IN THIS ISSUE

News From the Dean—School of Medicine . . . . . . . 2

Stewart Greenebaum Profile . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

Nursing Shortage Addressed. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

Employees of the Month . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

New Associate Deans . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

News for the Campus Community — FFeebbrruuaarryy 22000088

Medical School Researchers Say‘Virtual Autopsies’ May Enhanceor Replace Dissection

Legislative InternshipsOffer Close-up View of Public Policy Work

ROSALIA SCALIA

For Johanna Mauro, Brittany Ray,and Eric Saber, all second-yearmaster’s of social work students,part of the educational processmeans spending time in Annapolislearning how to navigate the legi-slative, public policy, and publicinterest arenas. Through a combi-nation of traditional courseworkand an internship with theUniversity’s legislative office inAnnapolis, they are learning aboutgovernment and communityaffairs through the inner workingsof the state legislature.

For University students inter-ested in affecting change in far-reaching ways, legislative intern-ships provide an insider’s view of how policy changes are madeand their impact on the comm-unity. The internships provide

an understanding of the complexlegislative process and how prof-essional associations advocate forissues affecting their professions.And for social work students withan academic concentration inmanagement and communityorganization, a legislative intern-ship is one way to fulfill their advanced field instructionrequirement.

“Legislative advocacy is impor-tant because every form ofgovernment, from a town boardto the U.S. Congress, takes actionthat either directly or indirectlyaffects the health of our comm-unities,” says T. Sue Gladhill,MSW, vice president for externalaffairs, who supervises internsworking through the Office ofGovernment and CommunityAffairs. “Frequently lost in the

See Interns on page 7

Dental School to Provide Care in Cecil CountyREGINA DAVIS

The Dental School and UnionHospital in Elkton, Md., annou-nced a partnership agreement lastmonth to provide dental care inCecil County. Representatives of the Dental School and UnionHospital signed a proclamation atCecil College in North East, Md.David J. Ramsay, DM, DPhil,University president, was amongthe speakers at the event, andgovernment officials were on hand.

The Dental School will occupypart of Union Hospital’s PrincipioHealth Center, a $15 millionoutpatient health facility underconstruction in western CecilCounty. A 26-chair oral healthsuite will provide pediatric and

SHARON BOSTON

Researchers from the School ofMedicine and Maryland’s Officeof the Chief Medical Examinersay that “virtual autopsy” using a CT scanner may offer a reliablealternative to conventional autopsyin some cases, and serve as asupplemental tool for gatheringforensic evidence in others. Theresearchers presented findingsfrom their preliminary study at a recent meeting of the Radio-logical Society of North America,Inc., in Chicago.

“CT is a sensitive imaging toolfor detecting injuries and cause ofdeath in victims of blunt trauma,”

says Barry Daly, MD, professorof diagnostic radiology andnuclear medicine at the School of Medicine. “Our study showsthat when there are major injuries,such as those resulting from amotor vehicle accident, CT mayprovide enough information sothat a conventional autopsywould not be needed.”

“If we can show that image-assisted autopsy is as reliable asphysical autopsy, it has the potentialfor a significant savings in time,effort, and expenditure,” saysDavid R. Fowler, MD, Maryland’schief medical examiner. “It mayalso offer a possible compassionatealternative for those families whose

religious and personal beliefspreclude a full autopsy.”

In the study, investigators useda whole-body, multidetector CTscan to evaluate the cause of deathand forensic evidence in 20 cases.A full-body CT scan generates upto 3,000 detailed, high-resolutionimages. Radiologists use com-puters to reconstruct the imagesinto 3-D views, tailored to thespecific needs of each case.

Of the 20 cases studied, 14were victims of blunt trauma and six had a penetrating woundmade by a knife or gunshot. TheCT evaluation matched themedical examiner’s cause of deathin all 14 blunt trauma cases andin five of the six penetratingwound cases. In terms of evidencegathering, the radiologists andforensic medical examiners con-cluded that the CT findings werecomparable to those of conven-tional autopsy in 13 of the 14blunt trauma cases. In five of thesix penetrating wound cases, theyfound that CT provided moreinformation than conventionalautopsy.

