), Doug Seals (University of Colorado), William Haskell (Stanford University).
 
Congratulations Dr. Protas!

Thierry elected BoD TACLS  - Congratulations to Clinical Laboratory Sciences Assistant Professor Hank Thierry for being elected to a three-year term as Board Member-At-Large for the Texas Association for Clinical Laboratory Science. 

Berlin completes EMT - Congratulations to Brian Berlin for passing the National Registry Examination for becoming an Emergency Medical Technician.  Along with completing the classroom requirements, he completed emergency room, labor & delivery, and ambulance clinical rotations. Brian is the Director of Internet Operations for the School of Allied Health Sciences.  He volunteers his services with the Kemah Fire Department as a Firefighter, Swiftwater Rescue Technician, and EMT-Basic.  Well done Brian!

Ninety-three degrees awarded - On Friday, August 21, UTMB's School of Allied Health Sciences awarded 93 degrees to graduates.  University of Texas System Board of Regent Judith Craven, pictured to the left, addressed the class. She reminded graduates that the most important thing they have learned in their studies is the need for constant improvement and innovation.

“We depend on your desire to retain and enhance the position you have achieved today,” she said. “Your work, your success and your innovation will prove the real worth of your education and bring added respect to UTMB.”

As the highest-ranking official at the ceremony, Craven also conferred degrees, which included 10 master’s degrees in occupational therapy, 43 master’s degrees in physician assistant studies, 24 bachelor of science degrees in clinical laboratory sciences and 12 bachelor of science degrees in respiratory care.

Rogers dissertation defense - Congratulations to Dr. Helen Rogers who successfully defended her dissertation in the Rehabilitation Sciences Division of Preventive Medicine and Community Health.

McGaugh dissertation defense - Congratulations to Dr. Janna McGaugh who has successfully defended her dissertation in the Doctorate of Science Program in Physical Therapy at Texas Tech Health Science Center. 

Mossberg appointed Adou Distinguished Professor - Kurt A. Mossberg, a registered physical therapist and associate professor of physical therapy in the  School of Allied Health Sciences, has been appointed to an endowed faculty position that supports brain injury rehabilitation research. Mossberg is the second recipient of the Fannie Kempner Adoue Distinguished Professorship in Cognitive Rehabilitation. Those appointed to the endowed position receive financial assistance to advance their study of brain injury and, ultimately, help develop more effective rehabilitation techniques for patients with stroke and traumatic brain injuries. Full press release.

Flowers elected - Congratulations to Occupational Therapy student Kate Flowers pictured with Carolyn Baum, President of the American Occupational Therapy Association. Kate was recently elected Vice-President of the national Occupational Therapy honor society, Phi Theta Epsilon.

Scholarships - This year, the School of Allied Health Sciences has over $160,000 in scholarship funds to be awarded!  Thank you to all benefactors who have helped to make this possible. 

If you are interested in learning how you too can contribute towards allied health education, please contact the SAHS Assistant Director of Development Michelle Conley at (409) 747-1608.

Utsey dissertation defense - Please join us in congratulating Physical Therapy professor Carolyn Utsey on her successful dissertation defense in April.  Dr. Utsey has been pursuing her PhD at the University of Houston.  Way to go!

Baker honored by APA - Jeff Baker, Ph.D., Associate Professor and Director of Counseling and Student Services in SAHS, was recently honored in Washington, DC at the American Psychological Association (APA) Educational Leadership Awards Ceremony. He received the Distinguished Service Award from the Board of Advocacy of APA in recognition of his ‘extraordinary’ efforts to increase psychological services in underserved communities as well as his efforts to further graduate psychological education by placing psychologist in community health centers.

Lewis receives lifetime achievement award - Associate Dean for Admissions and Student Affairs Raymond Lewis, Jr., MSW, ACSW, was honored with a Lifetime Achievement In Social Work award by the Gulf Coast Branch of the National Association of Social Workers.  His contributions are reflected by the establishment of social policies in his current position as Associate Dean of Admissions and Student Affairs at the University of Texas Medical Branch, creation of human service programs such as an after school tutorial program for the children in a low income housing development and revitalization efforts of an old neglected African American cemetery, Rosewood, a historical landmark not yet recognized for it's historical significances. His accomplishments are gained through practice, teaching, writing, program development, advocacy, administration, and election to various boards serving nationally and locally.

