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Findings

In the latest issue of Findings magazine, we look to Michigan Public Health to address the rising crisis of loneliness and mental health through groundbreaking research and initiatives promoting social connections and purposeful living. We highlight the hands-on work of the Public Health Action Support Team (PHAST) in Grenada, showcasing the power of experiential learning and community engagement that positions our students to have impactful careers in public health. Learn about the Michigan Health Equity Challenge, where students develop innovative solutions to combat health inequities. Discover how one of our Environmental Health Sciences students aims to reduce noise exposure and greenhouse gas emissions. Dive into Findings to see how these collective efforts are shaping a healthier future.

Findings is the alumni magazine of the University of Michigan School of Public Health and is published twice each year.

From left to right, Justin Heinze, April Zeoli and Marc Zimmerman

Living fuller lives

US Surgeon General Vivek Murthy released an advisory calling attention to America’s “public health crisis of loneliness, isolation and lack of connection.” Michigan Public Health is addressing the crisis through research and interventions aimed at combating loneliness, increasing connection and helping people live fuller lives. Learn more about the work of Michigan Public Health faculty members Victor Strecher, Lindsay Kobayashi and John Piette.

On a PHAST track

The Public Health Action Support Team (PHAST) at Michigan Public Health offers students hands-on experience in public health. During the most recent annual trip to Grenada, students worked on projects like promoting voluntary blood donation, enhancing Alzheimer’s care, and supporting disability services, demonstrating the vital role of experiential learning and community engagement in driving public health initiatives.

From music education to public health research

London Kozlowski once dreamed of being an orchestra conductor. Now, as a second-year Environmental Health Sciences MPH student, she conducts research, including the study of health impacts of benign tumors, noise exposure linked to strokes, and the Green Anesthesia Initiative focused on reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

Inspiring creative solutions

The Michigan Health Equity Challenge, launched by Michigan Public Health, MolinaCares Accord, and Molina Healthcare of Michigan, engages graduate students in developing solutions to health inequities. Inaugural winners Melissa Zochowski and Mehak Bhansali addressed neurodivergent reproductive care and intimate partner violence.

Family’s Holocaust mystery brings two public health professors together

A 1943 family letter led Kate Bauer, associate professor of Nutritional Sciences, and her father on a decades-long search, ending in a connection with Holocaust survivor Irene Butter, professor emerita at Michigan Public Health. Their families were linked by refuge during WWII—a profound discovery.

Protecting populations from dangers of PFAS exposure

Jackie Goodrich, a research associate professor in the Department of Environmental Health Sciences, studies PFAS chemicals in firefighting gear and their health risks like cancer. PFAS alter gene expression and persist in the environment. New EPA rules aim to mitigate exposure and protect public health.

New chair aims to ‘eliminate racial, ethnic, socioeconomic inequities in health’

Returning to Michigan Public Health, Darrell Hudson, MPH ’05, PhD ’09, is the new chair of Health Behavior & Health Equity. Drawing from his Detroit roots and personal experiences, Hudson aims to eliminate health inequities and train future public health leaders.

Driven to give back

Barbara Israel’s career at Michigan Public Health has centered on community-based participatory research and health equity. As founder of the Detroit URC, she has fostered partnerships to address social determinants of health. Now, her legacy continues to inspire future public health leaders.

Paying it forward

Facing financial hardship as a student in 1958, Herman “Hank” Koren, MPH ’59, received generous help from Dean Henry F. Vaughan. Inspired, Koren established the Helping Hands Fund to support Michigan Public Health students in emergencies, exemplifying his gratitude and dedication.

Dean's Letter Class Notes DOWNLOAD PDF