Brown School

An estimated 55 million to 105 million people in the United States suffer from foodborne illnesses each year, resulting in costs of $2-$4 billion annually. What if Twitter could be used to track those cases and more quickly identify the source of the problem? A new analysis by a researcher at Washington University in St. Louis Brown School shows that new technology might better allow health departments to engage with the public to improve foodborne illness surveillance.

The inaugural Health and Engineeering Careers Summer Camp took place in late July at West Side Missionary Baptist Church in St. Louis. Numerous Washington University in St. Louis groups co-sponsored the event, which aimed to encourage underrepresented children to focus on science and math subjects. Here, 10-year-old Deja Stallworth proudly shows off the robot she made.

At recent Board of Trustees meetings, several faculty members were appointed with tenure, promoted with tenure or reinstated with tenure.

William E. Cornelius, emeritus trustee and alumnus of Washington University in St. Louis, died Wednesday, Aug. 6, 2014, at his home in Huntleigh, Mo. He was 82.

Federal funding for the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) is set to expire Oct. 1, 2015, unless Congress intervenes — a move that is essential for millions of Amerian children, says a Washington University in St. Louis faculty expert on child well-being.

Young adults who were breastfed for three months or more as babies have a significantly lower risk of chronic inflammation associated with cardiovascular and metabolic diseases, according to research from the Brown School at Washington University in St. Louis.

Michal Grinstein-Weiss, PhD, associate professor at the Brown School and associate director of the Center for Social Development, has been asked to join the Clinton Global Initiative and to participate in its Financial Opportunity Working Group. The group focuses on developing sustainable programs to create financial opportunities for low- and moderate-income households.

The Institute for Public Health serves as an important bridge across campus, connecting all seven schools to strengthen Washington University in St. Louis’ impact on public health. Currently, the institute’s sole facility is on the Medical Campus, but thanks to alumnus and university trustee Harry Seigle (AB ’68) (center) and his wife, Susan, the institute soon also will have a home on the Danforth Campus — in the new Brown School building slated for completion next year.

Walking, biking or taking public transportation for work and errands can increase physical activity and offers other health benefits — but adults older than 60 are much less likely to regularly use public transit, finds a new study of St. Louisans from the Brown School.

A new study, led by Jenine K. Harris, PhD, assistant professor at the Brown School, examined the use of the hashtag #childhoodobesity in tweets to track Twitter conversations about the issue of overweight kids.