eInside Briefs

Kent State Public Health Professor Appointed to Ohio Board of Sanitarian Registration

Kent State Associate Professor of
Environmental Health Science F. Charles
Hart, Ph.D., has been appointed to the
Ohio Board of Sanitarian Registration.

F. Charles Hart, Ph.D., CIH, CSP, RS, associate professor of environmental health science at the Kent State University College of Public Health, has been appointed by Gov. John Kasich to the Ohio Board of Sanitarian Registration.

The Ohio Board of Sanitarian Registration has seven members who oversee the licensing, qualifications and examination of registered sanitarians who are responsible for inspecting restaurants, waste water systems and other potential environmental health hazards.

“It’s an honor to be selected to this position,” says Hart. “It is my privilege to serve on the board.”

Hart has many years of experience in environmental health and believes he will be able to bring a unique perspective to the board.

“I think the college and university representative on the board is a really important perspective,” says Hart. “It helps bring the academic concerns to the board and to the registration process.”

Ken Slenkovich, assistant dean of the College of Public Health, says the college is proud Hart has been selected to serve on the board.

“It is a very important state agency that ensures that sanitarians are qualified to conduct inspections and ensure that restaurants, sewage systems and other potential sources of environmental health hazards are in compliance with safety regulations,” says Slenkovich.

Slenkovich also believes Hart will be a great addition to the board.

“Dr. Hart brings years of experience in environmental health to this position,” says Slenkovich. “He has an impressive depth of knowledge regarding what sanitarians need to know and the skills they must possess to qualify as a registered sanitarian. He was a wise choice to serve on the board.”

For more information about the Ohio Board of Sanitarian Registration, visit http://sanitarian.ohio.gov.

Kent State’s College of Public Health Establishes a New Practice Office and Research Center

Jim Ferrell, instructor with Kent State's College of Public
Health, works in a laboratory on the Kent Campus. The
College of Public Health has established a new Office of
Public Health Practice and a Center for Public Policy and
Health that offer services to health departments, hospital
systems, government agencies and non-governmental
organizations.

Kent State University’s College of Public Health has established a new Office of Public Health Practice and a Center for Public Policy and Health, two externally focused college units that offer services to health departments, hospital systems, government agencies and non-governmental organizations. These two new units will provide links between Kent State and community partners to enable research and assistance to improve public health and to foster workforce development and student experiential learning.

The Office of Public Health Practice at Kent State will provide workforce development programs for public health professionals to meet continuing education requirements. For example, an online review course for the Ohio registered sanitarian exam has been developed and is presently in the testing phase. In addition, the Office of Public Health Practice will recruit organizations to provide student experiential learning opportunities, such as field experiences, internships and practicums. Kenneth Slenkovich, Kent State’s College of Public Health assistant dean, operations and community relations, heads the new office, and Willie H. Oglesby, Ph.D., assistant professor of health policy and management at Kent State, is the assistant director.

“Practitioners have provided strong feedback to us that they need relevant, accessible and cost-effective courses to stay current in their jobs and to meet the continuing education requirements of their licenses and accreditations,” Slenkovich explains. “We look forward to providing this assistance and to working with our community partners to identify internship and other field experience opportunities for our students at all levels.”

Kent State’s Center for Public Policy and Health, which provides research and technical assistance to government agencies, nonprofit organizations and community partners, is headed by John Hoornbeek, Ph.D., associate professor of health policy and management at Kent State, and is staffed by Joshua Filla, a Kent State outreach program officer, as well as a cadre of affiliated faculty and experts. The center has already received more than $450,000 in contract and grant support, with assignments including evaluating the effects of consolidation on 12 recent Ohio health department mergers; assisting health departments in Portage County in identifying and pursuing cross-jurisdictional service-sharing arrangements; and working on a comprehensive community health needs assessment, related to the 2011 Affordable Care Act, for the three Akron-area hospital systems.

“The new center builds on the foundation of Kent State’s former Center for Public Administration and Public Policy, which provided services and research relating to public policy and administration in a range of policy areas for more than 30 years,” Hoornbeek says. “We have maintained affiliations with clients and contributors to that center, even as we focus our efforts more intensively on public and environmental health issues through this new center.”

Late last year, the university’s College of Public Health signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the College of Arts and Sciences to transfer the center and continue collaborative efforts across the two colleges.

“The new center will assist external organizations that influence public health in improving their effectiveness and efficiency, while providing opportunities for faculty, staff and graduate students to apply their skills and abilities to real-world issues and problems,” Hoornbeek explains.

“The center will also work closely with the new Office of Public Health Practice to enable effective research, assistance and continuing education for a range of external audiences,” says Sonia Alemagno, Kent State’s dean of the College of Public Health. “Kent State is positioned as a leader in these areas.”

For more information about Kent State’s College of Public Health, visit www.kent.edu/publichealth.

Kent State’s Faculty Professional Development Center Presents Spring Learning Institute

Kent State University’s Faculty Professional Development Center presents the 2013 Spring Learning Institute on Friday, Feb. 22, with open sessions from 9 a.m. through 3:45 p.m., at the Moulton Hall Ballroom.

“Students as Self-Learners: What is our Teaching Role?” is the theme for the event that is sponsored by the University Teaching Council. The Spring Learning Institute is a day of scholarship that spotlights students as self-motivated learners, and the role of teachers in promoting, inspiring and sustaining deep learning.

“Come and experience a day of reflection, experiment and philosophy, as we explore our teaching roles in the development of students as learners,” says Jeffry Pellegrino, Ph.D., assistant director of Kent State’s Faculty Professional Development Center.

