First published on October 7, 2019 in observance of the COPH’s 35^th anniversary celebration.

Advocacy is as important in public health as data analyses and needs’ assessments.

But students have traditionally lacked advocacy experience.

In 2018, Dr. Karen Liller, a USF College of Public Health (COPH) professor specializing in injury prevention and health education, decided to remedy that situation by starting the Activist Lab at the COPH.

The group, which is run with the help of two research assistants and a six-student advisory board made up of graduate and undergraduate students, provides interdisciplinary advocacy, education, research and service opportunities for students to develop the skills that will promote their success as effective public health advocates and leaders.

The Activist Lab, directed by Liller, is the second such lab in the country, with the first being at Boston University’s School of Public Health.

Liller says she had been wanting to start a program like the Activist Lab at the COPH for a while, to compliment the Doctoral Student Leadership Institute she began as dean of the USF Graduate School, now known as the Office of Graduate Studies.

“I strongly believed students needed much more preparation in leadership and advocacy skills before they graduated,” Liller commented.

In just one year of its existence, hundreds of students have taken part in the Activist Lab’s educational and service opportunities, which include activism boot camps, seminars, guest speakers, journal clubs, writing groups, research efforts and public health in a minute videos. These videos—only 60 seconds long—have featured faculty and community leaders discussing pertinent public health issues, everything from the importance of voting to refugee health.

According to Liller, some of the Activist Lab’s first-year highlights include:

• work with Dr. Mark Roberts and other University of Pittsburgh researchers on a measles simulator for Florida (called FRED Florida Measles Simulator), which shows how cases of the viral infection can grow in an area with just a 10 percent drop in immunizations
• a gun violence prevention and advocacy seminar, held in partnership with USF Health and led by Parkland shooting survivors David Hogg and Emma González

Things won’t slow down for the Activist Lab anytime soon. In addition to the continuation of seminars, speakers and learning opportunities, the organization has the following things planned for the future:

• a boot camp on the prevention of firearm violence, scheduled for January
• a new program called “More Opportunities to Use Learned Advocacy” (MOULA), where students work with particular agencies, such as Moms Demand Action and the Guardian ad Litem program, on advocacy issues
• the launch of a new podcast series called “Advocation—Change It Up!” The first podcast features Dr. Jill Roberts, a COPH alumna and assistant professor of global health, discussing the importance of immunizations.
• an oral presentation on activism, to be delivered at the 2019 American Public Health Association (APHA) meeting in November

The Activist Lab serves as an exciting hub of learning and action for students to become directly involved in practicing leadership and advocacy skills, says Liller, who sees the lab’s numbers growing and its reach expanding beyond the college and university to the state, nation and world. 

“For example, with our podcast new persons will be reached and advocacy skills can be expanded and practiced,” remarked Liller. “Students can become part of our advisory board and really help shape the direction of the lab. They can participate in all of our events, and as we grow more and more opportunities will become available.”

Story by Donna Campisano, USF College of Public Health

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Fifteen teams of rising public health and community leaders from around the country have been selected to participate in the inaugural cohort of the Public Health Regenerative Leadership Synergy (PHEARLESS) initiative.

Supported by an investment of more than $8.5 million from The Kresge Foundation, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the de Beaumont Foundation, the PHEARLESS initiative integrates regenerative leadership education and experiential learning with innovative collaborative tools that will help public health and community leaders build the skills they need to co-create sustainable solutions that advance health equity and well-being for all.

As a holistic, strengths-based and adaptive approach to leadership, regenerative leadership focuses on creating positive change and restoring balance in complex living systems. By creating positive relationships and nurturing the interconnected elements within a system, regenerative leaders aim to generate outcomes that benefit everyone.

“PHEARLESS leaders know how to forge partnerships that result in community-led public health efforts on the ground,” said Monica Valdes Lupi, managing director of Kresge’s Health Program. “Authentic community engagement can improve the public’s health for generations to come.”

Each four-person team includes two rising public health leaders and two rising community leaders. Together, the cohort will form a network that will learn from one another and help create new models for community-led efforts to improve equitable health outcomes community-wide.

“Strong partnerships between government and community are necessary to achieve meaningful change and improve health outcomes. Through the PHEARLESS program, we look forward to facilitating and strengthening such partnerships in communities across the country, and I am excited to welcome our inaugural cohort,” said Brian C. Castrucci, president and CEO of the de Beaumont Foundation.

