Highlights from 2024 TPHA Annual Conference, TN

October 9 - 11, 2024 - The University of Memphis School of Public Health was well-represented at the Tennessee Public Health Association annual conference in Murfreesboro, TN (Oct. 9-11, 2024). In total, 22 SPH members attended, including 16 students whose attendance was sponsored by the Tennessee Department of Health. Three doctoral students and one faculty presented their research during the breakout sessions, the details of which are as follows:

• Dr. Mathew Smeltzer, Associate Professor, EBE Addressing Gaps in Early Detection of Lung Cancer from a Public Health Perspective
• Clarion Harris, Doctoral Student, SBS Systematic Review of Parental Cohabitation and Child Mental Health Outcomes in African Americans
• Shongkour Roy, Doctoral Student, EBE Disparities in spatial-temporal patterns of lung and bronchial, prostate, and rectum cancer mortality in Tennessee population aged 50+ from 1969-2020
• Frans Samosir, Doctoral Student, SBS HIV-Risk Behaviors and Mental Health Disorders among Female Sex Workers
• Two of our SBS doctoral students, Clarion Harris and Hannah Badley, presented posters at the conference. Additionally, Yvonne Carter, a UofM undergraduate student attending TPHA, took a lead in a break-out session at the TPHA conference. SPH students also enjoyed networking with administrators from the Tennessee Dept of Health at the student reception. As a matter of utmost pride, Dr. Marian Levy received TPHA's Member of the Year Award for her work on the Continuing Education Committee.
• One of our alumni, Sarah Boop, received the Public Health Worker of the Year Award at the 2024 Tennessee Public Health Association conference. Ms. Boop currently works as CEDS Director in the Northeast TN Regional Health Office. An epidemiologist, Ms. Boop, was unable to receive her award in person, as she was providing support in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene. In her words, "I hated to miss TPHA, but felt like I couldn't leave in the face of what our community is dealing with here, the hurricane and subsequent flooding have truly devastated many of our smaller mountain and riverside communities."