The School of Public Health has recently established numerous global health partnerships with an eye towards creating a healthier world. 

Shannon P. Márquez, PhD, MEng, associate dean and director of global public health initiatives, traveled to Ethiopia this summer to establish a partnership with World Vision, an international organization that has built over 1,500 wells in 10 African countries, providing almost 1 million people with access to safe water, that will help to improve water, sanitation, hygiene, child well-being and food security in some of the poorest communities in Africa.

Marquez participated in World Vision’s Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) meeting. Drexel and the Desert Research Institute will help prioritize capacity building, action research needs and next steps for WASH regional centers in east, west and southern regions of Africa.

Video: Dr. Shannon Márquez Talks about Partnership with World Vision

The summer visit with World Vision, followed on the heels of a trip in March where Drexel University President John A. Fry and a delegation traveled to Ethiopia to explore possible University programs in the country’s urban and rural areas. Fry was joined by Marquez and philanthropists and University benefactors Dana and David Dornsife. A 1983 Drexel alumna, Dana Dornsife together with David helped establish Drexel’s Dana and David Dornsife Center for Community Partnerships with a $10 million gift to the University.

Slideshow: See more and images of Drexel University’s visit to Ethiopia with World Vision

http://www.flickr.com/photos/drexeluniversity/sets/72157633061558108/

The Drexel delegation witnessed firsthand the impact of Ethiopia’s existing water projects and explored areas for partnerships focused on access to clean and safe water and health care practices. The group visited numerous well-drilling, sanitation and hygiene program sites across the country. Marquez also visited sites in Ghana.

“Innovative faculty experts like Dr. Márquez are the foundation of Drexel’s sustainable, long-term partnerships to address global challenges such as clean and safe water,” Fry said. “This type of mutually beneficial partnership also offers educational and service opportunities for students, and inspires benefactors like Dana and David Dornsife.”

In Africa, the SPH also established a partnership with the nonprofit organization Power Up Gambia to advance global health and development in The Gambia. Power Up Gambia provides power and water to health facilities in The Gambia through renewable solar power, including the deployment of suitcase-sized, transportable solar energy generators, which can provide a needed and sustainable power source for remote villages, hospitals and clinics.

The SPH will help Power Up Gambia with implementation and evaluation of their projects, as well as expanded training programs for their staff. In addition, students from the school will be provided opportunities to work with Power Up Gambia in Africa as part of their studies.

A mobile, solar generator provided by Power Up Gambia, was purchased by SPH's Department of Environmental and Occupational Health. According to Arthur L. Frank, MD, PhD, the department chair and a professor, the purchase helps to broaden the impact of Power Up Gambia, while providing a true connection for students to lead research with the organization in Africa.

“The partnerships is an example of the deep global engagement at the School of Public Health,” said Frank.  “We are truly a school without walls that has global impact.”

Frank travels the globe lecturing and training public health professionals on the hazards of asbestos, and collaborating with others on similar health issues. He recently traveled to China and Mongolia where he established collborations for SPH faculty and students.

The SPH also recently established a partnership agreement with Xiamen University in China. Marquez, along with Longjian Liu, MD, PhD, MSc, FAHA, assistant professor, and Julie Mostov, PhD, vice provost of global initiatives at Drexel University, met with officials from the university and the US CDC at Xiamen University about collaboration and exchange opportunities between the schools.

In addition, a delegation of students and faculty from the SPH traveled to France earlier this year as invited guests to a symposium on mixed methods research organized by the Ecole des hautes études in Paris.   At the symposium, faculty members Darryl Brown, PhD, Ann C. Klassen, PhD, Marquez, Seth Welles, PhD, ScD, Stephen E. Lankenau, PhD, along with doctoral students Aleksandar Kecojevic, MPH, Michael LeVasseur, MPH, and Jonathan Purtle, MPH ‘10, MSc, presented their research to a network of nine public health doctoral institutions or programs in France.

The symposium was held at the Ministry of Health in Paris, and the health minister addressed the symposium participants during the conference encouraging them to continue their doctoral research.

Prior to the symposium, the SPH delegation met with officials from a public health university in Rennes to collaborate on areas of expertise, and explore opportunities for partnership in training, teaching and student collaborations.

“We identified synergies between the School of Public Health and faculty in France in areas of epidemiology, biostatistics, healthcare management and public health practice,” said Brown.

“There is a different academic culture in encouraging funded extramural research and scholarship between the U.S. and France.  This is where U.S. schools like Drexel can help overseas institutions expand their research and benefit from initiatives and training from U.S. researchers,” said Brown.  “At the same time, our students can benefit by gaining cross-cultural experiences and direct research opportunities.”