Through the 12-month PHEARLESS experience, comprising four learning modules and a culminating capstone activity, participants will develop the mindset and skills to transform systems, structures and policies, in partnership with community, toward a just and equitable future. Each four-person team will receive a $100,000 grant to support their activities.

The cohort includes teams from the following communities:

• Albuquerque, New Mexico
• Buffalo, New York
• Colorado City, Arizona
• Columbia, South Carolina
• Hillsborough, Florida
• Jackson County, Missouri
• Lee County, Mississippi
• Long Beach, California
• Minneapolis, Minnesota
• Mobile, Alabama
• New Orleans, Louisiana
• Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
• Saint Johnsbury, Vermont
• San Francisco, California
• Seattle, Washington

The University of South Florida (USF) College of Public Health (COPH) and Muma College of Business (MCOB) co-lead the design and implementation of the training and technical assistance. The COPH also partners with the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials, the Big Cities Health Coalition, and the National Association of County and City Officials as an interdisciplinary support network.

“Today’s complex community health issues require learning and acting together. PHEARLESS leaders will not only develop themselves as leaders but also work respectfully in partnership to inclusively engage the public, build civic muscle and create the conditions in which all can thrive,” said Dr. Marissa Levine, director of the COPH’s Center for Leadership in Public Health Practice.

Questions? Contact COPH-CLPHP@usf.edu

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Two USF College of Public Health (COPH) staff members took on new leadership positions with the Florida Public Health Association (FPHA), the professional organization for public health workers in Florida.

The leaderships changes took effect during the FPHA’s annual meeting, held in Orlando in July.

Allison Rapp, MPH, moved to first vice president of the group while Parnia Roghani Shareef, who received her MPH from the college, moved to second vice president. Both Rapp and Roghani Shareef are program planner analysts with the COPH’s Center for Leadership in Public Health Practice.

COPH DrPH student Kelli Agrawal currently serves as the FPHA’s student engagement committee co-chair.

The FPHA membership elects the second vice president, who serves a one-year term. Every year the officers move up—from second vice president to first vice president to president and immediate past president. All in all, officers serve for four years.

“When I moved to Florida in 2014, I knew I needed to network and one of the first things I did was find the FPHA,” Rapp said. “In fact, I moved at the end of June that year and the conference was in July. I’ve taken on numerous roles throughout the years with FPHA including member-at-large and treasurer. In an effort to continue to develop as a leader, I wanted to take on FPHA leadership roles and here I am—vice president.”

Rapp said two of her major responsibilities will be planning the annual conference and expanding the reach of the FPHA.

“I like to think that there is not a single issue we are faced with, across all areas, that is not connected to public health,” Rapp said. “Give me an issue you think is not a public health issue and I will explain to you why it is. That said, I want to bring other sectors—from business to education and more—to understand that they should be interested in public health, join the FPHA and come to our amazing conference.”

Roghani Shareef said strengthening connections with those inside and outside public health will be her focus as well.

“I hope to accomplish a successful mentorship program, which I helped launch last year,” she said. “I also hope to continue to collaborate across different sectors. As Allison mentioned, what isn’t public health? Having those connections and networks will really enhance our efforts in public health.”

Roghani Shareef was also recognized with the FPHA’s Meritorious Service Award, which is given annually to an FPHA member who has a record of making outstanding contributions to the FPHA in the field of public health.

“I feel honored not only to be nominated and receive this award from one of my role models [Venise White, FPHA’s immediate past president], but to know that the work I am doing is making an impact,” Roghani Shareef said. “It feels amazing and brings me one step closer to changing the world!”

Also recognized by the FPHA at their annual meeting was alum Nicole Sutton, who received the Robert D. May M.D. Award. The award is given to a public health worker and FPHA member who has demonstrated significant accomplishments advancing public health at local or state levels.

Story by Donna Campisano, USF College of Public Health

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The USF College of Public Health (COPH) lost a dear friend and colleague with the recent passing of Dr. Steven Mlynarek.

In lieu of flowers, he asked that you consider a donation to the Jade Lynn Mlynarek Endowment Fund at Shodair Children’s Hospital in Helena, Mont.

