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What started in China with the world watching, now has the globe’s full attention as some countries are locking down borders and advising residents to prepare for the worst. In America, leaders are urging caution and hoping to ease anxiety among the population. The number of coronavirus cases across the nation surged to more than 100 on Tuesday with six deaths blamed on the outbreak. That doesn't mean it's time to panic, said Surgeon General Jerome Adams. “Caution, preparedness, but not panic,” he said. That message was echoed at the White House, where Vice President Mike Pence confirmed "four additional fatalities" in Washington state Monday but stressed again that the risk "remains low" according to experts who are working with the Trump administration's newly formed coronavirus task force. There are more than 40 "domestic cases," mostly in California and Washington state, Pence said, and even more cases of people who came from other countries. However, as Covid-19 creeps closer to pandemic levels, there’s a lot of information out there, and not all of it is accurate. So, if you’re a journalist covering the progressing story – let Manhattanville College help ensure you get the right information and facts for your stories. Manhattanville College Professor Anna Yeung-Cheung is a biologist, virologist and infectious disease expert and has a lot of insight and experience with infectious diseases and Covid-19. When asked recently by Slate.com how Coronavirus can kill a young doctor if the risks are primarily to older people and small children, Professor Yeung Cheung said it was due to the repeated exposure because of his profession. “It’s a dosage thing,” explained Anna Yeung-Cheung to Slate.com. “Health care workers are exposed to far more people, often pretty sick people, than the average person, and therefore stand to come in contact with higher levels of the virus. A lot of virus can still overwhelm a healthy immune system.” Originally from Hong Kong, Professor Anna Yeung-Cheung received her B.S. from National Taiwan University and her M.S. and Ph.D. degrees from the University of Georgia. Dr. Yeung-Cheung is available to comment on global pandemics and where we are now with Covid-19. Simply click on her icon to arrange an interview today.
Beginning in Fall 2020 Georgia Southern University will offer its first fully online Master of Public Health (MPH) degree with a concentration in applied public health. “For those who do not have the ability to enroll in one of our on-campus MPH concentrations, the online applied public health option would be ideal for anyone passionate about improving health and making a difference in their community,” stated Interim Dean Stuart Tedders, Ph.D. Students will complete a broad-based program of study with a focus on public health education, information and advocacy, and with the flexibility to tailor their elective options. Students will apply their skills and knowledge to become front-line public health practitioners or public health leaders. Academic advisors and technical support will be provided to all students enrolled in the online master’s program. Additionally, the online program includes a field experience located within reach of the student’s location. Are you a journalist looking to cover this topic or learn more about Georgia Southern University and the programs it offers? Simply contact Melanie Simón at 912.344.2904 to arrange an interview or contact Karl Peace via his icon directly.
Find out how sustainable dining at Georgia Southern provides fresh options for students
As more and more people are eating out – the expectations of customers of restaurants to be environmentally friendly are ever increasing. However, operating with a reduced carbon footprint all the while being sustainable and profitable are no easy task. That’s where Georgia Southern University is making a difference. The newest restaurant on the Georgia Southern University Armstrong Campus offers diners comfort in knowing that some of the ingredients were grown just a few hundred yards away in the campus’ aquaponics farm in the Sustainable Aquaponics Research Center (SARC). The agriculture and food industry is one of the largest users of water and producers of greenhouse gas emissions, but growing food by using aquaponics, a system of growing produce by using water fertilized by fish, cuts down on both significantly. “SARC produce only travels a quarter mile from where it’s grown,” SARC curator Brigette Brinton said. “Locally grown food offers large advantages in terms of increased sustainability and freshness, and SARC produce is grown organically and using sound ecological principles that minimize water consumption.” Brinton said minimizing emissions and water use does not diminish the quality or taste of the produce. To the contrary, it makes the food taste better because aquaponics produce often has higher concentrations of various compounds that give the foods their flavor, and they are grown in more ideal environments. Brzycki said Georgia Southern wants to expand on using ultra-local, fresh produce and vegetables, as a part of the partnership with the aquaponics farm. “When we consider redesigns of existing or new dining locations on the Armstrong Campus in the future, we want to see how we can incorporate these same principles,” he said. “But for now, Southern Cafe is the flagship unit for the aquaponics partnership, as well as sustainability and healthy eating, of Eagle Dining.” Brinton said she hopes the Southern Cafe will inspire the students, faculty and staff who eat there to make healthier and more sustainable choices in other areas of their lives. “Showcasing local, sustainable produce increases students’ awareness that there are better options, and Georgia Southern is going the extra mile to show them how to start making better choices,” she said. “Each time students see they made a sustainable choice at the Southern Cafe, they’re more likely to choose sustainable options on their own.” Are you a journalist looking to cover this story or learn more about how Georgia Southern University is developing new programs that help traditional industries adapt to a more sustainable and environmentally friendly business model? If so – then let our experts help with your coverage. Simply contact Melanie Simón at 912.344.2904 to arrange an interview.
