McCormick Honored by The National Academies

Marie McCormick, chair of the Department of Maternal and Child Health, is part of the first group of people to be recognized for "extraordinary," pro bono service under a new program started by the Council of the National Academy of Sciences (NAS). McCormick has been given the lifetime title of "National Associate" of The National Academies.

Said the Council in its booklet listing the 2001 National Associates: "Our work in advising government and the public on matters of science, technology and health would not be possible without this dedicated commitment of experts to provide the nation with their wisdom and advice."

McCormick has volunteered for the Institute of Medicine, an associated organization of the NAS, working on reports about immunization safety and the perinatal transmission of HIV, among other topics.

Faculty Promotion

Steven Gortmaker has been promoted to professor of health and social behavior in the Department of Health and Social Behavior.

SCC Hosting Expanded International Night

For the first time since its inception, International Night, an annual HSPH celebration of cultural diversity, will feature performances from faculty and staff members, as well as students. The Student Coordinating Committee (SCC) is organizing the event, which will take place on Saturday, March 2 at 7 p.m. at the Mass College of Art, 621 Huntington Avenue. A reception featuring world cuisine will follow. Tickets are $5 and will be on sale Mondays through Fridays, February 19 to March 1, at lunchtime in the Kresge cafeteria.

Traditionally, HSPH students have taken center stage on International Night, delighting audiences with performances ranging from Chinese opera to yodeling. This year, the SCC is also inviting faculty and staff to perform because, "we really wanted to make International Night a community-wide event," said Sonia Mathews, SCC president. "At HSPH, we have people who come from all over the world, and we wanted to celebrate that diversity."

The SCC moved the event back from April to March to give performers more of the remaining school year to develop friendships after meeting each other at International Night, said Mathews. The venue has changed from Kresge cafeteria to the Mass College of Art to accommodate more people.

The SCC includes elected officers and representatives from each department and MPH concentration. Joining these elected members are representatives from recognized student groups. The SCC supports a range of student interests, including academic/career affairs, social events and volunteering opportunities. In December, for example, the group organized a successful clothing drive, and members donated their time to a local soup kitchen.

Mathews said the SCC is planning events leading up to International Night, including a movie night with films from different countries.

To learn more about SCC events, contact Mathews at smathews@hsph.harvard.edu or visit the group’s message board on the Ground Floor of the Kresge Building near the student mailboxes. Information will also be available throughout February in a display case in the corridor that connects Building I to the Kresge Building.

Nominees for Alumni Award Sought

The Alumni Programs Office is seeking nominations for the Alumni Award of Merit, the highest honor presented to HSPH alumni. The annual award recognizes three graduates whose leadership, community activities, contributions, accomplishments and commitment to the field of public health exemplify the ideas set forth by HSPH.

Last year, the awards honored Tony Adams, MPH ‘61, for his work to eradicate polio; Jonathan Samet, MS ‘77, for his research into the effects of airborne soot on life expectancy; and Antoine Augustin, MPH ‘77, for work in providing health care to poor people in Haiti.

To nominate an HSPH graduate, contact the Alumni Programs Office at 617-432-2401. Nomination forms are also available at www.hsph.harvard.edu/alumni. Completed forms can be brought to the Alumni Programs Office, Kresge G-18, or can be faxed to 617-432-4517. Nominations are due on or before February 28.

Winners will receive their awards on HSPH Alumni Day, May 17.