You may direct donations to: 

The Jade Lynn Mlynarek Endowment Fund

In memory of Steve Mlynarek

Foundation Department /attn Keith Meyer

Shodair Children’s Hospital

2755 Colonial Drive

Helena, MT 59601

To make a donation online, click here.

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For Jimmy Bayes, a USF College of Public Health (COPH) alum and former USF football player, family and culture are top priorities.

“I’m of Haitian descent and among the first in my family to go to college and graduate,” Bayes said. “My mom and dad are hardworking individuals and they are high on morals, tradition and culture. I was raised to show respect to the community around me.”

Bayes had an early introduction to public health, which ultimately led him to the COPH.

“Growing up I was heavily involved in the community and did a lot for organizations like Habitat for Humanity,” Bayes said. “Another thing that got me into public health was my sister being a nurse. I volunteered at our local health department and was always heavily involved in my community, even as a youngster.”

What led Bayes to USF was a relationship with Willie Taggart, head coach of USF football.

“We had an opportunity to really shock the landscape at USF,” said Bayes, a former defensive end. “We had a lot of playmakers in my class.” That, coupled with being able to stay close to family, is what solidified Bayes’ decision to commit to USF.

Academically, Bayes started at USF as a psychology major, then moved to a physical therapy major before ultimately deciding on public health.

“I wanted to use my experience to better the kids coming in behind me,” Bayes said. “I met my mentor, Dr. Joe Bohn, through public health and that’s where I became rooted. It was the best decision I made academically.”

Bayes said he was the only football player in his public health classes at that time.

“I came from a small town and going into a big city that has a lot of international students was a great opportunity. I had to make more friends. I had to learn new perspectives,” he said.

Bayes graduated from the COPH in 2018 with a Bachelor of Science in Public Health.

Unfortunately, a shoulder injury changed his plans for a career in football.

 “I couldn’t pass the physical,” Bayes said. “When I realized I couldn’t go professional, I grew depressed. But one thing that helped me out of that depression was my work and focusing on my drive.”

Bayes said the fundamentals and lessons that sports taught him are invaluable.

“When you get knocked down, you get back up. When you don’t know how to make the play, you go back to the film and you watch what you did wrong and you correct it.”

Bayes said what led him back to his hometown in Immokalee, Fla., was the opportunity to give back. He is now coaching at his alma mater, Immokalee High School, is president of the Immokalee Youth Sports League and has even returned to inside the classroom as a teacher.

“The main thing that keeps me going is knowing that my coaches and the pillars in my neighborhood when I was growing up didn’t give up on me,” Bayes said. “They didn’t say they were too tired. They just kept going. I’m a product of that. Like they say, ‘It takes a village to raise a kid.’ My parents worked very hard, and the community helped raise me. I’m literally a product of that concept.”

Today, Bayes is a 9th grade English and intensive reading teacher at Immokalee High School.

“I became aware of the teacher shortage through discussions with the pillars in my community who also supported me growing up,” he said. “They told me there was a shortage of teachers, so I stepped up.”

Recently, Bayes spoke at a mental health wellness event.

“It was for athletes that didn’t go pro and are fighting depression. It targeted athletic suicide,” he said. “I want athletes and competitors to know that just because you don’t go professional, that doesn’t mean you’re not competing. There are always different aspects in life to compete in.”

“I want athletes and competitors to know that just because you don’t go professional, that doesn’t mean you’re not competing. There are always different aspects in life to compete in. I want people to know that just because you don’t train in a collegiate or professional sport, that doesn’t mean it’s over. You’re not ever done competing. There’s still much to tackle. Right now, I’m tackling youth development and it’s really fulfilling. I get to pour my experiences into developing youth.”

For now, Bayes has his sights set on returning to the COPH to visit his mentors and professors to continue to build connection. He says he’s also interested in coaching at the college level, continuing to be a mentor and has plans to start two non-profit organizations to feed the homeless and provide scholarships for future public health professionals. 

Fast Five:

What did you dream of becoming when you were young?

A pro football player.

Where would we find you on the weekend?

Behind a board drawing up plays or being with family.

What is the last book you read?

“The 48 Laws of Power,” by Robert Greene and “What They Don’t Teach You at Harvard Business School,” by Mark McCormack. I read those simultaneously.

What superpower would you like to have?

Healing. A lot of people are hurt behind closed doors. We live in a generation where people don’t really know how to handle the things that hurt them.

What is your all-time favorite movie?

