ATSU’s School of Health Management (SHM) held its Residential Learning Institute (RLI), Affordable care act and soft skills for a hard core career, on the Missouri campus July 26-28.  RLI’s are held four times per year, twice on the Arizona campus and twice on the Missouri campus. The focus of the RLI is to present applicable topics and use them as the foundation for team-building exercises. Six master of health administration students attended.

“It is great fun having students on campus, said Kimberly O’Reilly, DHEd, dean, SHM. “Watching students bond with faculty and peers while learning and growing in their team and health administration knowledge is exciting. We had a great group of individuals, and they created a really positive vibe in our hallways and classroom. I’m really looking forward to our next RLI and spending face-to-face time with students and faculty!”

Beth Poppre, MEd, assistant vice president – Student Affairs, has been promoted to associate vice president for Student Affairs. Beth joined ATSU in 2005 and has been integral in the development of the Student Affairs Department on the Arizona Campus and universitizing the Student Affairs Department.

Beth directly supervises the ATSU offices of Learning Resources, Student Wellness, Student Affairs – Arizona, supports all additional Student Affairs offices, and acts in the absence of the vice president for Student Affairs. She is an advisor to the University Student Association and Student Government Association – Arizona Campus. Beth is committed to serving ATSU students, faculty/staff, and alumni.

ATSU’s Athletic Training program will host Douglas Casa, PhD, ATC, FACSM, FNATA on August 17 for a presentation entitled, The Top 10 Ways to Prevent Sudden Death in Sports.

Dr. Casa is the chief operating officer for the Korey Stringer Institute located on the University of Connecticut campus in Storrs, Conn. The mission of the Korey Stringer Institute is to provide first-rate information, resources, assistance, and advocacy for the prevention of sudden death in sport, especially as it relates to exertional heat stroke.

As a personal survivor of exertional heat stroke, Dr. Casa has dedicated his professional career to the research of heat illness, hydration, and sudden death in sports, and finding ways to prevent the tragic loss of life in sports. He has published over 100 peer-reviewed publications and presented nationally on the subjects of exertional heat stroke, heat-related illnesses, preventing sudden death in sport, and hydration.  Dr. Casa is also the author of the book, Preventing sudden death in sport and physical activity (Jones & Bartlett Publishing, 2011).

Dr. Casa has received numerous national awards including the 2008 medal for distinguished athletic training research from the National Athletic Trainers’ Association (NATA), and the Sayers “Bud” Miller Distinguished Educator Award. He is a fellow of the NATA and the American College of Sports Medicine.

The presentation will be held on Friday, August 17 from 10:00 – 11:30 a.m. on the Mesa campus. If you interested in attending, please RSVP to banderson@atsu.edu by August 7.

More than 300 ATSU students confirmed their professional commitment at the annual white coat and pinning ceremony at the Mesa Arts Center’s Ikeda Theater on July 16 in Mesa, Ariz.

The Arizona School of Dentistry & Oral Health’s class of 2016, the School of Osteopathic Medicine in Arizona’s class of 2016, and the Arizona School of Health Sciences physician assistant (PA) program’s class of 2014 were presented white coats in three separate ceremonies. The PA class of 2013 participated in a pinning ceremony, representing the completion of a didactic year of study and entry into the clinical phase of the program.

Jack Dillenberg, DDS, MPH, inaugural dean of the Arizona School of Dentistry & Oral Health (ASDOH-ATSU), was recently interviewed by Arizona Money Radio 1510 on July 19. Dr. Dillenberg discussed ATSU, ASDOH and our relationship with Thunderbirds Charities during the interview. Listen to the interview.

Jack Dillenberg, DDS, MPH, inaugural dean of the Arizona School of Dentistry & Oral Health (ASDOH-ATSU), was recently interviewed by Arizona Money Radio 1510 on July 19.  Dr. Dillenberg discussed ATSU, ASDOH and our relationship with Thunderbirds Charities during the interview. Listen to the interview.

Marshall Chasin, AuD, ’03, is the 2012 recipient of the Governor General’s Silver Jubilee Award for Volunteer Services. The award was presented to Dr. Chasin by the Governor General of Canada, Queen Elizabeth’s Canadian representative, for his volunteer involvement with the National Youth Orchestra of Canada.

Of the award Dr. Chasin said, “One of the goals in my professional life is to ensure that musicians stay healthy. Hearing loss prevention has long been an interest of mine, and I am happy that I have been able to help out, at least in some small way.”

Jae Hyun Park, DMD, MSD, MS, PhD, director of the postgraduate orthodontic program at A.T. Still University’s Arizona School of Dentistry & Oral Health, was recently appointed an editorial board member of World Journal of Stomatology (WJS). WJS launched on December 31, 2011. It is a bimonthly peer-reviewed, online, open-access, journal supported by an editorial board consisting of 60 experts in dentistry from 22 countries.

Dr. Park also serves as an associate editor and section editor of the dentofacial orthopedics and orthodontics, and growth and development of the Journal of Clinical Pediatric Dentistry (JCPD) and as a consulting editor of the International Journal of Orthodontics (IJO). In addition, he is a referee for 11 dental and orthodontic journals including the Journal of Dental Research (JDR) and the Journal of American Dental Association (JADA).

ATSU faculty, staff, and students from the department of microbiology and immunology presented posters at the 112th General Meeting of the American Society for Microbiology held June 16-19 in San Francisco. Jacob Hiatt, BMSII, presented The effect of alanine substitutions on RadA/Sms epitope stability.  Co-authors were Neil Sargentini, PhD, professor and chair, and Melissa Stuart, PhD, professor.

Dr. Sargentini presented Upregulation of genes involved in DNA double-strand break repair in X-irradiated escherichia coli. Co-authors were Deshala Castille, MS’12, OMSII, Deborah Hudman, MS, research associate, and Vineet Singh, PhD, professor.

Dr. Singh presented Beyond foldase and holdase: an insight of the significance of DnaK heat shock system in staphylococcus aureus. Co-authors were Michael Syring, BS, Anchal Singh, PhD, research associate, and Trintje Johansson, MS’12.

Khahn Chu,DDS, assistant professor and clinical care director, ASDOH, is the recent recipient of the ATSU Above and Beyond Humanitarian Award.  The award is given to an ATSU employee or student who does a deed or act that demonstrates special caring, compassion, or support for another person or group.

Dr. Chu was nominated for the award by Hemali Rajyaguru, D3 student.  “Words aren’t enough to describe the things Dr. Chu has done for her students and the role model she continues to be for them,” said Rajyaguru. “I am so thankful to have a person like her in my life. Through this award and recognition I want to thank Dr. Chu for her kindness and wisdom. She will continue to be a mentor for me throughout my life.”