News and Events
April 1, 2008
The College of Public Health and Health Professions, Department of
Epidemiology and Biostatistics is pleased to announce the appointment of
Erin Defries as lecturer in Epidemiology. Erin DeFries received her MPH
in Epidemiology from the University of Florida in 2006. As a graduate
student, she worked on projects evaluating the relationship between
Florida's Healthy Start Prenatal Risk Screen and infant mortality, and
the impact of nutrition facts availability on middle school students'
food choices. Currently, Erin works on many projects related to
disability in Florida and caregiving nationally. She also teaches
Introduction to Public Health with Dr. Andresen.
May 30, 2008
At the 13th Annual Epidemiology Statewide Seminar in Orlando, Florida, Nur Zeinomar and Jayson Caracciolo received an award for their poster entitled, "Natural disasters and disability: Case study of the Florida 2004 hurricane season." Nur and Jayson completed the project as MPH students in Epidemiology, with support from faculty members Elena Andresen, Babette Brumback, and Erin DeFries.
June 16, 2008
Dr. Ali Mokdad is Branch Chief, Behavioral Surveillance Branch, CDC - On
Monday June 16th, Dr. Mokdad reviewed the history, strengths and
weaknesses of the world's largest survey, the Behavioral Risk Factor
Surveillance System (BRFSS). All surveys have had increasing challenges
with reduced response rates and the exchange of cell phones for
telephone land lines. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
(CDC) has been engaged in a number of methodological studies to
understand the potential strengths and problems from surveys using mail
and internet, and cell phone and land line users of various types. Dr.
Mokdad's presentation extended with his active review of graduate
student presentations of their analysis projects using the BRFSS in a
core course of the epidemiology concentration of the College of Public
Heath and Health Professions MPH program.
June 17, 2008
The College of Public Health and Health Professions, Department of
Epidemiology and Biostatistics is pleased to announce the appointment of
Ning Li as and Amy Cantrell as Biostatistics Lecuter.
Ning Li, who will be joining us on July 1, 2008, obtained her master's
degree in Microbiology from Duke University in 2002 and Ph.D. in
Biostatistics from University of California at Los Angeles in 2005.
After that she worked as a postdoctoral scholar in the Department of
Biomathematics, UCLA School of Medicine. Her current research interests
are primarily in the areas of longitudinal data analysis, missing data
in longitudinal analysis, survival analysis, and joint modeling of
longitudinal and survival data.
Amy Cantrell, who will be joining us in August, obtained her master's
degree in Mathematics from Winthrop University in 1995 and her Ph.D. in
Statistics from the University of Florida. Thereafter she worked as a
consultant providing statistical assistance regarding research on a
wound treatment (2001-2002) and an impact fee study for Marion County,
Florida (2002-2003). She brings teaching experience from Central
Florida Community College (2003-2008) and began teaching in the
Department of Statistics during spring semester 2008 at UF.