“Remember the Titans”

Story by Liz Bannon, USF College of Public Health

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Everyone was certain Dr. Michelle Crozier would grow up to be a veterinarian.

After all, Crozier, who grew up in Deland, Fla., and attended Stetson University, raised Belted Galloway cattle and even once won a cow in an essay contest.

But everyone was wrong.

“I was more interested in understanding how the human body worked,” Crozier stated.

As a biology major at Stetson, Crozier was taking pre-med courses and shadowing physicians. “But I didn’t feel much passion toward the field once I began learning about its realities,” she said. “During my junior year, I selected a book from the Health and Science shelf at Barnes & Noble called “Level 4: Virus Hunters of the CDC.” I was introduced to the exciting career of epidemiology, and I talked to my faculty advisor about how to become one just as soon as I learned how to say it. He helped me look into MPH programs, and the rest is history!”

Crozier enrolled at the USF College of Public Health (COPH) right after college and graduated with her MPH in epidemiology in 2009. In 2017, she received her PhD from the college.

“As a practical person, I love the emphasis on prevention in public health,” Crozier said. “I’m always looking to prevent bad things from happening and promote the good in life, and I’m a natural fit for a field with the same description.”

Crozier started out in public health as a communicable disease epidemiologist for the Volusia County Health Department—a job she started just a few months before the 2009 H1N1 influenza pandemic hit.

“I was the go-to person for the epidemiology response, and talk about baptism by fire,” Crozier said. “I learned more in the subsequent six months than I would have learned in five years on the job in non-pandemic times.”

Crozier took what she learned into the classroom. She’s held teaching positions at the University of Central Florida (UCF), USF (where she was the online epidemiology MPH coordinator from 2013-2017) and was most recently director of the Health Sciences Collegiate Academy at Lake-Sumter State College.

Today, Crozier is a lecturer at UCF in the School of Global Health Management and Informatics. She also serves as program director of the Health Care Informatics MS Program. 

“I spend my days handling admin stuff related to students and program accreditation, teaching, prepping classes, meeting with students and finding time to write a little on research projects. I like that it combines two of my childhood dream jobs, teaching and medicine, with a public health focus.  It’s also in my hometown where I can be close to my family,” Crozier said.

Crozier sees herself staying at UCF, building on the knowledge and skills she learned at the COPH.

“I’m diligently working on creating my niche at UCF so I am successfully promoted to associate lecturer in a few years,” she said. “I see myself retiring from here, but I wouldn’t mind doing it a little early so I can travel extensively, especially to cooler places during the hot Florida summers!”

Alumni Fast Five

What did you dream of becoming when you were young?

I wanted to become a teacher, architect or medical doctor.

Where can we find you on the weekends?

Swimming at the beach or pool, seeing a traveling Broadway show or concert and/or eating a scrumptious meal.

What’s the last book you read?

“Florida Woman,” by Deb Rogers.

What superpower would you like to have?

Invisibility

What’s your all-time favorite movie?

It’s a toss-up between “The Sound of Music” and “The Silence of the Lambs.”

To view the awards ceremony, click here.

Story by Donna Campisano, USF College of Public Health

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Dr. Ira Richards, a USF College of Public Health (COPH) professor who specialized in toxicology, and Dr. Lillian Stark, a veteran of the Florida Department of Health Bureau of Laboratories, the 2005 COPH Florida Outstanding Woman in Public Health and a past adjunct assistant professor at the college, recently passed away.

Ira Richards, PhD

Richards was a member of the COPH faculty for over 35 years, joining the college in 1986 as an assistant professor of toxicology in the department of environmental and occupational health—a department he helped build from the ground up.

Richards received his PhD from New York University. In addition to his COPH faculty position, he was also a professor in the department of internal medicine at USF. He was a consultant to the Tampa Bay Poison Information Center, Southwest Florida Water Management District on pesticide-related health effects and a hazardous substances consultant and emergency responder to both the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office and the City of Tampa Fire and Rescue.

Expert in toxicology, respiratory irritants

His research interests centered on respiratory irritants and the expression of biomarkers of inflammation and oxidative stress from exposures to chemical agents. His lab was able to isolate single muscle fiber activity and record how that activity was affected by ambient toxicants. This led to his interest in red tide. Richards explored the effects of brevetoxin (a toxin that affects the central nervous system of fish) from red tide on pulmonary tissue.

