In the Spotlight: May 15, 2012

Students
Lea Mollon, PharmD Class of 2014 and a PhD student in pharmaceutical economics, policy and outcomes track, is the author of the ACU column in the February 2012 issue of the Journal of Health Care for the Poor and Underserved. The ACU (Association of Clinicians for the Underserved) column is the lead article in the journal. Mollon’s article is titled “The Forgotten Minorities: Health Disparities of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgendered Communities.”

Ana Lucia Hincapie, PhD candidate in pharmaceutical economics, policy and outcomes, was a Christine Mirzayan Science and Technology Policy Graduate Fellow within the Policy and Global Affairs Division of the National Academies from January to April. The program is designed to engage its fellows in the analytical process that informs U.S. science and technology policy. During her time as a fellow, Hincapie helped with background research for an Institute of Medicine consensus study called “Improving the Quality of Cancer Care: Addressing the Challenges of an Aging Population.”

Diana Sun, PhD candidate in pharmaceutical economics, policy and outcomes, has been admitted to the summer institute on comparative effectiveness research at the University of Basel in Switzerland. She was also awarded the ThinkSwiss travel grant that covers part of her travel and accommodation costs. As a condition of the grant, Sun will be required to write about her experiences in a weblog while in Switzerland.

Neha Giridharan, PharmD Class of 2012, was a part of the dance troupe Om Shanti that won second place in the Bollywood America national competition April 21 in Philadelphia. The group, whose members are all UA students, competed against nine other teams from around the country. The theme for their performance was “Black Swan.” Neha played the role of the white swan and the black swan was played by her sister, Kavya.

Giridharan and her sister were two of the four captains of this year’s Om Shanti team. Both of them graduated from the UA last weekend: Kavya with a BS in biochemistry and Neha with her PharmD.

Faculty
J. Lyle Bootman, PhD, senior vice president for health sciences and dean of the College of Pharmacy, gave the graduation speech for the Harrison School of Pharmacy at Auburn University, Ala. on May 8. That afternoon, he also spoke on the subject “Health Reform and the Empowered Consumer” at the school’s annual faculty retreat.

On June 6, Bootman will be a panelist in a forum focusing on “Southern Arizona’s Healthcare Future.” The event will be held at the Marriott University Park on 880 Second Street, Tucson and is open to the public. Registration begins at 2:30 p.m. The program will start at 3 p.m., followed by a networking reception at 5 p.m. You can register online and get more information about the program at the Urban Land Institute website.

Terri Warholak, PhD, assistant professor in the Department of Pharmacy Practice and Science, received the 2012 Theodore G. Tong Distinguished Leadership and Service Award. The award, established by the PharmD Class of 2007, is given to faculty who are extraordinary mentors and role models to students and student organizations. The honor includes a $500 monetary award which, according to the award guidelines, must be “re-gifted” to a charitable organization that benefits students. In addition to the $500, Warholak’s recognition includes a certificate and a crystal award.