“Autopsy is mandatory in deathsinvolving gunshot wounds, so CTmay serve as a powerful comple-ment to the conventional exam,”says Daly. “Performing CT imagingfirst may speed up a conventionalautopsy, especially when it comesto locating ballistic fragments,which are important in criminalinvestigations.”

See Autopsy on page 7

adult dental services. Completionof the dental clinic, which willaccommodate up to 100 patientsper day, is expected by September.

“We are enthusiastic aboutbringing much-needed dentalcare to an underserved area ofCecil County,” said Christian S. Stohler, DMD, DrMedDent,dean of the Dental School. “Theequipment, the technology, andthe people we are bringing to thefacility all represent the highestcaliber of service we can offer to our patients.” The School iscommitting dental residents withDDS degrees, students, faculty,hygienists, and support staff.

Kenneth Lewis, MD, presidentand chief executive officer of UnionHospital, said the Principio Health

Center is part of the hospital’scommunity outreach efforts andwill provide much-needed accessto health care for area residents.Norman Tinanoff, DDS, MS,professor and chair of the DentalSchool’s Department of PediatricDentistry, says a state surveyconfirmed that 35 percent ofchildren in Cecil County haveuntreated caries.

In a related effort, the School’sdental hygiene program will collab-orate with Cecil College to providedental hygiene education throughan online didactic curriculumand a clinical component at thePrincipio facility.

Legislative interns Eric Saber and Brittany Ray on Lawyers’ Mall in Annapolis

Christian S. Stohler speaks during the announcement of a planned dentalclinic in Cecil County. Among those also pictured are David J. Ramsay (far right) and, next to Ramsay, state legislator David Rudolph of Cecil County.

Multiple skull and facial fractures are visible in this CT scan of a pedestrianwho was struck and killed by a car. Arrows point to some of the fractures.

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NEWS FROM THE DEAN SCHOOL OF MEDICINEIn 2008, the School of Medicine enteredits third century. This is quite an accom-plishment, and it presents us with anopportunity to rededicate ourselves to our missions of biomedical education,research, patient care, and service. Our2007 year-long bicentennial celebrationwas an unprecedented opportunity tohighlight our past as we celebrated 200years of extraordinary accomplishmentsand our enduring power of leadership.Now, however, it is time to look forwardand set the pace for the next 200 yearsof history-making discoveries.

As the founding School within the Uni-versity System of Maryland, we have aresponsibility for local, regional, andnational leadership. In my first State ofthe School address, “Soaring to GreaterHeights, Together,” which I delivered lastfall, I stated that I believe firmly that theSchool of Medicine—indeed the entireUniversity of Maryland, Baltimore campus—is soaring and is on a trajectory to evengreater heights.

The University of Maryland School ofMedicine, one of the fastest growingresearch institutions in the country, is anincredible economic engine for the stateof Maryland and the region. The combineddirect and associated spending generatedby the School and its faculty practice planlast year exceeded $1.5 billion, or aboutfive percent of the total state economy.This equates to more than $24 in revenuegenerated for every $1 in general statesupport received by the School of Medicine.We anticipate that our economic impactwill exceed $2 billion by 2010.

Our clinical enterprise has also seenimpressive growth. As we work to enrichthe depth and expertise of our clinicalenterprise, we have sharpened our focuson patient-centered care; we will increasethe number of magnet programs andtarget diseases of high morbidity. Lastyear, our inpatient and outpatient serviceshad nearly 1 million visits, and our totalpractice plan clinical revenue increasedby 9.4 percent to reach $175.7 million.