One of Richard’s proudest achievements was his work developing a popular toxicology book, Principles and Practice of Toxicology in Public Health, used in many colleges of public health. The COPH’s Dr. Marie Bourgeois, a research assistant professor, helped author the book.

Funny and strong

“For those who may not have known him well, a visit to his office would tell you two things,” Dr. Donna Petersen, dean of the COPH, said. “First, you will be in awe of what can fit into 100 square feet. He grew up in New York City and maximizing space was a survival trait. Second, he loved books. He could tell you how thoughts evolved through editions, and how physiological systems deal with perturbations, especially disease and environmental insult. And he willingly shared his knowledge with those who would ask. You could also see the famous 10-year-old cupcake whose youth and vigor had benefited from trans fat.”

Dr. Steve Mlynarek, COPH professor focusing on industrial hygiene, remembers Richards as a humorous man with inordinate strength in the face of challenges. “He would come to my office once or twice a week and we would talk about everything wrong with the world, and everything right as well,” Mylnarek said. “These 15-minute vacations taught me a lot. He was able to face his troubles with a positive attitude. He was the toughest guy I knew.”

Dr. Tom Bernard, another COPH professor specializing in industrial hygiene, recalls the camaraderie he and Richards built around the picnic tables outside the NEC, discussing their future fates in the hands of the tenure and promotion committees.

Dr. Karen Liller, distinguished university health professor, remembers securing a seat next to Richards in the back of the room at faculty meetings. “No matter what was happening, he always made me laugh and smile. I have lost a lifelong friend,” she said. “His wry humor and very clever personal asides will be missed,” added Dr. Jay Wolfson, distinguished service professor of public health, medicine and pharmacy.

Bourgeois also noted Richard’s dry wit.

“Ira was pure snark. As his grad student, I was informed that ‘adequate’ was high praise,” Bourgeois said. “He never failed to remind me that I was adequate. So, when I graduated, I got him a paperweight that enshrined the term.”

Lillian Stark, PhD, MPH

Two-time Bull Lillian Stark earned her PhD in biology from the university in 1976 and her MPH from the COPH in 1988. For over 40 years, she worked for the Florida Department of Health, tracking diseases and outbreaks.

In a Monday Letter interview she gave just prior to her retirement in 2012, Stark recounted how she became interested in public health.

Start in public health

“I was a doctoral student at USF in the ’70s and someone scooped my dissertation topic,” Stark said. “Around the same time, my husband Arnold and I were seeking employment and turned to JobCorp, the State of Florida’s job search system. We were both earning doctorates in marine biology, but JobCorp gave us very different job referrals. My husband received a referral card for a laboratory job doing epidemiology research. I was referred to a secretarial job. Obviously, the system was plagued by gender-bias. As luck would have it, Arnold secured a job with a private school so I took his referral card and interviewed for the lab job. I quickly surmised that I could readily do the lab work, but I needed to learn the language of public health. So, I enrolled in the college and took one course a semester until I finished.”

Dedicated public health servant

Thus started Stark’s long and storied career in virology and public health laboratories. In addition to her work with the Florida Department of Health, she also was a COPH adjunct assistant professor, teaching a course on public health laboratories. Over the years she mentored countless students, including COPH associate professor and alumna Dr. Jill Roberts.

“At the service, it was mentioned that Dr. Stark was a force of nature and I cannot think of a more perfect description,” Roberts said. “She was an exemplary public health professional and highly respected in her field. To me, she was a brilliant, skilled, dedicated and driven role model and mentor. She instilled in me a passion for public health laboratory work that drives the work I do today.” 

Mentor and friend

Lea Heberlein, DrPH, a medical laboratory scientist and COPH alum, said Stark was an important mentor for her as well. “She (strongly) encouraged me to pursue a doctorate degree. She shaped my career, and I know she did the same for many other public health professionals.”

Natalie Preston, who’s now director of the COPH’s Office of Engagement and Constituent Relations, remembers first meeting Stark when she managed the college’s field experience program.

“I fondly recall my first meetings with Dr. Stark,” Preston said. “She would have my head spinning with virology-speak! She loved her work and made sure that every student who fell under her care had a rich practicum. Some students would go on to work in her lab on a full- or part-time basis. Dr. Stark was always kind to me, and we eventually developed a professional friendship. She will be missed.”

