New study looks at discrimination African-American adolescents face in schools
Nearly 60 years after the Supreme Court outlawed racial segregation in public schools, African American adolescents of all socio-economic backgrounds continue to face instances of racial discrimination in the classroom. A new study sheds light on that and points to the need for students of color to rely on personal and cultural assets to exceed academically. The study “African American Adolescents’ Academic Persistence: A Strengths-Based Approach,” was published online May 24 in the Journal of Youth and Adolescence.
Brown School’s MPH program to offer two new specializations
The Brown School launched its Master in Public Health (MPH) program in 2009, implementing an innovative curriculum that uses transdisciplinary problem-solving to help students apply principles to improve population health, particularly among vulnerable populations. This fall, the program will offer its first two specializations — global health and epidemiology/biostatistics — providing flexibility for students to increase skill building through electives and offering them valuable experience in targeted areas of public health.
‘What’s Right’ with a community partner
Jamie Jordan, principal of Brittany Woods Middle School in the University City School District, accepts one of 20 “What’s Right With the Region!” awards from Focus St. Louis May 9. WUSTL is a key partner with Brittany Woods through the Institute for School Partnership, which conducts training and outreach programs at the school, and the Brown School, where the middle school is part of its urban education initiative.
African-American health and well-being subject of new study in St. Louis area
A new comprehensive, multi-disciplinary study, led by the Brown School’s Jason Q. Purnell, PhD, on the health and well-being of African Americans in St. Louis could have far-reaching impacts on an entire population. The research findings and a series of related policy briefs will culminate in a community conference in 2014, coinciding with the 60th anniversary of Brown v. Board of Education and the 50th anniversary of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
Kreuter named Brown School associate dean for public health
Matthew W. Kreuter, PhD, professor and director of the Brown School’s Health Communication Research Laboratory (HCRL), has been named associate dean for public health, according to Edward F. Lawlor, PhD. dean and the William E. Gordon Distinguished Professor. The appointment is effective July 1.
Three doctoral candidates named Bouchet Fellows
Three WUSTL doctoral candidates were inducted into the Edward A. Bouchet Graduate Honor Society at the annual Bouchet Conference on Diversity in Graduate Education April 19-20 at Yale University. The Bouchet Society, named for the first African American to earn a doctorate in the United States, recognizes outstanding scholarly achievement and promotes diversity and excellence in doctoral education and the professoriate.
I-CARES announces 2013 funded research projects
The International Center for Advanced Renewable Energy
and Sustainability (I-CARES) has announced the award winners for its
2013 Call for Proposals. This year, special emphasis was placed on projects related to
climate change.
Local health departments find Twitter effective in spreading diabetes information
Twitter is proving to be an effective tool for local health departments in disseminating health information — especially in promoting specific health behaviors. The latest study, led by Jenine K. Harris, PhD, assistant professor at the Brown School, focused on diabetes, a disease that may affect an estimated one-third of U.S. adults by 2050. “We focused on diabetes first, both because of increasing diabetes rates,” Harris says, “and also because people living with diabetes tend to use online health-related resources at a fairly high rate and are an audience already online and on social media.”
With the right mortgage, home ownership builds wealth
The Great Recession, characterized by devastating
mortgage defaults, has challenged the conventional wisdom that home
ownership is a good investment, particularly for those with low and
moderate incomes. But the conventional wisdom on the benefits of owning vs. renting
still holds when done right, according to a newly published study led by
the Brown School’s Center for Social Development and Michal Grinstein-Weiss, PhD. Homeowners with low and moderate incomes who participated in this
study conducted between 2005-08 achieved higher net worth than their
counterparts who rent. This research provides new and important evidence for the current policy debate on low-income homeownership programs,” Grinstein-Weiss says.
Celebrating ‘Uncommon Journeys’: Brown School honors alumni, faculty member
The Brown School at Washington University in St. Louis awarded one Distinguished Faculty Award and five Distinguished Alumni Awards during its annual alumni awards celebration April 17 at Steinberg Auditorium on the Danforth Campus. One of the alumni was selected as an outstanding Graduate of the Last Decade.
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