Congratulations graphic for Dr. Cara Pennel, named Associate Dean for Academic and Student Affairs at the School of Public and Population Health. Features her headshot against an orange arch background with confetti.
First of four announcements from PHHD this week. Congratulations to Dr. Cara Pennel, named Associate Dean for Academic and Student Affairs at the School of Public and Population Health!
▶️ You can catch up on recent presentations sponsored by The Sealy Center on Aging and associated programs by visiting our website homepage and navigating to the Recent Lecture Videos heading under News and Events.
🔗 www.utmb.edu/scoa
Monserrat Hinojosa smiling with a camera around her neck, with the Incan ruins of Machu Picchu and the surrounding Andean mountains behind her
Monserrat Hinojosa giving two thumbs up outside a field clinic in Lima, Peru, wearing a white lab coat, face mask, and a UTMB badge on a red lanyard
Monserrat Hinojosa and six colleagues standing together in a research facility storage room in Lima, Peru, smiling for a group photo — one colleague wearing a UTMB School of Public and Population Health shirt
Monserrat Hinojosa standing on top of a yellow and black dune buggy on the sand dunes of Huacachina, Peru, smiling against a clear blue sky
MPH student Monserrat Hinojosa spent 4 weeks in Lima researching tuberculosis and dengue — embedded at a tropical medicine institute and alongside the Peruvian CDC. She came home with a clearer picture of what public health looks like on the ground. Her story: utmb.us/foj
Drs. Pennel, Agana, and Prochaska pose for a photo with Samantha in the SPPH hallway.
Samantha Paredes speaks to a group of students seated around a conference table in a modern UTMB meeting room, with the UTMB logo displayed on a screen behind her
SPPH's Department of Epidemiology held its semester mixer with Samantha Paredes (Master of Public Health, Class of 2022), who has worked in cancer research, government epidemiology, and data program management since graduating. Students asked to meet working alumni. She was a natural fit.
Black-and-white headshot of Dr. Norrina Allen set within an orange circular frame, against a cream background with decorative orange line art.
What does blood pressure in early adulthood mean for dementia risk later in life? Dr. Norrina Allen brings new data science approaches to that question at the next Pepper Investigators Lecture on Wednesday April 22 at noon. Details at utmb.us/fof
Group of PASM course participants posing in front of the Neutral Buoyancy Laboratory emblem on the floor at NASA's Johnson Space Center. The painted floor logo reads "NBL — Neutral Buoyancy Laboratory — NASA/JSC" with illustrations of a diver and an astronaut.
Principles of Aviation and Space Medicine participants prepare for a hypobaric altitude chamber session, wearing flight helmets and oxygen masks during physiologic training at NASA's Johnson Space Center.
PASM participants seated at tables in a classroom, watching a faculty member present at the front of the room. A projected slide is visible on the screen behind the presenter.
UTMB's Principles of Aviation and Space Medicine (PASM) course — July 1–24, 2026, with an in-person week at Space Center Houston — is now open to nurses, PAs, and other health professionals for the first time. Application deadline extended to April 20. Apply: utmb.us/fo4
Anna Zajacova speaks to a classroom of attendees during a special lecture at UTMB, standing at the front of the room beside a projected slide about measuring pain.
Chronic pain affects roughly 1 in 4 U.S. adults — and who bears that burden is shaped by income, place, and education. Anna Zajacova, PhD, joined UTMB this week to make the case for treating it as a population health priority. utmb.us/fnz
Stylized illustration of a large hospital building with palm trees on a grassy lawn under a bright blue sky.
In case you missed it, UTMB launched its ACGME-accredited Carceral Medicine Fellowship. Fellows will train across correctional healthcare settings in Texas, including the TDCJ Hospital in Galveston. More on the CCHE news page. utmb.us/fns
Promotional graphic featuring Monique R. Pappadis against a blue background with the question, “How does the department collaborate?” Text at the bottom reads: “Rehabilitation Outcomes Scientist | Aging Care Disparities Researcher | Practice-Focused Educator,” “Monique R. Pappadis, PhD, MEd, FACRM,” and “Associate Professor,” alongside the UTMB Population Health and Health Disparities logo.
