|
 I am pleased to have joined the Department of Health Promotion, Education, and
Behavior in September 2006, and am excited about the opportunity to work
with the faculty, staff, and students in the department. It is a generally
young department that is motivated and enthusiastic. There is an opportunity
for the department to grow in both size and activity, and to continue to
contribute in important ways to the school and university while advancing
the public’s health in South Carolina, the US, and globally.
Faculty and students in the department share a deep commitment to
improving the health and welfare of the most disadvantaged people in our
world. There is a growing awareness in public health about the importance of
learning not just what should and can be done to improve the public’s
health, but also how it can be done in a way that is cost-effective,
embedded in community structures and culture, and at a large enough scale to
have real impact. To realize the potential of this growing awareness that we
must reach further for our work to have pervasive and sustainable impact
requires openness to rethinking: What new orientations and types of
knowledge and understanding are needed? What constitutes adequate evidence
upon which to make decisions? What is the role of science in public health
decision-making? How should we work with stakeholders and community leaders
to develop sustainable commitment and resources for improving public health?
These are critical questions that public health researchers and
practitioners must try to answer.
In the Department of Health Promotion, Education, and Behavior, we seek
to provide leadership to help move this enterprise forward through timely
and well-targeted research, nurturing of talented and motivated students,
and support for public health practitioners who are on the front-lines
carrying out the crucial work. We welcome engagement with researchers,
students, and practitioners who wish to collaborate with us in carrying out
this exciting work.
Edward A. Frongillo, Jr., Ph.D.
Chair, Health Promotion, Education, and Behavior
|