On average, teachers across the U.S. spend approximately $479 on classroom supplies each year, according to a 2018 study by the National Center of Education Statistics. The Institute for Interdisciplinary STEM Education (i2STEMe) at Georgia Southern University is helping reduce this burden for teachers in southeast Georgia with the School Outreach Program, a lending membership program that provides STEM and social studies materials for K-12 classrooms. i2STEMe, housed in the College of Education, serves as an outreach center for the university, regional educators and the broader community. The School Outreach Program provides STEM and social studies supplies, including consumable and non-consumable materials, equipment, and teaching aids to member teachers, schools and districts. Members can request items and materials that will be delivered to and picked up from their school location. Annual membership for the program can be purchased by entire school districts, schools or individual teachers. The project was recently featured on WTOC 11 where viewers were given a first-hand look at how local teachers and students are benefitting from the program. Alisa Leckie, Ph.D., the interim assistant dean of Partnerships and Outreach at Georgia Southern was on hand to explain how Georgia Southern is making sure students have access to the resources they need to further their learning in areas like STEM. Are you a journalist looking to learn more or cover the School Outreach Program and how institutions like Georgia Southern University are helping teachers, students, and schools across the state? If so – then let our experts help. Leckie's research is focused in the areas of education of language minority students, and analyzing policies impacting education. She is available to speak with media regarding this program – simply click on her icon to arrange an interview.
By early afternoon Friday, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention had confirmed a second case of the new coronavirus on American soil. With cases now being detected in Europe and across Asia, the world is watching and worrying about the potential spread of this dangerous virus. There are 63 cases being monitored in the U.S. that stretch across 22 states, including the first patient in Washington state and the new case in Illinois, said Dr. Nancy Messonnier, director of the National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases. Officials said the new patient, a woman in her 60s, is doing well and is in stable condition. She remains isolated in a hospital as a precaution, U.S. health officials said on a conference call with reporters. The Illinois patient traveled to China in late December and began experiencing symptoms when she returned to the U.S. last week, officials said. She did not have symptoms while flying, they said. “She was not symptomatic when flying. And based on what we know now about this virus, our concern for transmission before symptoms develop is low, so that is reassuring,” Dr. Allison Arwady, Chicago’s public health commissioner, said on the call. January 24 – CNBC As this story progresses – there are a lot of questions journalists are asking. How is this virus spread? How worried do Americans need to be about the coronavirus? Are there warning signs or methods to prevent the spread? And how far away are we from a vaccination? If you are a journalist covering this developing issue – let our experts help. Dr. Jian Zhang has worked with the Chinese Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the World Health Organization prior to moving to the United States. He obtained a Doctorate in Public Health from the Arnold School of Public Health, University of South Carolina before he joined the faculty of Jiann-Ping Hsu College of Public Health at Georgia Southern University. He is available to speak with journalists regarding the coronavirus and its origins and its potential to spread across America – simply click on his icon to arrange an interview.