Respiratory Care accreditation review - The SAHS Respiratory Care program recently received an exemplary accreditation review exit report. Dr. Jon Nilsestuen, Chair of the Respiratory Care program and the faculty adjusted curriculum to accommodate a fourfold increase in students while retaining programmatic excellence. The support of the hospital and in particular Mary West, Director of Respiratory Care Services and Dr. Aristides Koutrouvelis, Medical Director, Dept. of Anesthesiology was also an important factor in the success of this review.

Tanet invited to present at Harvard - Assistant to the Dean and UH doctoral student, Jay Tanet has been invited to present his research Admission or Denial: How Bakke, Hopwood and Grutter Impacted One Southern Medical School on February 24th at the Harvard Graduate School of Education. The policy analysis reviews the University of Texas Medical Branch's admission policies prior to and immediately following four landmark education cases. Read more…

Assistant Director of Development - Ms. Michelle Conley has accepted the position of Assistant Director of Development for the School of Allied Health Sciences. Ms. Conley currently serves as the Coordinator for Stewardship and Donor Relations in the Office of University Advancement and is responsible coordinating endowment efforts, large recognition events, and maintaining excellent donor relations. Prior to her current role, Ms. Conley worked in the Office of Alumni Relations where she used her extensive experience in hospitality sales, marketing, and event planning to further the goals of the department. Ms. Conley begins her work here on February 13, 2006.

Nominations Invited: The Robert L. Moody Prize - The Robert L. Moody Prize for Distinguished Initiatives in Brain Injury Research and Rehabilitation is a juried award that recognizes and honors individuals or groups whose efforts have made significant contributions in brain injury clinical research, improved treatment and rehabilitation procedures, or increased awareness of the need for rehabilitation and research. The prize consists of an honorarium of $10,000 and will be awarded at a conference in May. The nomination deadline is March 31, 2006. More info…

Stone published in AJOT - A guest editorial written by Occupational Therapy Department Chairwoman Gretchen Stone entitled Occupational Therapy in Times of Disaster was published in the January/February issue of the  American Journal of Occupational Therapy. Dr. Stone's editorial is certainly timely and one to which we can relate as evacuees.  Her editorial presses each of us to consider how we can prepare ourselves to help our communities during challenging times. 

Program mixes literary work with autism study - SAHS Associate Director of Student Services Phyllis Jendrusch likes to find instances in which a perfect balance between hard science and the humanities exists when coming up with new topics for her university students to explore. Rarely, Jendrusch said, had she found something that fit the bill so well as “The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time.” The book is the fictional account of a 15-year-old autistic math whiz as he tries to unravel the mystery behind the death of a neighbor’s dog. Read more...

Who's who - The SAHS Faculty Awards Committee is pleased to report that the following students were selected to appear in Who's Who Among Students in American Universities and Colleges for 2006. Clinical Laboratory Sciences: Mr. Anas Ahmed, Ms. Julie Dispensa, Ms. Sanju Eapan, Mr. Patrick Fong, Ms. Jessica Henderson; Occupational Therapy: Ms. Kathryn Flowers, Ms. Lindsey Hopkins, Ms. Alyssa Wheeler, Ms. Anima Mupier, Ms. Lauren Robinson; Physician Assistant Studies: Mr. Aaron Dudley, Ms. Dimple Varughese, Ms. Krysta Williams, Ms. Olivia Roberts, Ms. Kristin Pogue, Ms. Meghan Tullis, Ms. Kelly Smith; Physical Therapy: Ms. Clarissa Leonard, Ms. Jill McWilliams, Ms. Caroline Ellender, Ms. Jenny English, Ms. Laneece Marley, Ms. Kim Mayfield.

Acosta honored with APTA award - Martha Acosta, a graduate assistant in the Division of Rehabilitation Sciences, has been awarded the "Adopt a Doc" competitive award from the American Physical Therapy Association. The award seeks to support and recognize outstanding doctoral students committed to geriatric physical therapy. Martha will be presented the award during the Section on Geriatrics Award Ceremony at the annual APTA meeting this February in San Diego.

