Cannabis Research Center
SPH received $2.5 million in annual appropriation from the state of Minnesota to establish a new SPH Center for Cannabis Research. The new center will investigate the effects of cannabis use on health and research other topics related to cannabis, including prevention and treatment of substance use disorders, equity issues, education, and decriminalization.
St. Paul Public Schools Partnerships
The SPH Division of Biostatistics & Health Data Science is partnering with St. Paul Public Schools (SPPS) to create career pathways for secondary students into public health. In March 2023, SPPS educators spent the day at SPH learning about opportunities for their students in a broad array of public health careers.
Legislative Tours
In fiscal year 2024, SPH is coordinating legislative tours in Greater Minnesota locations and on the U of M campus. SPH faculty, students, staff, and alumni will meet with local legislators and community groups to talk about how SPH can support positive health outcomes for their constituents.
Senator Tina Smith Visits SPH
U.S. Senator Tina Smith visited SPH in January 2023 to learn more about the school’s research and national leadership to address the nation’s ongoing public health workforce shortage. She was especially interested in the new Consortium for Workforce Research in Public Health (CWORPH). The collaboration, led by the SPH Center for Public Health Systems, will address public health workforce challenges by conducting robust workforce research, evaluation, and analysis.
Mayo Clinic Academic Partnership
SPH’s Executive MHA program launched a new collaboration with the Mayo Clinic’s Career Investment program. The program offers opportunities for Mayo Clinic health professionals to earn degrees in their field while still working in their professional roles. Six Mayo Clinic employees have completed their MHA degree, with double that number currently enrolled and more students planning to start in 2024.
Division of Biostatistics & Health Data Science
The Division of Biostatistics & Health Data Science updated their name, from the Division of Biostatistics, to better reflect their focus on analyzing complicated data sets derived from genomic data, electronic health records, and clinical trials. This name change signifies the forward-thinking leadership in the field of data science that division faculty and researchers demonstrate through their research and teaching.