How does the department collaborate? In this video, Monique Pappadis, MEd, PhD, talks about how overlapping research interests in UTMB’s Department of Population Health and Health Disparities create opportunities for collaboration within the department and with partners beyond. Watch: utmb.us/exq
Promotional graphic for UTMB School of Public and Population Health virtual info sessions. Text reads: Virtual Info Sesh — Connect with recruiters, meet program directors, hear from students and alumni. April 20 at 11:00 AM CT and April 22 at 6:00 PM CT. A QR code is included to add either session to your calendar. A circular photo shows a woman smiling at a professional event, with two other attendees visible behind her.
SPPH just climbed 27 spots to rank No. 89 among 224 accredited public health schools in the 2026 U.S. News rankings — tied for the largest single-cycle gain in the top 100. Curious what a degree here looks like? Join a virtual info session April 20 (11 AM CDT) or April 22 (6 PM CDT). utmb.us/f4v
A long kitchen counter covered with breakfast foods including scrambled eggs, pastries, fruit, and sandwiches. Text reads: SPPH Graduate Student Appreciation Breakfast, 8:00 AM, Tuesday, April 14, SPPH Kitchen.
Graduate students put in the work every day. Tomorrow morning, we're hosting a breakfast in the SPPH Kitchen to say thank you. Stop by Tuesday, April 14, starting at 8:00 AM — we'd love to see you there!
🔍 Join us for a talk sponsored by the Sealy Center on Aging & the Dept of Epidemiology @utmbspph.bsky.social on April 15, 2026. Anna Zajacova, PhD, from the University of Western Ontario will present, "Chronic Pain as a Population Health Priority in an Aging Society."
🔗 Get the details: utmb.us/flx
Five women smile at an outdoor event. One wears a gray UTMB School of Public and Population Health shirt and a race bib numbered 136. The others wear light blue Market Mile shirts printed with the words "Food Access for All" in yellow.
SPPH deans and directors walked Groundswell's 5th Annual Market Mile in Galveston yesterday. Groundswell, formerly Galveston's Own Farmers Market, works to make fresh local food accessible to all island residents.
A staff member wearing a UTMB Health School of Public and Population Health t-shirt smiles behind an information table at an indoor campus event. A handwritten sign reads "Ask US About our Dual Degree!" next to printed flyers about Community Engaged Public Health and the MD/MPH program, assorted candy, and UTMB-branded materials. Other attendees and tables are visible in the background.
SPPH showed up to today's John Sealy School of Medicine Spring Peek with candy and flyers. If you're an accepted med student, come ask us about the MD/MPH dual degree and the Community Engaged Public Health scholarly concentration.
Personal protective equipment and demonstration materials arranged on a table, including gloves, shoe covers, protective clothing, a face shield hood, and disinfectant spray.
Five faculty from SPECTRE and Bioethics & Health Humanities discussed how UTMB's Biocontainment Care Unit stays ready for diseases like Ebola, and the ethical questions that come with preparing for threats that may never arrive. utmb.us/fmf
Wide shot of delta nu inductees posing for a group photo.
Eleven new members joined Delta Nu, UTMB SPPH's chapter of the Delta Omega Honorary Society in Public Health. MD/MPH student Thanmayi Parasu also received the 2026 Excellence in Public Health Award.
Speaker gestures while delivering remarks during a symposium presentation.
Science alone does not earn trust. During his keynote at The University of Texas Medical Branch, Dr. Umair Shah called for clearer storytelling, stronger partnerships, and a high-tech, high-touch approach to public health. utmb.us/fm4
Projected slide from a Badya University student presentation shown on a large screen during the poster session, with the presenter visible in a small video window.
Two attendees listen and one speaks into a tabletop microphone during the discussion portion of the session.
A man in a suit speaks while walking across the front of the room during the poster session.
A woman stands at the podium with a microphone, speaking to attendees during the session.
Six second-year medical students from Badya University presented original research at The University of Texas Medical Branch during this year’s Public Health Symposium. The live discussion with UTMB faculty made the session especially strong. utmb.us/flw
Woman in a yellow blouse introducing herself to attendees during a lunch event in a classroom-style meeting space.
Attendees seated around a table listening as one man stands and speaks during a group discussion.
Man speaking to a table of attendees during an alumni lunch and networking event.
Woman standing and speaking to a group of seated attendees during an alumni lunch on campus.
UTMB SPPH hosted its first Alumni Lunch and Dean's Reception during National Public Health Week! Alumni working at Houston Methodist, Baylor, NASA, and more joined students and faculty for lunch and stayed for the Public Health Symposium.
Interior wall display reading “School of Public & Population Health” above a large blue abstract artwork.
