颁辞苍迟补肠迟:听
Anissa Riley, College of Veterinary Medicine
TUSKEGEE, Ala. (November 6, 2020) 鈥� The 精东AV College of Veterinary Medicine鈥檚 Department of Graduate Public Health hosted this year鈥檚 one health symposium as a virtual event. 鈥淥ne Health Perspectives in Defining Health Security in the Time of COVID-19鈥� was the theme for the 21st Annual One Health Symposium on October 22. This year鈥檚 theme was timely and underscores the commitment the college and university have to engaging the university members, the general public, biomedical researchers, the health community and the university鈥檚 partners in navigating the new normal as all work together to formulate best practices and operations as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The One Health Symposium is an annual event that is designed to bring together veterinarians, human health researchers, public health practitioners, and environmental health scientists for professional development and to share their research in related areas providing a forum for advancing biomedical research and to heighten awareness of global health disparities.
In the past, the health symposium was held in conjunction with the annual Phi Zeta Research Day which follows the mission of the Phi Zeta Veterinary Honor Society by recognizing and promoting scholarship and research pertaining to the welfare and diseases of animals.聽 The research day has allowed the students to present their research as well via a competition but due to the coronavirus pandemic, the research day event was not held this year for the students. However, students did still participate in a virtual student panel focused on the topic, 鈥淚mpact of COVID-19 on Operations at HBCUs.鈥� 聽Students presented from the aspects of working on coronavirus research as well as being impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
鈥淭he 2020 One Health Symposium brought together several renowned professionals, panelists and keynote speakers to engage the scientific community, researchers, educators and students in a discussion to address a critical public health crisis in a time of COVID-19.聽 Under the leadership of Atty. Crystal James, who serves as director/department head for the college鈥檚 Graduate Public Health Program, and co-chair Dr. Melvena Wilson, who serves as an assistant professor in the Department of Graduate Public Health, I commend the symposium committee for the extensive effort put forth in formulating a virtual event that captures how we can make a difference through expanding our knowledge of biomedical research despite the tremendous challenges of COVID-19,鈥� said Dr. Ruby L. Perry, dean of the College of Veterinary Medicine.
This year鈥檚 keynote and invited guest speakers included:聽 Nadine Gayle, communications director to Assembly Woman Walker 55th District of New York; Dr. Tanya Tatum, director of Student Health Services at Florida A&M University; Dr. Joy St. John, director of Caribbean Public Health Agency 鈥� this year鈥檚 Dr. Kenneth Olden Lecturer; and Dr. Randy Albrecht, director, Emerging Pathogens in the Global Emerging Pathogens Institute/director, Biosafety Program at Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai.
鈥淭he One Health Committee and the Department of Graduate Public Health are so grateful for the leadership of President McNair and Dean Perry as the university has met the new challenges caused by the COVID-19 pandemic to assure our students are receiving the academic training necessary to excel and the university community is practicing all the safety precautions possible,鈥� Atty. James said.
鈥淭he 21st Annual One Health Symposium, although held in a different format this year, was extremely timely and our panel of leaders and presenters, community members and partners, fellow colleagues and students鈥� participations allowed us to deliver a thoughtful and engaging program. Our goal was to share trusted scientific information and be a think tank for advocacy and mitigation as we forge our path ahead to meet the new challenges with success in this time of COVID-19 and future global health disparities,鈥� James concluded.