Story by Donna Campisano, USF College of Public Health

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As the USF College of Public Health (COPH) grows and evolves so, too, does its organizational structure.

“We made the decision to elevate the status of our academic team and to also build it up to address some gaps,” explained Dr. Donna Petersen, dean of the COPH. “We wanted to be sure we were addressing academic opportunities and the needs of our students across all degree levels.”

To that end, the college has shifted, changed and expanded certain roles while creating new ones. Many of the names may be familiar, but their titles may not be. Here’s what’s new:

Anna Armstrong, PhD, MPH, CPH, MCHES, director of the COPH Core and co-director of the MPH program

Claudia Cooperman, PhD, associate dean for undergraduate affairs

Jaime Corvin, PhD, associate dean for academic affairs and director of the MPH program

Ellen Daley, PhD, senior associate dean for research and practice

Jay Evans, MBA, MPH, vice dean for finance and operations

Tricia Penniecook, MD, MPH, vice dean for faculty affairs and development

Victor Weeden, DHA, FACHE, director of the MHA program

Janice Zgibor, RPh, PhD, senior associate dean for academic and student affairs

“Our students are bright, enthusiastic and compassionate,” said Petersen. “We want to make sure we are doing everything we can to support them on their educational and career journeys, preparing them for professional practice and creating ways for them to support each other. Doing so also requires us to fully support our faculty and all the ways they mentor, nurture and guide our students. I am excited for all this team will advance and accomplish.”

Story by Donna Campisano, USF College of Public Health

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The USF College of Public Health (COPH) Activist Lab held its fifth annual boot camp virtually on Jan. 27. Over 200 students, faculty and interested parties took part in the event, which focused on teaching advocacy strategies to promote global health and health equity.

The Activist Lab provides interdisciplinary advocacy, education, research and service opportunities for students to develop the skills that will promote their success as effective public health advocates and leaders. The boot camp is a one-day advocacy education and practice program highlighting successful public health advocacy, policymaking and communication strategies.

“This is technically my last year in the MPH program and I knew I could not let myself graduate without attending an activist lab boot camp,” said Delaenam Akahoho, who’s concentrating in epidemiology and maternal and child health. “The focus of health equity is what caught my eye with this year’s theme. An equity-centered approach to health is important because it ensures that those who have been historically overlooked are no longer cheated out of a safe and quality health experience across the life course.” 

After a welcome from Dr. Karen Liller, a Distinguished University Health Professor and director of the Activist Lab, Dr. Donna Petersen, dean of the COPH, gave the opening remarks, noting that it’s the duty of all public health professionals to work together to encourage and promote health for all.

“We do it because we want to see change in the world so everyone can be healthy, happy and thriving,” Petersen said. “And we know that being able to effectively communicate, build coalitions and work in the policy arena to make these changes is so important.”

U.S. Rep. Cathy Castor echoed those sentiments. While acknowledging that the U.S. has played an important role in tackling worldwide problems like HIV, malaria, Ebola and COVID, she called on students to not ignore the issues facing our own country.

“We have a lot of work to do when it comes to protecting reproductive rights and ensuring that people from disadvantaged communities have access to contraceptives, reproductive care and needed medical services,” Castor said.

Attendees listened to presentations about advocacy 101, policy development and communication from COPH faculty, including Liller and Drs. Zachary Pruitt and Claudia Parvanta.

Dr. Jill Roberts, COPH associate professor, gave the keynote address that focused on vaccine-preventable diseases and global health equity. She used the disease mpox (monkeypox) to highlight the health inequities between high- and low-income countries.

“Despite the fact that there was widespread knowledge of an mpox outbreak going on [in  Nigeria] in 2017, there was no surveillance, no epidemiological investigation and no use of the vaccine that we had sitting in the States, getting stockpiled and going nowhere. There were vaccine dosages that went in the trash because they expired. We never sent them to Nigeria. Had we been at the forefront of this when it was starting, we could have saved. I’m sorry to tell you that the very first vaccines that went to Nigeria to combat this [virus] went out last month. So clearly, we have an equity problem going on here.”

After a Q&A session with a diverse group of COPH faculty and a former Activist Lab Student Advisory Board member, attendees took part in breakout sessions, each one focusing on a different global health topic, including nutrition, violence-related issues, maternal child health and vaccine-preventable diseases. Each breakout session produced a position paper that was later presented and reviewed.

