Welcome, students! The Epidemiology Section would like to extend a special welcome to students interested in epidemiology! 

We are excited to serve as your student representatives to the Epidemiology Section this year.  By communicating and advocating for student interests and concerns, we hope to integrate student input and innovation in the development and expansion of the Epidemiology Section.  Here’s is a brief summary about each of your new student representatives as well information about how you can get involved in the Section.

Hello, my name is Xiaoxing (Stella) He, a Section liaison to the APHA Student Assembly. I am really passionate about research and teaching in the area of obesity, cancer control, aging, chronic illness prevention, or health promotion, particularly among women, minorities, and under-served populations. Currently, I am actively involved in worldwide epidemiology studies on cancer and chronic diseases to evaluate the state of treatment and health outcomes. Please feel free to contact me so that we can begin to network and share ideas. My e-mail addresses are: xiaoxing.he@jhsph.edu and stellaxhe@yahoo.com

Hi, my name is Lisa Oakley. I am getting my MPH in international public health at Oregon State University. I am really excited to have the opportunity to volunteer as a student liaison to the Epidemiology Section. My research has focused mostly sexual health, HIV/AIDS, and STIs in Latinos and older adults. However, I have also been involved in a research project using pet dogs as sentinels for respiratory health as related to air pollution. My perspective to the Epidemiology Section is unique in that I am not focusing my graduate training in epidemiology. Rather, I recognize the value of the information used by this field in all aspects of public health and the importance for students of any track to build epidemiological skills. I am really interested in highlighting the success of students in epidemiology and plan to soon begin a "student snapshot" in the newsletter to highlight student achievements. If you or a fellow student has made a contribution to the field (on any scale) or if you have any questions about the section, please feel free to send me an e-mail at oakelyl@onid.orst.edu.

Hello, my name is Heidi Mortensen. I am currently working toward an MPH via the online program at University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. I am very thankful to have the opportunity to volunteer as a student liaison
for the Epidemiology Section. I am especially looking forward to volunteering with Governing Council work on policy reviews and in the planning of Epi Section activities such as the social event at this year's APHA Annual Meeting. hmortensen@ucdavis.edu

I'm Hannah Yang, a doctoral candidate in epidemiology at Johns Hopkins.  I received my ScM in epidemiology from Hopkins in 2003, before I participated in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Service’s Emerging Leader Program. For my dissertation, I am working on hormones and endometrial cancer, but I am interested in various topics such as women’s health, health care policy, and community health issues. I'd like to promote initiatives that improve student activities within our Section and epidemiology student voices within APHA. I look forward to hearing your ideas and suggestions and working with you to promote student involvement in the Section! Please free to e-mail me at hayang@jhsph.edu.

One of our current goals is to create a system of regular communication and response between students in the Epidemiology Section and the Epidemiology Section as well as routine communication between Epidemiology Section students and students in other APHA sections.

How you can get involved:

·      Communicate with your Epidemiology student representatives. Please e-mail us with any questions about the Section or APHA, suggestions for student activities within our Section, and issues you believe need to be addressed within the Section or the Student Assembly.

·      Contribute to the Epidemiology Section's newsletter. Please e-mail us if you have an article idea for the Student Corner. 

·      Volunteer for Section activities. Students are more than welcome to respond to announcements that are sent through the listserv seeking volunteers; these announcements are NOT just reserved for senior level members.

·      Serve as a student shadow to our Governing Councilors. Please see the article in this issue of the Epi Newsletter for details.

·      Attend the Epidemiology Section related events at the APHA 2008 Annual Meeting in San Diego:

-          Section business meetings. You maybe introduced to a new mentor and receive great ideas and insights from senior epidemiologists.

-          Combined Student Awards Ceremony and Career Session on Tuesday, Oct. 28, from 10:30 a.m.-12:00 p.m. We are hoping that students and our professional colleagues will continue discussions by networking and celebrating with Section leadership at the Section Social Tuesday evening (more details coming).

-          Section Social.  A primary purpose of the Section Social is for students to meet and speak with senior epidemiologists in an informal setting. It also serves as a great networking opportunity with your mentor.

We encourage the participation of all students in APHA's Epidemiology Section and ask that you check out the Epidemiology Section Web site at http://www.apha.org/extranet/epi/default.htm. The Epidemiology Section is great opportunity to enhance your educational and professional experiences by exploring the various concentrations in epidemiology, extending your involvement in the APHA-Student Assembly, and meeting and working with epidemiologists in the field of public health.

Welcome, and please feel free to contact any of us!

Submitted by Student Assembly Section Liaisons:
Xiaoxing (Stella) He             stellaxhe@yahoo.com

Lisa Oakley                              oakelyl@onid.orst.edu

Heidi Mortensen                    hmortensen@ucdavis.edu

Hannah Yang                            hayang@jhsph.edu