The Charles Stewart Mott Department of Public Health focuses on population health from its home base – the College of Human Medicine’s Flint campus. Being embedded in the Flint community allows the faculty and researchers to understand the assets and needs of the community while studying Flint’s most pressing public health issues.

Spartans work side-by-side with community partners and health care providers in a community-identified and community-participatory public health focus model.

Jennifer Johnson arrived in 2015 to a nearly empty building, the first research faculty member employed by the college in Flint. Much has changed since then. On April 1, Johnson assumed a new job as the founding chair of the department, overseeing nearly 200 faculty and staff.

Johnson leads a conversation on the impactful research and work being done in the department with her colleagues Maji Hailemariam Debena, Gayle Shipp, and Steven Ondersma.

Conversation Highlights:

(0:58) – Johnson on the department’s mission and her role.

(1:59) – Maji introduces herself.

(2:15) – Gayle introduces herself.

(2:44) – Steve introduces himself.

(3:16) – Maji, tell us about the MOSAIC project.

(5:12) – How are your mentor moms helping the younger moms?

(6:35) – What are the next steps? Do you hope to scale up the project?

(7:47) – Tell us about the YWCA women’s empowerment center you helped create.

(10:25) – How does your local work in Flint intersect with your international work in Africa? “It’s about people, not places.”

(14:06) – Gayle describes her research to impact and improve maternal infant health equity.

(15:22) – Tell us about the disparities you see and why they matter.

(17:20) – Why is breastfeeding important?

(18:28) – How is your work addressing the disparities you’re seeing?

(22:08) – Tell us about your new grant from the Robert Wood Foundation.

(24:08) – What are your next steps? How do you hope your work will turn into action?

(27:58) – Steve describes his research incorporating technology into addressing health disparities. What is CIAS - Computerized Intervention Authoring System?

(41:20) – How are you using this platform to help with maternal health equity?

(49:51) – “It’s now possible to prevent postpartum depression.” What is Reach Out, stay Strong, Essentials (ROSE)?

(52:31) – Maji, Gayle and Steve on what they want us to know about their work. What is your ultimate goal?

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New endowed fund to foster next generation of women’s health leaders

To close the gap between women’s health research and other scientific disciplines, Ward and Mari Walstrom of Harbor Springs have made a $1 million gift to bolster education and research in the MSU College of Human Medicine’s Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Biology.

The Walstrom Family Endowed Women’s Health Research Fund is creating an early-career training program to increase the number of scientists and clinicians pursuing a lifelong career focused on women’s health care and research.

The program pairs medical and graduate students with research teams and will support independent research projects. Four College of Human Medicine early-career graduate students, including one third-year medical student, were recently selected and awarded the endowed funds; each will utilize the philanthropic funds to push forward current research projects, which would not have been otherwise possible.

Three Spartans describe the impact the gift will have on women’s health. Dr. Richard Leach is professor and chair of the MSU College of Human Medicine’s Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Health. Shannon Harkins is a PhD candidate and Walstrom fund recipient. And Roksolana Sudyk is a future Spartan MD and Walstrom fund recipient.

Conversation Highlights:

(0:19) – Leach on the strengths, mission, and evolving excellence of the MSU College of Human Medicine’s Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Biology.

(5:01) – Leach on the Walstroms and the impact of their gift.

(11:24) – Sudyk on her path to MSU, her passion for women’s health, and meeting the Walstroms.

(15:54) – Harkins on her passion for women’s health, her research project, and meeting the Walstroms.

(31:02) – Sudyk was attracted to MSU by the College of Human Medicine’s focus on women’s health and equity. And she describes her research project.

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Teresa Mastin is vice provost and associate vice president for faculty and academic staff affairs at MSU. She joins Bill Beekman, vice president for strategic initiatives, to discuss progress on the implementation of the faculty and staff success theme of the MSU 2030 strategic plan.

Conversation Highlights:

(1:03) – Mastin on her background, career path, and what excites her about her role.

(15:11) – What are the difference between tenure-track faculty and fixed-term faculty? How are their issues different?

(24:06) – What do you do to support faculty career development?

(32:37) – What’s your favorite part of your job?

Listen to “MSU Today with Russ White” on the radio and through Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and wherever you get your shows.