Akahoho said the breakout sessions were her favorite part of the event.

“As a team, we were tasked with advocating for a global maternal and child health issue,” she said. “We all had our own level of expertise and bringing all that to the table allowed for us to create a strong ask. Passion takes us far, yes, but the facts are just as important in getting people on your side. I walked away a lot more confident with the new advocacy skillsets I gained through the boot camp.”

“The biggest takeaway for me was the critical importance of teamwork and the composition of the team itself,” added Catherine Oakes, an MPH student concentrating in public health practice. “There must be diversity in experience and perspectives and disciplines as well as diversity in backgrounds, cultures, lived experiences and education. Without having the ability to see from all angles, it is not possible to properly frame the issue or problem. I loved the learning and engagement opportunity that attending this boot camp gave me, and I would highly recommend it to my fellow students and colleagues.”

Liller expressed thanks for all those who contributed to the success of the boot camp, including the students, faculty, staff, speakers, Dr. Ann Joyce and Silvia Moreno from the Lifelong Learning Academy and Carlos Montoya, who provided technical support. She also thanked the Florida Public Health Association, who paid for members’ boot camp registrations. 

The Activist Lab looks forward to planning boot camp number six, to be held in 2024.

Story by Donna Campisano, USF College of Public Health

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USF College of Public Health MPH student Nick Cropper was part of a three-person international team (all students or recent graduates) to win the Next Generation for Biosecurity Competition. 

The competition was sponsored by the Nuclear Threat Initiative (NTI) in partnership with several other global health security organizations. NTI is a nonprofit, nonpartisan global security organization based in Washington, D.C., focused on reducing nuclear and biological threats imperiling humanity.

An international expert panel of 23 judges evaluated the papers in a three-round process. 

The competition drew students and young professionals from 11 countries across five continents whose papers aimed at answering the question: How can the global community leverage the tools of modern science to develop an effective and politically acceptable verification protocol to strengthen the Biological Weapons Convention (BWC)? 

Cropper and his teammates wrote, “Creating a Verification Protocol for the Biological Weapons Convention: A Modular-Incremental Approach.”

A verification protocol is, according to Cropper, a mechanism by which the signatories to a convention or treaty can confirm that other signatories are not in violation of their obligations to the agreement. 

“In the nuclear context, for example, this might involve reporting of a nation’s total fissile material, paired with inspections by mutually agreed-upon inspectors at facilities of their choosing,” he explained. “But this accounting-driven approach doesn’t work for biological weapons, so we redefined ‘verification’ as part of our proposal.”

Cropper and his team, which consisted of Shrestha Rath, a biosecurity researcher at the Centre for Effective Altruism, a U.K./U.S. charity organization, and Ryan Teo, a master’s candidate in mathematics of systems at Britain’s University of Warwick, redefined verification as an ongoing process of data monitoring, assessment and evaluation aimed at appraising a state party’s intent to comply with the BWC. 

“Our answer to the question was to offer policymakers a ‘menu’ of modular policy proposals designed to be implemented in minimalist, politically acceptable forms with the idea being that they would grow over time to adapt to changing politics, scientific advancements and need. With each proposal, we paired a tool of modern science, like genetic engineering attribution methods or open-source intelligence, that we believed could be keystone tools in making the policy more effective.”

Some of these proposals included strengthening certain articles of the BWC, expanding institutional support to BWC member states and instituting a formal mechanism to collaboratively review evidence of noncompliance. 

Cropper, who has hopes of working in domestic or international scientific diplomacy, said identifying ways to establish a state’s adherence to biosecurity conventions and treaties is more important now than ever.

“Modern bioscience has reached a point where we are increasingly constrained not by the limits of science, but of our imagination,” Cropper noted. “Unfortunately, some people’s imaginations include visions of violence and death, and the potential for these people to misuse the tools of modern biology have never been greater.”

Unlike other arms control/disarmament treaties, the tools needed to develop a biological weapon are just as applicable to peaceful research purposes as they are to developing a weapon, Cropper explained. “This ambiguity, paired with the chronic inability to reach agreement on a workable verification mechanism for the BWC, has created an unacceptable global risk,” he said. “Answering the prompt question to overcome the political and technical barriers to a verification protocol is an ever more urgent need in the modern context.”

Story by Donna Campisano, USF College of Public Health

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