The School of Public Health community has lost a devoted alumna whose engagement with the University of Maryland has spanned decades and included many roles, most recently as an advisor to Dean Boris Lushniak as a member of the school’s Dean’s Council. Ayne Furman ’77 died on September 26, 2021 after a struggle with cancer. She was 64 years old.

Every three seconds, someone in the world develops dementia. With a growing aging population, the number of dementia cases is expected to triple by 2050. Because there’s no cure, researchers like fourth year PhD student Daniel Callow are focusing their efforts on prevention measures.

The School of Public Health would like to recognize and welcome the following faculty and staff to our community. Some are already part of our community and are being recognized for new roles/titles, while others are joining us this academic year. Welcome and congratulations to all!

Exercise can increase brain connectivity related to memory and may help older adults at risk of Alzheimer’s disease, according to a new study published in the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease led by J. Carson Smith at the University of Maryland. 

In May, women's lacrosse player and Kinesiology undergraduate Grace Griffin ('21) was one of 28 students in the BIG10 conference to receive the Big Ten Medal of Honor. This prestigious award recognizes both academic and athletic excellence to students in the graduating class at each university in the BIG10 conference. As reported by Maryland Athletics:

The negro health problem is one of the “white man's burdens,” and it is by no means the least of those burdens. […] It is undoubtedly true that the negro race has deteriorated physically and morally since slavery times. In some ways, he is perhaps more intelligent, but freedom has not benefited his health, nor improved his morals. There is more sickness and inefficiency and crime among them now than before the war.

Please join us in congratulating Mia Caminita for her selection as a 2021 Women in Sports Tech Fellow (WiST)! For her fellowship, Mia will work with the Stanford University Children's Hospital Motion Analysis and Sports Performance Lab.