Georgia Southern associate dean named to National Advisory Mental Health Council
Joseph Telfair, DrPH, associate dean of public health practice and research in Georgia Southern University’s Jiann-Ping Hsu College of Public Health, has been appointed to the National Mental Health Advisory Committee (NAMHC). The NAMHC advises U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar and the directors of the National Institutes of Health and the National Institute of Mental Health on all policies and activities relating to the conduct and support of mental health research, research training and other programs of the institutes. “I am greatly honored to have been given this opportunity to serve our profession and represent our college and University on this important national advisory committee,” said Telfair. “The prospect to contribute to decisions over the next several years that will make a difference for multidisciplinary researchers is very much appreciated.” Telfair’s advisory role will pertain to public health research and practice, community-based research, and issues of health inequities and translational research — all areas in which his national and global expertise has been recognized. His appointment runs through September 2023. Mental health is one of the leading issues impacting families, workplaces and almost all aspects of society and American life. If you are a journalist looking to learn more about mental health and the research taking place across the country – then let Georgia Southern University help. Joseph Telfair, associate dean of public health practice and research in Georgia Southern University’s Jiann-Ping Hsu College of Public Health, is available to speak with media regarding this important topic – simply click on his icon to arrange an interview.
In the latest round of legal decisions on the enforcement of international privacy laws between the EU and the U.S., Peter Swire, professor of Law and Ethics at the Georgia Tech Scheller College of Business, and associate director for Policy of the Georgia Tech Institute for Information Security and Privacy looks at how the EU may examine foreign intelligence surveillance in his article “Foreign Intelligence and Other Issues in the Initial Opinion in Schrems II” in Lawfare. The Schrems II case is the subject of the recent opinion from Advocate General (AG) Henrik Saugmandsgaard Øe before the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU). In the case, Austrian lawyer Max Schrems challenged Facebook’s ability to transfer personal data from the EU to the United States using the standard contractual clauses, which exist where a company such as Facebook follows EU-level privacy standards when private data is transferred outside of Europe. Schrems’s specific claim is that he cannot access any files that the National Security Agency (NSA) may have collected about him and lacks legal redress for any violation of his rights under EU law. Swire writes that the case examines the transfer of an individual’s personal data from the European Union to the United States using the standard contractual clauses and the Privacy Shield, which was negotiated in 2016 by the U.S. and the EU for privacy data transfers to the United States specifically. Facebook’s headquarters are in Ireland, and the Irish High Court ruled in favor of Schrems and certified 11 broad questions to the CJEU. The AG opinion published this week concerns this appeal in Schrems II from the Irish High Court. If Schrems wins this appeal, then many flows of personal data from the EU to the U.S. may become illegal. Swire’s expertise in U.S. privacy laws is extensive. He is a sought after privacy expert and he has been highlighted in Bloomberg Law, Le Monde, LawFare and numerous scholarly publications. He has appointments by courtesy with the College of Computing and School of Public Policy and is Senior Counsel with Alston & Bird, LLP. If you are a reporter covering this topic and would like to speak with Professor Swire – simply click on his icon to arrange an interview or email media@scheller.gatech.edu.
It may be the most wonderful time of the year, but for those delivering packages to houses and homes across America this holiday season it’s also the busiest one. In fact, it’s expected that Amazon alone will ship close to 300 million packages for Christmas. Customers want their purchases quicker and cheaper and it’s changing how the landscape works. It's estimated that free shipping will cost Amazon more than a billion dollars this quarter alone. This explains why shippers are looking at some radical new technologies to cut the cost of the last mile – and this is not just limited to the retail shopping industry. “Technology-driven innovations such as delivery drones or driverless vehicles not only facilitate last-mile delivery, they help with the inclusion of new sets of “customers, especially those in remote locations or rural areas with poor infrastructure, says Morvarid Rahmani, assistant professor of Operations Management at Scheller College of Business at Georgia Institute of Technology. For instance, companies like UPS, CVS, and WakeMed are exploring the idea of drugs and other health-related items being delivered by drones. In a first, collaboration between the FAA and UPS partner Matternet made deliveries from a CVS pharmacy in Cary, North Carolina as well a customer’s retirement community in November. Rahmani thinks this type of delivery shows promise. “Using drones to deliver medical packages can give rural communities access to products and medical supplies, which they would not be able to access otherwise. This delivery model is a way of incorporating social concerns and conditions of underserved populations into business practices. Using drones to deliver medial packages is a great example of collaboration between a governmental agency and for-profit companies, which is toward the dual goals of promoting efficiency and