Department Difference Makers Awards

The Charles Stewart Mott Department of Public Health Awards Committee is proud to announce the recipients of the Difference Makers Awards. These awards recognize the hard work of faculty members, staff members, and community partners. 

MSU Appoint Faculty to Lead Expanded Public Health Concentrations

To address the rural public health concerns and train the next generation of public health professionals on how to effectively use health data and improve health outcomes in a community, the Michigan State University Master of Public Health (MPH) Program in the College of Human Medicine has expanded the roles of two MPH assistant professors.   

Faculty Voice: The Importance of Early Detection of Zoonotic Diseases

The USDA’s order to test raw milk samples nationwide is a proactive measure that underscores the importance of public and zoonotic disease surveillance. This is of special importance when we are talking about viruses since they are known to change and adapt to new hosts. Early detection of zoonotic diseases like bird flu virus is important because it has a highly pathogenic strain (H5N1) that poses a potential zoonotic risk causing disease in humans.

Oh, SNAP: The Unintended Consequences of Addressing Food Insecurity

With 47 million people in the U.S. facing food insecurity in 2023—more than the combined population of Michigan, Wisconsin, and Texas, the urgency of this issue cannot be overstated. In one of the wealthiest nations in the world, it is unacceptable that many people struggle to access enough safe, nutritious food.  

Amber Pearson Appointed Associate Chair for Recruitment and Searches

The Charles Stewart Mott Department of Public Health is unique as the first academic Department to be co-developed and co-governed in partnership with the communities it serves. As Michigan State University's first fully philanthropically named Department, expansion efforts include recruiting top talent. With more than $186 million in federal research grants and other funding to date, this community-partnered public health department has been an economic engine for Flint while improving health outcomes and influencing health policy.  

Connecting Creativity and Public Health

Returning to school after a long break can be a daunting decision to make. Master of Public Health (MPH) student Andrea Morrison decided to apply to the program after taking time off to raise her family. To keep herself grounded, Morrison uses her passion for yarn arts to focus and improve her mental health. She writes about what inspired her to earn her MPH and how knitting helps spark creativity in unconventional ways.

Speaking to the MI Regulatory Affairs Committee

Master of Public Health (MPH) student Brittany Tayler serves as the director of the Community and Advocacy Rotation for Hurley Medical Center residents and works closely with a number of different organizations in the Flint and Genesee County community. She also is the Genesee Intermediate School District Medical Director and works closely with the Michigan Department of health and Human Services to inform best policies around youth tobacco use. Below is her testimony to the Michigan Regulatory Affairs Committee. 

Michigan State University Introduces Two New Master of Public Health Degree Concentrations

Rural Public Health and Public Health Data Management and Analytics 

The CEPH-accredited online Master of Public Health (MPH) program at the Michigan State University College of Human Medicine has introduced two new concentrations in response to input from alumni, students, and local health departments.  

What are the Impacts of Structural Racism on Housing, Aging, and Health?

Researchers from Michigan State University and Rutgers University will lead the first nationally funded study to explore how neighborhood change created by racism in housing affects health across the life course, specifically related to aging. Researchers are starting to understand the links between historical redlining and contemporary health inequities. This work expands on that idea, studying a whole host of factors 'beyond redlining' that have influenced decline and disinvestment in cities.