A Message from the UH Chief Population Health Officer

Welcome to the inaugural issue of UH Population Health News. In this quarterly newsletter, we will bring you updates on UH Population Health, a first-of-its-kind initiative from the University of Houston focused on advancing quality of life in Houston, the state of Texas and beyond. Our vision is to lead the nation in preparing the next generation of professionals to transform health through education, research, and community and global partnerships.

I have been overwhelmed by the outpouring of support and enthusiasm for our mission and vision. Since our launch in January, we’ve formed new partnerships, been awarded research grants, hired five dynamic team members and launched the first Interdisciplinary Association for Population Health Science undergraduate student chapter in the nation. Plus, we’ve gained support of KPRC-TV’s Khambrel Marshall. Checkout his video below on the importance of population health.

It’s said that it takes a village to raise a child, and the same rings true when it comes to good health. Thank you for being a part of our village and for supporting this bold new initiative to improve health for everyone.

I look forward to bringing you more quarterly updates and we appreciate your continued support.

Bettina M. Beech, Dr.P.H.
Chief Population Health Officer
University of Houston

IAPHS President Dr. Roland J. Thorpe Jr. of Johns Hopkins visits with student chapter at UH.

UH Population Health launched the nation’s first-ever undergraduate Interdisciplinary Association for Population Health Science chapter in August with approximately two dozen students from a variety of disciplines, including social science, education, liberal arts and humanities, among others. “The national organization is looking for us to be a template for other universities across the country,” said Quinn Valier, the UH Population Health director of student engagement. The goal of the chapter is to raise awareness about population health within UH, and to facilitate mentorship, research and internship opportunities in the field. “We also want to develop opportunities for networking among practitioners in Houston and nationally,” added Valier.

The chapter is well on its way to reaching its goal as students have already received a visit from the IAPHS national president Dr. Roland J. Thorpe Jr., associate vice chancellor for Diversity and Inclusion and professor in the Department of Health, Behavior, and Society at Johns Hopkins University. Thorpe is also director of the Johns Hopkins Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center for Minority Aging. “Having an undergraduate student IAPHS chapter at UH provides a clear pathway for students to start early in their academic training to appreciate how interdisciplinary perspectives can impact population health,” said Thorpe.