I have made it clear that my vision for our research enterprise is to increase theimpact of research and discovery onhuman health. It is not enough to simplyincrease the amount of research we do; it is imperative that we increase the impactit has on human health. This is a for-midable goal, but one that I am certainwe can accomplish. Despite a tighterfederal budget for research, we stillexperienced a 6.2 percent increase inNational Institutes of Health grants andcontract growth in 2007, for a total of$344 million. The faculty and staff deservemuch congratulations and praise for thatoutstanding performance.

Furthermore, I am happy to report to youthat the School of Medicine now ranks19th out of 126 public and private medicalschools based on total grant and contractexpenditures, as reported in the mostrecent ranking data from the Associationof Academic Medical Colleges (AAMC).With regard to public medical schools, weare ranked seventh out of 75 by theAAMC in total grant and contract expen-ditures. We will not rest on our laurels,but will continue to strive to attain even

higher top-tier status. Attaining the fundingnecessary to build Health Sciences FacilityIII will enable us to reach that goal, andto recruit and retain the very best andmost innovative faculty.

The future health of the citizens of ourstate and country depends on assuringthat the best students obtain medical andscientific degrees and use those degreesnot only to treat and care for the sick, butalso to advance prevention of disease.Medical school applications continue torise both nationally and here at the Uni-versity of Maryland. Overall, medicalschools nationwide saw an 8 percentincrease in applications, and the samewas true for us. Of the 4,500 applicationswe received in 2007, we accepted 160very talented young men and women fromdiverse backgrounds. Thirteen percent ofthe 160 accepted applicants are under-represented in medicine, and again thisyear, more than half are female.

My vision for our education mission—thereal reason we are here—is to focus onunique and contemporary programs thatare consistent with the interests of ournew generation of students. We will en-hance our interdisciplinary focus, becomingknown as an institution that promotes and provides interdisciplinary medical andscientific education and joint degrees: MDor PhD degrees jointly with JD, MBA,MPH, and MS degrees in bioengineering,clinical research, health policy, etc.

This month, we will host the site visit forour Liaison Committee on MedicalEducation (LCME) reaccreditation. LCME

Greenebaum Believes inMultidisciplinary Approach to Health CareCLARE BANKS

As UMB embarks upon a $650 million capitalcampaign, the VOICE will feature a series ofarticles profiling the chairs of the campaignsfor each school.

Stewart Greenebaum, chair of the School of Medicine’s $500 million capital campaign,is committed to giving his time and resourcesto helping cancer patients obtain the bestpossible care. His commitment is personal—his wife, Marlene, is an 18-year survivor ofstage-two breast cancer.

While the Greenebaums were able toobtain excellent care, many people diagnosedwith cancer, Stewart Greenebaum says,have difficulty navigating complex healthcare systems and lack the financial abilityto secure the best treatment. Greenebaumbelieves that access to quality medical careshould not be determined by a person’seconomic status or health care savvy—hewants to make it easier for patients to selectthe best course of treatment.

The approach he advocates is multidis-ciplinary: Ideally, patients meet with a groupof specialists—surgeons, oncologists, andradiologists, for example—to plan the rightcourse of action. The University of Maryland

Marlene and Stewart Greenebaum CancerCenter is one of the nation’s leading pro-ponents of this personalized multidisciplinarycare.

Greenebaum became involved with theSchool of Medicine when he was invited to join the University of Maryland MedicalSystem’s Board of Directors in 1990. Duringhis 10 years on the board—two as the chairof finance, and eight as board chair—Greenebaum became interested in manyareas of the hospital, particularly those “abovethe first floor,” he says. “I’m interested inwhat I can do to help patients in a moredirect manner.” In his current position aschair of the School’s capital campaign, hehopes to do just that.

Although people are more willing tomake philanthropic investments when theeconomy is doing well, Greenebaum pointsout that a campaign of this scope willdepend on the successes of the School ofMedicine. Under the leadership of Dean E. Albert Reece, MD, PhD, MBA, vicepresident for medical affairs at the Univer-sity of Maryland and John Z. and AkikoK. Bowers Distinguished Professor, Greene-baum says the School’s number and valueof research grants has grown, and that mattersto donors.

