During the 2010 Annual Meeting, APHA section booths were housed together in one central location within the exhibition hall as part of the “Section and SPIG Pavilion.” On behalf of the Epidemiology Section, the Membership Committee organized volunteers to fully staff the Epidemiology Section booth during open hours. Thanks to all who volunteered to serve!
Materials made available to booth visitors during the 2010 meeting included a custom-made two-pocket folder containing information on the mission and facts of the Section, benefits of membership, and a listing of section-sponsored activities at the Annual Meeting. Detailed Section programs were also distributed that summarized the dates, times and locations of business meetings, Section award sessions, the career panel, as well as the full scientific program. In addition, 500 foam key chains with the phrase “Epidemiologists Count” were given away to visitors at the 2010 booth.
New this year was the development and display of the “APHA Epidemiology Section Leader and Student Liaison Profiles” booklet, which detailed interesting facts on more than 30 Section leaders and student liaisons. Leaders were asked key questions such as, “What do you perceive to be the most important benefit of Epidemiology Section membership?” and “What prompted you to become an Epidemiology Section leader?” The booklet also included leader-specific information on current professional position/title, career background, research interests, and even favorite superhero!
Also on display at the 2010 booth were 10 book titles related to epidemiology, public health, or social justice. These books were donated by publishers exhibiting at the conference and were raffled off to attendees of the Epidemiology Section social that was held at Marlowe’s on Nov. 9. A big thank you to the following publishers for their generous donations: APHA Pub Mart, Institute for Healthcare Advancement, Johns Hopkins University Press, Jossey-Bass, Oxford University Press, Routledge Books, SAGE Publications, and Springer.
Last, this year the Membership Committee sponsored a poll on “Who is the Mother of Epidemiology”? The three nominees were Alice Hamilton, Florence Nightingale, and Janet Elizabeth Lane-Claypon. Write-in candidates were also welcomed. Booth visitors were asked to read the brief biographies of each nominee and to cast their vote. Results were announced at the Epidemiology Section social. And the winner was……Alice Hamilton with 42 percent of the votes!
On behalf of the Membership Committee, thank you to all who contributed to or participated in the Epidemiology Section booth activities in 2010. Hope to see you next year!