Epi Student Stories

Epidemiology students are making an impact in all areas of public health. Here are a few profiles and some of the latest news about our students.

Real-time genomic surveillance quickly detects hospital outbreaks

image
HEALIO - Alexander Sundermann (IDM '14, EPI '22) and colleagues find real-time genomic surveillance is able to detect hospital outbreaks using an approach they call Enhanced Detection System for Healthcare-Associated Transmission, which would allow hospitals to detect outbreaks early and intervene quickly. Sundermann says, "We believe that this will substantially improve patient safety" and that "sequencing surveillance will eventually become ro... 

Dean’s Day 2022 DEI Award, Master’s Category: Emily Arthur

image
EPI student Emily Arthur won the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Award, Masters Level for the project, “Maternal Health in Rural Virginia”.  

Portela wins ASH Abstract Achievement Award

image
Gerard Portela (EPI ‘24) was honored for the abstract “Comprehensive Assessment of Cognitive Function in Patients with Sickle Cell Disease Deficits in Memory and Processing Speed” at the American Society of Hematology conference in Atlanta.  

Sundermann discusses collaborative paper on artificial intelligence and disease prediction

image
KDKA RADIO – Alex Sundermann (IDM ‘14, EPI ‘22) explains that one in thirty patients gets at least one health care-associated infection – one acquired while in the hospital. “Typical tests see what type of organism it is but that test doesn’t tell you, was it transmitted from a patient or from somewhere in the environment? [Genome surveillance is] like fingerprinting for that test – who has that same organism and who is transmitting to who when ... 

Four SWAN studies explore women's brain and heart health during midlife

image
NATIONAL INSTITUTE ON AGING - Meaningful research from our students, alumni, and faculty suggest that midlife health may be an important determinant of cognitive function and heart health later on in life. Featuring work from four SWAN manuscripts, one led by EPI's Emma Barinas-Mitchell (EPI '98) for which Emily Duan (EPI '17) performed the analysis, and another led by Saad Samargandy (EPI '20). Franya Hutchins (EPI '20) performed the analyses f... 

Schiff and Fabio Explore Trends in Beer Consumption

image
UPMC - Americans are consuming more craft beer with higher alcohol content but are drinking less beer by volume, according to a new analysis from Mary Schiff (EPI '21) and EPI's Tony Fabio (EPI '99, '94) "We were pleasantly surprised to learn...that Americans seem to be self regulating," said Schiff. Additional Pitt Pubilc Health colleagues involved in the work were EPI's Dara Mendez and Tiffany Gary-Webb.  

Robinson and Schiff win at Health Disparities and Social Justice Poster Competition

image
Taylor Robinson won the master's prize at this year's poster competition from the Office of Health Sciences Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion for her poster Examining Role of Environmental Pollution, Healthcare Access, and Social Vulnerability in Asthma Emergency Department Visits in Allegheny County. Mary Schiff won the doctoral award with her work The Differential Impact of Residential Segregation on Gestational Hypertension Development Among M... 

A fun, rewarding way to give back and make the public healthier

image
EPI's Nancy Glynn (EPI '94) is the PittCoVax volunteer coordinator and has volunteered herself with students and staff from Pitt Public Health. "I was thrilled to work side-by-side with an awesome, energetic group of faculty, staff, and students," said Glynn. She also talked about building community and the importance of the vaccine.   

Sundermann named APIC Fellow

image
Alexander Sundermann (IDM '14, EPI '22), was named a 2021 fellow of the Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology. The status is "a distinction of honor for infection preventionists who are not only advanced practitioners of infection prevention practice, but also leaders within the field." Fellows are selected by their years of experience and contributions to the field of infection prevention. Congratulations!   

Dean's Day 2021 EPI departmental award recipients

image
Darien Beall (EPI '21) won the master's level award and Mary Schiff (EPI 22) won the doctoral level award. Taylor Robinson (EPI '22) and Yu-Husan Lai (EPI '22) won the new Department of Epidemiology Health Disparity Research Award.   

More Pitt Public Health News
View more Epi news

Search for an Article

Share News

Simply click to share news of your achievements—and those of classmates or colleagues. We’re eager to hear about and share stories of student, faculty, and alumni accomplishments. Email questions to phcomm@pitt.edu
or visit publichealth.pitt.edu/sharenews.

Share news

Epi Student Profiles

image

Turning ideas into transformative action: Pitt Public Health students selected as Future Health Leaders 

Turning ideas into transformative action: Pitt Public Health students selected as Future Health Leaders

Complex health issues are easy to determine, but finding solutions can be challenging. Three Pitt Public Health students, ASHLEY SIMENSON (EPI ’19), JESSICA SALERNO (IDM ’20), and KAITLYN SAAL-RIDPATH (HPM ’20) were chosen as part of the inaugural class of Future Health Leaders to present their ide... (10/24/2018)
image

Meet Alyson Harding (EPI '19) Dean's Scholar 

Meet Alyson Harding (EPI '19) Dean's Scholar

The opportunity to “blend hard science and research with service for the purpose of improving health and living conditions” is what finally drew Alyson Harding to public health. With degrees in anthropology and chemistry and experience working with Habitat for Humanity, she is interested in disaste... (09/04/2017)
image

Meet Mikaela Kosich (EPI '19), Dean's Scholar 

Meet Mikaela Kosich (EPI '19), Dean's Scholar

Mikaela Kosich, graduate of Harvey Mudd College, discovered epidemiology was an option just two weeks before graduation, but it wasn’t until she returned home to Mays Landing, NJ, and observed first hand gaps in medical care and inequities in health outcomes that she decided to pursue a career in p... (09/02/2017)
image

Meet Ashley Simenson (EPI '19), Dean's Scholar 

Meet Ashley Simenson (EPI '19), Dean's Scholar

Simeson's interest in public health was first sparked by the documentary The Weight of the Nation . Later she was exposed to a course on the AIDS epidemic and initial responses from public health organizations. She then applied to nine schools and found a home in Pitt's EPI program. “I want to be ... (09/01/2017)
image

Andrews studies diabetes in Rwanda during global health field internship 

Andrews studies diabetes in Rwanda during global health field internship

Epidemiology master's student Haylee Andrews traveled to Kigali, Rwanda, over the summer to intern with Life for a Child (LFAC) under Professor Trevor Orchard.  (09/08/2016)
image

Hemant Mahajan assesses Hepatitis C burden  

Hemant Mahajan assesses Hepatitis C burden

As a participant in the Allegheny County Health Department’s Pittsburgh Summer Institute (ACHD PSI), epidemiology student Hemant Mahajan assessed the burden of Hepatitis C in Allegheny County and the increased detection of acute hepatitis C cases and associated major risk factors. (09/08/2016)
View more student profiles