“People give to winners—to organizationsthat demonstrate success,” Greenebaum says.“The more successes the School can demon-strate, and the better the School does theirjob, the easier the campaign will be.”

“A $500 million capital campaign is boldand ambitious, and, with enough persever-ance, it is an achievable goal. We will haveto be creative in how we raise money. I hopeto bring creativity to the campaign and toset it apart.”

CAPITAL CAMPAIGN CHAIR MEDICAL SCHOOLNew Shuttle Hoursand Route

The BioPark is now incorporatedinto the Ride UMB/BioPark route.Shuttle hours of operation are now6 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday throughFriday.

Ride UMB/BioPark is free withUniversity identification. More information is available at www.parking.umaryland.edu or by calling 6-6603.

UMB Alerts

Sign up for UMB Alerts—theUniversity’s free, Web-basedsystem that notifies users,through e-mail or text message,of emergency situations oncampus, provides directions onhow to obtain more information,and announces weather-relatedcampus closings. To register,visit www.alert.umaryland.edu.

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Stewart Greenebaum

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accreditation is required for schools toreceive federal grants for medical edu-cation and to participate in federal loanprograms, both of which are imperative toour very existence.

In the relentless pursuit of excellence andeminence, I am

Sincerely yours,

E. Albert Reece, MD, PhD, MBAVice President for Medical Affairs,University of MarylandJohn Z. and Akiko K. Bowers Distinguished Professor andDean, School of Medicine

3February 2008

UMB IN THE NEWS

Janet Yellowitz, DMD, MPH, directorof the Dental School geriatricsprogram, talked to The (Baltimore)Sun about greater demands ondentists from an increasingly olderpopulation.

Michael Greenberger, JD, professorat the School of Law and director of the Center for Health and Home-land Security, talked to media outlets,including ABC News, about a rangeof issues including the Middle Eastpeace summit in Annapolis, the watercrisis in Atlanta, and the GuantanamoBay case reaching the Supreme Court.

Michael Pinard, JD, professor at theSchool of Law, participated in a liveC-SPAN discussion at the NationalPress Club on reducing prisonpopulations.

Maureen Black, PhD, director of theGrowth and Nutrition Clinic at theSchool of Medicine, co-wrote anOp-Ed in The (Baltimore) Sun criti-cizing possible cuts in funding for the federal Women, Infants, andChildren program.

Myron Levine, MD, DTPH, directorof the Center for Vaccine Developmentat the School of Medicine, wasquoted in a New York Times articleabout ways to form vaccines.

Brenda Afzal, RN, MS, project man-ager of the School of Nursing’sEnvironmental Health and EducationCenter, told The (Baltimore) Examinerthat Maryland’s struggle to regulatecoal fly ash to control water pollutionis part of a burgeoning national effortregarding the potentially harmful waste.

Newsweek health reporter Jerry Adlersays he will not report on “any amazingnew treatments for anything, unlessthey were tested in large, randomized,placebo-controlled, double-blindclinical trials published in high-qualitypeer-reviewed medical journals,”thanks to the new book Snake OilScience by R. Barker Bausell, PhD,professor in the School of Nursing.

Julie Zito, PhD, MS, associate pro-fessor at the School of Pharmacy,spoke with the Rochester (New York)Democrat and Chronicle about theuse of psychotropic drugs within thefoster care population.

To write about forgiveness studieswithout mentioning Robert Enright, PhD,a Wisconsin professor known as thefather of forgiveness research, “is like doing a paper on psychoanalysisand leaving out Sigmund Freud,”Frederick DiBlasio, PhD, MSW, pro-fessor at the School of Social Work,told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.

The Washington Post reported that arecord number of students—more than137,000—were enrolled at UniversitySystem of Maryland institutions last fall.Enrollment at eight of the 11 institutionshas grown, with an increase of 4 per-cent at the University of Maryland,Baltimore.

