Dean Bloom
"This place works because people interact with each other. They help each other, and they share knowledge and information and experiences," said Dean Bloom. "I think this is a good place to work because people do respect other people and ideas and because we are a community."
STRATEGIC AND EDUCATION INITIATIVES
Dean Bloom reviewed several of the School's strategic initiatives. Increasingly, public health is integrating the study of genetics and complex diseases. Large sets of data have been created that need to be analyzed. To address this need for analysis, a bioinformatics core was established at HSPH, and its organizers are now conducting a "needs" survey of faculty and postdoctoral fellows.
Similar in theme, a new biweekly series of discussions on gene-environment interaction is under way by the University Committee on the Environment.
Improving global health remains a compelling priority in the School's work, as exemplified by projects in China, India, the Mediterranean, and Africa. Dean Bloom reviewed several noteworthy projects. A group of 28 leaders from China's central and provincial Ministries of Health visited HSPH in August for a three-week training as part of a larger effort that involves the School, Tsinghua University in Beijing, and the Chinese Ministry of Health. The School will participate in a public-private partnership called the Public Health Foundation of India, which aims to establish new schools of public health throughout the second most populous country in the world. Training in public health has begun in Cyprus through the Cyprus International Institute for the Environment and Public Health in Nicosia, Cyprus, and the HSPH-Cyprus Program in Boston. And the School's work in sub-Saharan Africa through the PEPFAR grant has provided access to antiretroviral therapy to 24,000 people who would likely not have had access otherwise, said Dean Bloom.
This fall, HSPH will begin a self-study as part of the process for accreditation through the Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH). The School is also examining the use of case-based learning in its curricula to sharpen necessary problem-solving skills, explained Dean Bloom.
RESEARCH UPDATE
Among the many examples of noteworthy research at HSPH, Dean Bloom highlighted several recent research projects and accomplishments. In September, Atul Gawande became the fourth HSPH faculty member to win a MacArthur "genius" award. Three members of the Department of Biostatistics, Marvin Zelen, Xihong Lin, and Louise Ryan, were honored for their work at the Joint Statistical Meetings in August.
Laurie Glimcher led the identification of a key protein in mice that regulates genes controlling bone formation, a discovery with profound implications for diseases such as osteoporosis. Gškhan Hotamisligil and colleagues identified a cellular mechanism that may predispose for obesity and diabetes. David Studdert and Michelle Mello produced a study that suggested, contrary to popular belief, that frivolous medical malpractice litigation is not rampant.
FINANCIAL PICTURE
Dean Ware
The School received $15 million in new philanthropic gifts this past year, up 55 percent from the previous fiscal year. That funding includes gifts from Penny Pritzker, '81 AB, and Bryan Traubert for childhood nutrition; Steve Kay, '56 AB, for an endowed chair; and Barrie Damson, '56 AB, for a trust.
Both Deans Ware and Bloom noted that the School continues to seek funding for increased financial aid for students.
MANAGEMENT CHANGES
Dean Bloom observed that HSPH has grown significantly in size and complexity in the past 10 years, while the external environment has become more demanding. For example, NIH procedures have become more challenging, regulatory demands more complex, and global work has expanded. Yet, the School's administrative groups have not yet grown to meet to these challenges, said Dean Bloom.
Last year, the School hired the Boston Consulting Group to look at administrative needs, which identified two objectives that will guide the School's administrative initiatives: faster responses to departmental questions and improved clarity of decision processes.
To aid the School in addressing these themes, a new Chief Financial Officer-Laura Tobin Ketchum-has been recruited and hopes to improve the financial systems.
SCHOOL COMMUNITY
Ketchum is not the only new face at HSPH. Dean Ware listed several other new appointments and leadership changes that have occurred this past year. Kenneth Olden, former director of the National Institute for Environmental Health Sciences, is a Yerby Visiting Professor in Environmental Health. Jim Yong Kim, former WHO Director of HIV/AIDS, is director of the FXB Center for Health and Human Rights. Jack Shonkoff, former Dean of The Heller School for Social Policy and Management at Brandeis University, is director of the new Harvard University-wide Center on the Developing Child. David Williams is a professor in the Department of Society, Human Development, and Health. Dean Jamison is a visiting professor of Public Health and International Development at HSPH and at KSG.
Gisela Ashley
Dyann Wirth and Louise Ryan have become chairs of the Departments of Immunology and Infectious Diseases and of Biostatistics, respectively. Hans-Olov Adami will become chair of the Department of Epidemiology in February.
STAFF SURVEY/GPTW AWARDS
Harvard has released initial findings from a staff survey conducted last March. The primary thrust of the survey was to assess staff attitudes about the work environment at the school.
Dean Ware noted that HSPH fell just within the "Best Employer Range" with an engagement score of 61 percent but that the School can do much better. The "best employers" list is amassed by Hewitt Associates-the company that conducted the survey.
Left to right, Alfrieda Marsh and Sonia Toledo
Among the themes revealed by the survey were concerns about institutional leadership, the linkage between performance and salary, and career development. Dean Ware explained that HSPH will be engaging the community through focus groups to develop strategies for addressing the issues raised in the survey.
Dean Ware also acknowledged the HSPH staff members who have been repeatedly recognized by their peers for work above and beyond the call of duty through the GPTW award. Since the award's inception in 2004, Connie Smith in the Department of Immunology and Infectious Diseases has been nominated nine times; Karen Brown in Student Services has been nominated seven times; Stephanie Smith-Warner has received the nod six times, and Jeremy Furtado five times. Both Smith-Warner and Furtado work in the Department of Nutrition.
Said Dean Ware in his closing remarks, "Collectively, the 1,700 of us that are the faculty and staff of the School have achieved a great deal in the last year. The School has ended the year stronger financially. We've renewed ourselves in important leadership positions, expanded our capacity in critical ways, and I believe we are poised now to take on new challenges."
Both Deans Bloom and Ware encouraged the audience to provide suggestions. At the end of the address, the Deans answered questions from the audience regarding topics such as the risk of bird flu in the world, overhead rates in federal funding, the role of the School in the debate regarding health care insurance, and efforts to provide support for post-doctoral students.
Copyright, 2007, President and Fellows of Harvard College