Weinberg to deliver winter commencement address - Dr. Armin Weinberg, Director of the Chronic Disease Prevention and Control Research Center and Professor of Medicine at Baylor College of Medicine will deliver this the keynote address at the 2005 Winter Commencement Exercise. Dr. Weinberg, who is also a member of the SAHS Advisory Council, will address the 45 candidates who will join the 6,000-plus SAHS graduates who are already distinguished allied health practitioners, educators, researchers, and community workers.

PT program accredited for full ten years - We are very pleased to receive the official news from the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE) that the SAHS PT program has been reaccredited for a full ten years.  This brings the reaccreditation process to a satisfying close.  We are very proud of our faculty, curriculum, clinicians, students, staff, and alums who contribute to our atmosphere of excellence.

Morris pledges two endowed scholarships - Ruth Morris, the first chairwoman of the Clinical Laboratory Sciences Department has pledged to establish two endowed presidential scholarships for outstanding UTMB students in that program.  Vicki S. Freeman, Ph.D., professor and current chairwoman of the Clinical Laboratory Sciences Department, said that Morris, even in retirement, has remained dedicated to the department. “These presidential scholarships from Ruth demonstrate the kind of commitment and support that universities can only dream of in their faculty, past or present,” Freeman said. “Ruth’s resolve to continue helping students at UTMB clearly shows how much she cares. We are grateful and fortunate to have Ruth as a benefactor.”

WHISSL receives Presidential Curriculum Innovation Award - The Worldwide Health Information System Simulation Linkage (WHISSL) has just been awarded  a UTMB Presidential Curriculum Innovation award (October 28, 2005). Twenty-eight educational projects were considered from across the university, and the WHISSL project was one of three chosen for the award. WHISSL is a HRSA-funded project and Dr. Rodger Marion is the PI. Dr. Bruce Niebuhr is the project co-director and Ms Sireesha Mandava is the programmer. WHISSL has been funded by HRSA since 1991 and many, many SAHS faculty have been involved in developing the WHISSL (nee HISS) simulated patients. See the latest patients here: http://whissl.utmb.edu/hrsa

Stone Appointed OT Chairwoman - We are pleased to announce the appointment of Dr. Gretchen Stone as Chair of the Department of Occupational Therapy and the inaugural holder of the Robert K. Bing Distinguished Professorship in Occupational Therapy. Stone’s present research focuses on how emotions and self evaluative mechanisms influence occupational performance in both practice and academic settings. She is committed to developing the potential of occupational therapists as essential members of community-based health initiatives, including responses to disaster, both nationally and internationally.

Cromwell elected Fellow in the Gerontological Society of America. July 2005 - SAHS Associate Professor Roni Cromwell was elected as a Fellow in the Gerontological Society of America.  The Gerontological Society of America (GSA), was founded in 1945 and is the oldest and largest national multidisciplinary scientific organization devoted to the advancement of gerontological research. Its membership includes some 5,000 researchers, educators, practitioners, and other professionals in the field of aging. The Society's principal missions are to promote research and education in aging, and to encourage the dissemination of research results to other scientists, decision makers, and practitioners.  Cromwell Portfolio

Baker nominated Who's Who Among America's Teachers - For the second year, SAHS PT professor Christine Baker, EdD, was nominated to Who's Who Among America's Teachers (2004-2005).  Additionally, Dr. Baker was awarded the William Gould Memorial Outstanding Physical Therapy Faculty Award by the Texas Physical Therapy Association in the fall of 2004. Baker Portfolio

Christiansen named "Distinguished Alumnus" and Zemke Lecturer - SAHS Dean Charles Christiansen was named the 2005 Distinguished Alumnus by The University of North Dakota.  Dr. Christiansen earned an undergraduate degree in Occupational Therapy from UND in 1970.  This honor coincides with the UND Occupational Therapy Program's 50th anniversary.  In addition to being selected UND Distinguished Alumnus, Dr. Christian was recently named the 2006 recipient of the Ruth Zemke Honorary Lecture by the Society for the Study of Occupation.

SAHS Awards $83,178 - Eighty-four hard-working and deserving students were honored at an October 10 luncheon.  The annual Scholarship and Awards Luncheon is an opportunity for benefactors, alumni, and friends of the school to meet the students who's lives they've impacted.  Join us in congratulating our scholarship recipients and in offering our sincere appreciation to those who made the awards possible.