Dr. Todd Zakrajsek, associate professor of family medicine at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, will keynote the institute, presenting up-to-the-minute research on biological, psychological, and sociological integration for self-learning. Interdisciplinary Kent State faculty groups also will share how they engage, inspire and promote the self-regulated learner in each student. Scholarly presentations throughout the day will document, through examples and stories, both the joys and challenges of renewing student self-motivation in university courses. Lessons abound in the dynamic use of technology, the influence of grading schema and mission-driven Q&A.

To register for the Spring Learning Institute, visit http://tinyurl.com/SpringLI-2013.

For more information about Kent State’s Faculty Professional Development Center, visit www.kent.edu/fpdc, call 330-672-2992 or email fpdc@kent.edu.

Kent State’s 2013 Business Concept Competition Open to Aspiring Entrepreneurs

A staff member works in Kent State's Blackstone
LaunchPad office at the Kent Student Center. The Blackstone
LaunchPad program emphasizes entrepreneurship as a
viable career path, and is co-sponsoring this year's Business
Concept Competition.

The sixth annual Kent State Business Concept Competition can help aspiring entrepreneurs turn their business ideas into cash. The competition is open to Kent State undergraduate and graduate students of all majors with a great idea for a new app, product, clothing line or service. Applications are due Feb. 19 and can be found at www.kent.edu/cebi/competitions.cfm. 

The competition is co-sponsored by Kent State’s Center for Entrepreneurship and Business Innovation and the Blackstone LaunchPad program at Kent State. This is the first year the Blackstone LaunchPad program will co-sponsor the competition.

“This competition is a great way for students of all majors at Kent State to pitch their new business ideas, receive feedback and possibly win seed funding to help launch that ides,” says Julie Messing, executive director of Entrepreneurship Initiatives at Kent State.

Awards will be given for first, second and third place winners, receiving $1,500, $750 and $500, respectively.
Applicants can enter as individuals or teams, and teams are limited to one to five members. The application requires a two-minute concept pitch video. “Record your pitch” workshops will be held on Feb. 8 and Feb. 14 for applicants to borrow equipment to record and edit their video pitches. Visit www.kent.edu/cebi/competitions.cfm to register for the workshops.

Finalists will be announced Feb. 22. Each finalist will present a seven-minute live pitch presentation on Feb. 28. 

Kent State Downtown Gallery Seeks Submissions for 12th Annual National Juried Cup Show

This ceramic cup was made and submitted by Gina
DeSantis for the 2012 Juried Exhibition.

The Kent State University School of Art Downtown Gallery is seeking entries for the 12th Annual National Juried Cup Show, and will accept submissions through Feb. 15. The gallery will host the exhibition of all submitted cups March 13 through April 20.

The Downtown Gallery will celebrate the opening of the exhibit with a reception Thursday, March 14, from 5-7 p.m. The event is free and open to the public. The gallery is located at 141 E. Main St. in Kent, Ohio, with free parking available behind the gallery.

Kirk Mangus, professor of art and head of ceramics at Kent State, will serve as the exhibition's juror. Mangus earned his BFA at the Rhode Island School of Design, and his MFA at Washington State University. He has taught at Alfred University Summer School, Cleveland Institute of Art, Cranbrook Academy of Art, University of Georgia Athens Cortona, Italy Program and Anderson Ranch Arts Center, among other institutions, and has lectured in China, Japan, Korea, France, Italy, Finland, Lithuania and Canada. His ceramics and drawings have been exhibited nationally and internationally.

The competition is open to all artists residing in the United States. Each artist may submit no more than two cups.

There is a $20 entry fee per artist, which must be submitted with the entry form. Entrants will be notified of jurors’ decision on March 1, and the gallery must receive all pieces by March 9. The artist is responsible for shipping to the Downtown Gallery. More than $1,000 in prizes will be awarded.

The Downtown Gallery is open Wednesday through Friday, noon to 5 p.m., and Saturday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

For more information, visit http://galleries.kent.edu or call 330-676-1549 or download the submission form.

Kent State Connects: Salad Day, A Memorable Night in NYC, and Blogging About Diabetes

On the Kent State Connects blog, Emily Myers, special assistant in the Office of the Provost, writes about Salad Day, and how her Kent State colleagues are adapting to their unique weight-loss challenge.

Food Fools Update: Salad Day

“It was a more modest weight loss total this week – a mere 5 pounds for the group with a few pounds gained here and there….so it was good to focus on a healthy lunch.  We met for Salad Day – those who had no meetings or commitments shared leafy greens and a variety of chopped veggies with some added protein of roasted chicken, shredded cheese and boiled eggs in small portions.”

Read more from Myers’s “Food Fools Update: Salad day” blog post.

A Memorable Night in New York City

This photo of the 12.12.12 Sign in Madison Square Garden
was taken by Bob Burford during his trip to New York City.

Bob Burford, marketing/external relations coordinator with University Communications and Marketing, and weekend announcer at WKSU, writes about his experience in New York City attending the 12.12.12 fundraising concert for Hurricane Sandy relief.

“By far the highest profile fundraising event was the '12.12.12 Concert for Sandy Relief' held at Madison Square Garden in New York. I had the good fortune of actually being in the audience for the historic concert, which featured a once-in-a-lifetime lineup of big name performers”

Read more from Burford’s “A Memorable Night in New York City” blog post.

Blogging about Diabetes?  Who Me?

Paula DiVencenzo, tax manager with Tax and Treasury Services at Kent State, writes about how she has learned to live with diabetes and her volunteer work with the American Diabetes Association.

“My parents and I started volunteering with the American Diabetes Association (ADA) when I was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes at age 12. I had been involved ever since. Working with ADA helped me understand that I was not alone with diabetes.”

Read more from DiVencenzo’s “Blogging about Diabetes? Who Me?” blog post.

The Kent State Connects blog is written by Kent State employees for their colleagues, and features health and wellness and other fun blog posts.

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