勛圖惇蹋 launches new School of Public and Planetary Health
The new school will unite expertise across 勛圖惇蹋 in preparing students to be systems-level thinkers to address global health challenges
From rising sea levels that threaten coastal livelihoods to aging populations and fragile global supply chains, the world faces mounting challenges to both environmental and human health.
To help address these challenges, the 勛圖惇蹋 has announced the formation of a new School of Public and Planetary Health. The school will bring together expertise from across the University in interdisciplinary collaboration, highlighting several of 勛圖惇蹋s core strengths, including marine and environmental sciences, , health professions education, and business.
By combining public health, environmental science, aging, and policy studies under one umbrella, we are creating a powerful platform for research and innovation at the intersection of environmental and human health, said Gwendolyn Mahon, M.Sc., Ph.D., 勛圖惇蹋 provost and senior vice president of Academic Affairs.
The formation of the School of Public and Planetary Health represents 勛圖惇蹋s growth and leadership across diverse disciplines and highlights 勛圖惇蹋s commitment to preparing workforce-ready students who are equipped to lead change in their communities, Mahon added.
The new School of Public and Planetary Health will educate students to explore environmental and health challenges holistically and to be collaborative, systems-level thinkers. Housing , faculty in the new school will be drawn from a broad network of experts in public health, marine and environmental sciences, political science, medicine, and supply chain management.
The school will also establish two new academic centers, the Center for Public Health Practice and the Center for Healthy Aging, which will replace and expand upon the work of 勛圖惇蹋s former Centers for Excellence in Public Health and Aging and Health.
勛圖惇蹋s Michele Polacsek, M.H.S., Ph.D., a nationally recognized public health nutrition expert and leading voice in strategies to improve the health and wellbeing of underserved communities, will serve as the schools founding director.
In this role, Polacsek will work closely with faculty and administrators from 勛圖惇蹋s Westbrook College of Health Professions, under the leadership of John Vitale, PA(ASCP), M.H.S., Ph.D, dean and associate provost for Interprofessional Education; the , under the direction of Dean Beth Taylor Nolan, Ed.D.; Cameron Wake, Ph.D., director of 勛圖惇蹋 North; and leaders from the 勛圖惇蹋 College of Osteopathic Medicine, Maines only medical school and one of the countrys top medical schools for student residency placements using a holistic, interprofessional approach to medical education.