SPPH climbed 27 spots to No. 89 in U.S. News & World Report's 2026 Best Public Health Schools rankings, tied for the largest gain among all current top-100 programs. Public health education at UTMB dates to 1891. utmb.us/fli
Two attendees talk face to face during a networking event.
At the SPPH Career Connections Mixer, students met with the CDC, Phillips 66, Dow Chemical, Pfizer, and 20+ other organizations. The takeaway: public health skills fit in more places than students expect. utmb.us/fl9
Five speakers from Access Care of Coastal Texas take part in the Community Voices Panel at UTMB, with four seated at the front of the room and one standing at the lectern.
SPPH's Community Voices Panel opened National Public Health Week with four Access Care of Coastal Texas staff members who've lived with HIV for a combined 101 years. They had sharp, specific advice for future health professionals on stigma, language, and delivering a diagnosis with calm. utmb.us/fkz
UTMB National Public Health Week 2026 logo. Bold text reads "NPHW 2026 @ UTMB" in a retro hand-lettered style, with "National Public Health Week" above and "April 6-10" below. All text is burnt orange on a white background.
National Public Health Week at UTMB runs April 6–10 — community panels, a career mixer with 20+ employers, keynote by Dr. Umair Shah on trust and technology in a divided nation, a biocontainment panel with a live PPE demo, and a beach clean-up. utmb.us/f9x
Dr. Sallam, Dr. Hill, Dr. Goodman, and Dr. Serag stand together in front of a glass-walled conference room as Dr. Hill presents the inaugural PHHD Pilot Award to Dr. Goodman. Dr. Goodman holds the clear award at center while the group smiles for the camera.
UTMB's Department of Population Health and Health Disparities just awarded its first pilot grant — $15K to Dr. Michael Goodman for a study on whether Galveston County residents would trust and use AI-enabled community health tools. utmb.us/fkq
Graphic for UTMB National Public Health Week highlighting “Making Preparedness Real” on Thursday, April 9, from 12:00 to 1:00 p.m. in HEC 3.200. The design features the UTMB Bioethics and Health Humanities logo and the SPECTRE logo, plus “NPHW 2026 @ UTMB” and UTMB School of Public and Population Health branding.
How do hospitals prepare for highly infectious diseases before a crisis arrives? Thu April 9, noon in HEC 3.200 — SPECTRE and Bioethics and Health Humanities faculty discuss biocontainment, training, and protocols. Ends with a live PPE demo. utmb.us/f9x
@utmbscoa.bsky.social
Clinician in protective gown and gloves examines an older man wearing glasses and a face mask during a medical visit.
New in Age and Ageing: UTMB MD/MPH student Sheheryar Ali led a study of 1.6 million Medicare beneficiaries finding that Annual Wellness Visits are associated with fewer falls and fractures in older adults with Alzheimer's and related dementias. utmb.us/fk6
CONNECT for CARE brings HIV care providers and community partners together for a free hybrid resource exchange, April 2 in Galveston. Hosted by the UTMB AETC and Ryan White Program. Register: scaetc.unm.edu/scaetc/event...
Graphic for UTMB National Public Health Week highlighting the Public Health Symposium on Wednesday, April 8, from 1:00 to 4:30 p.m. at the Health Education Center. The design features a podium icon, “NPHW 2026 @ UTMB,” and UTMB School of Public and Population Health branding.
UTMB Public Health Symposium, Wed April 8, 1–4:30 p.m. in HEC. Student posters, a keynote from Dr. Umair Shah (former WA Secretary of Health), and research presentations from Badya University students in Egypt. Alumni lunch at noon. utmb.us/f9x
UTMB Wellness Wednesdays: Walk With Us flyer. A group of five UTMB employees walk together on a sunny campus pathway. Text reads: "Wellness Wednesdays: Walk With Us. Brought to you by the Academic Enterprise Office of Wellness. Move Together. Feel Better. Stay Connected. In recognition of American Heart Association National Start Walking Day (April 1) and Move More Month (April). Join us every Wednesday in April for a 30-minute guided campus walk. All are welcome. No registration needed — just show up and step out. Every Wednesday in April, 12:15 to 12:45 p.m., Moody Medical Library Plaza. Contact Julie Griffith at wellness@utmb.edu. Event is weather dependent."
April is Move More Month, and UTMB's Academic Enterprise Office of Wellness is making it easy. Wellness Wednesdays: Walk With Us meets every Wednesday in April at Moody Medical Library Plaza, 12:15 p.m. Free, open to all, no registration. 30 minutes well spent.