inclusion,” she notes. So, while most consumers are coming to terms with drone technology as a means for the Amazons of the world to replace it’s fleet of trucks, many customers are seeing the future of receiving essential, potentially life-saving drugs to their doorstep. “These technologies enable inclusive retailing and distribution for large (excluded) communities all over the world, says Rahmani. “Successful implementation of inclusive business practices requires collaboration of for-profit firms with the public sector, civil society organizations, and communities”.CBS News - December 15, 2019 Morvarid Rahmani is an Assistant Professor of Operations Management at Scheller College of Business at Georgia Tech. She is an expert in the areas of research is on collaboration in work processes such as new product development, management/IT consulting, and education. Dr. Rahmani is available to speak with media regarding this topic – simple click on her icon to arrange an interview. About Scheller College of Business The Georgia Tech Scheller College of Business is located in a state-of-the-art building in Georgia Tech’s vibrant Technology Square, the core of the Atlanta’s high-tech business community. The College offers an internationally recognized business education, including full-time, evening, and executive MBA options as well as undergraduate and Ph.D. degrees, to approximately 2,000 degree-seeking students each year. Scheller College collaborates across Georgia Tech to offer joint MS degrees in quantitative and computational finance and business analytics. Custom and open enrollment programs for executives and professionals are offered through the Huang Executive Education Center, located within the College. Interdisciplinary centers for teaching and research within the College enrich the educational experience, the campus and the community by providing a direct connection with the real world. They fuel collaborative teaching and research in some of the most relevant areas in business today: leadership, innovation, sustainability, the global enterprise, and business ethics. For more information, contact media@scheller.gatech.edu
It’s all eyes on Africa as the UN looks to find ways to ensure universal health care for all
It was a historic moment earlier this month as the United Nations and African Union pledged to pursue bolds goals that will strengthen global health and provide health care to all across Africa. “The Memorandum of Understanding we have signed today is an important step towards formalizing the cooperation between WHO and the African Union and to implementing the Addis Ababa Call to Action,” said the WHO chief. “The Addis Ababa Call to Action is a powerful commitment from African Union leaders to increase domestic financing for health, and to hold themselves accountable for that commitment”, he added. Following a political declaration on universal health coverage, which was approved in September by all UN Member States, the General Assembly adopted a global resolution to translate that commitment into reality by legislators in 140 countries. November 18 - UN News It’s indeed a bold declaration and one that will require prevention, infection control and affordable delivery of care. Key UN-AU collaboration specifics Provide technical expertise to the African Medicines Agency and create an environment to foster local production of medicines. Strengthen collaboration between WHO and the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention – with a particular focus on emergency preparedness, to build defenses against epidemics and other health emergencies. Support the implementation of the Addis Ababa Call to Action on universal health coverage and the AU Declaration on Domestic Financing. The prospects are positive, but delivery will be a challenge, and if you are a journalist covering this topic and need an expert source for insight and perspective – let us help. Dr. Saad Bhamla is an Assistant Professor of Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering at the Georgia Tech College of Engineering where he also runs the Bhamla Lab that develops low cost tools for science education and global health. Saad is available to speak to media regarding this topic, simply click on his icon to arrange an interview.
CRISPR is the genetic game changer – but are we ready?
CRISPR is here to stay – and the daily advances of this technology and stem cell therapy seem to be moving at a near exponential speed. “CRISPR Therapeutics of Zug, Switzerland, reported that one patient with sickle cell anemia and another with beta thalassemia appear to have benefited from the same CRISPR-based intervention for up to 9 months, STAT reports. (The company gave STAT an early look at the data but did not allow outside commenters to see the results.) Before the treatment, both patients required multiple infusions each year of red blood cells. CRISPR Therapeutics, collaborating with Vertex Pharmaceuticals, removed blood stem cells from their bodies and modified them with CRISPR to knock out a gene that shuts down production of fetal hemoglobin. When the edited cells were put back in each patient’s body through a stem cell transplant—which required a toxic chemotherapy to kill their own stem cells—both people produced high levels of fetal hemoglobin and no longer needed transfusions.” November 19 – Science Mag CRISPR and how it will shape the future of genetics, health care and society are the subject of great debate, hope and concern and if you are a journalist covering this topic and need an expert source for insight and perspective – let us help. Dr. Michael Davis researches cardiac regeneration, stem cell therapy and preservation at the Georgia Tech College of Engineering where he also is the Associate Chair for Graduate Studies in Biomedical Engineering. Michael is available to speak to media regarding this topic, simply click on his icon to arrange an interview.
