News from the School of Public Health

The Department of Kinesiology has named Associate Professor Sushant Ranadive the inaugural endowed Burris F. and Margaret C. Husman Professor. Ranadive, who studies how women’s hormonal changes related to menopause affect cardiovascular health and predisposes them to high blood pressure, will receive $20,000 annually for three years to support research activities.

Along with higher health care costs overall, Americans spend an average of $1,300 per person on prescription drugs - more than any other country in the world. Part of the problem lies in the complexity of how prescription drug prices are set. They are determined by complex negotiations between pharmaceutical companies, pharmacy benefit managers and health insurance companies.

As a doctoral student working with a community action coalition in East Baltimore, SPH alumna Jocelyn Smith Lee, Ph.D.’13, observed firsthand how Black boys and men struggled to navigate issues of trauma, violence, loss and healing. Those observations, which sparked more than a decade of community-engaged research and action to advance racial equity, are the root of her recent storytelling campaign: In All Ways Human.

With gunshot injuries in Washington, D.C. up nearly 20% from this time last year, a new analysis tool developed by a University of Maryland School of Public Health doctoral student is helping district leaders detect surges in gun violence, monitor at-risk groups and understand trends.

Congratulations to these School of Public Health faculty members, who received the following appointments, honors and awards in spring 2023.

Looking for a book to inspire you as you recharge your batteries this summer? Or maybe you’re searching for a new perspective on public health. Either way, the School of Public Health has you covered! Our summer reading list, created with input from faculty and staff, touches on everything from the complexity of the disabled experience to racism, oppression and mistakes made in the healthcare industry.