Reaccreditation and Statewide Plan Expectedto Ease Nursing Shortage

PATRICIA ADAMS

In an unusual move, the Council on Accredi-tation (COA) of Nurse Anesthesia EducationPrograms has extended accreditation of theSchool of Nursing’s nurse anesthesia master’sprogram for 10 years, and no progress reportis required during the 10-year period.

In a letter to Lou Heindel, DNP, CRNA,assistant professor and director of the nurseanesthesia program, the COA wrote that“very few programs are granted accreditationwith no progress report required, and evenfewer programs have achieved maximumaccreditation of 10 years.” Established in2004, the nurse anesthesia program—theonly one in Maryland—helps address thestatewide shortage of nurse anesthetists. Sofar, most graduates say they plan to takepositions in Maryland, according to Heindel.

Nationally, more than 65 percent of the26 million anesthetics administered eachyear are given by certified registered nurseanesthetists (CRNAs).

A comprehensive plan—“Who WillCare?”—was recently unveiled to address the state’s overall nursing shortage by doublingthe number of qualified students in nursingeducation programs. Janet D. Allan, PhD,RN, CS, FAAN, dean of the School ofNursing, helped lead the work group thatdeveloped the plan, which calls for nursing

schools throughout the state to admit 1,800additional first-year nursing students by 2009.

Last fall, the School of Nursing added152 students for a total of 1,614—its largestnumber ever, Allan says. The School hopesto continue increasing enrollment by expan-ding its program at the Universities at ShadyGrove in Montgomery County.

Law Students Help Hurricane Katrina Victims LORI ROMER

More than 80 students from the School ofLaw spent their winter break on the GulfCoast volunteering to help with criminaland civil cases and rebuilding projects inan area still struggling to recover from2005’s Hurricane Katrina.

From Jan. 5-12, students rebuilt homesin partnership with Mississippi’s CatholicDiocese of Biloxi and helped the Missi-ssippi Center for Justice address mortgageforeclosures and Federal Emergency Man-agement Agency settlement appeals. Theyalso worked with the public defender’soffices in New Orleans and Baton Rougeon criminal defense cases.

The trip to the hurricane-ravaged areawas the fourth for the Maryland Katrinaand Indigent Defense Project, a student

organization at the law school. “Whatbegan as a loosely coordinated trip to NewOrleans with little funding to help rebuildin the wake of Hurricane Katrina has becomea three-part, funded, and well-organizedproject to provide civil and criminal legalservices to those in need, and to helprebuild homes,” says third-year studentClayton Solomon.

More than two years after the storm, the region’s residents still need permanenthousing and legal assistance. According to the Catholic Diocese of Biloxi’s Officeof Long Term Recovery, 120,000 homes in Mississippi were destroyed by HurricaneKatrina, and today more than 80,000 resi-dents still have no housing. The MississippiCenter for Justice says public funding forcivil legal services in Mississippi is the lowestin the nation—about $10 per person, less

than half the national average. And accordingto The Times-Picayune newspaper, 26 attor-neys in the New Orleans public defender’soffice are saddled with a growing caseloadof more than 2,500 felony cases.

Brigid Ryan, a third-year law student whohelped provide legal services along the GulfCoast, says she hopes the students’ experi-ences will “engender a commitment to publicinterest law and public service.”

Douglas Colbert, JD, law professor andfaculty advisor to the Maryland Katrinaand Indigent Defense Project, says he isproud of the group’s work. “I’m happy tobe a part of a law school that has respondedso graciously and generously” to the hurri-cane victims’ needs, Colbert says.

Clare Banks contributed to this article.

HHMI Designation to Bolster Malaria Researcher’sVaccine and Treatment Development

REBECCA CERAUL

Christopher Plowe, MD, MPH, a professorof medicine at the School of Medicine andchief of the malaria section at the School’sCenter for Vaccine Development (CVD),has been named a 2007 Howard HughesMedical Institute (HHMI) investigator. Theappointment will enable Plowe to furtherhis research on a malaria vaccine that protectsagainst genetically diverse forms of themalaria parasite and to develop combinationdrug therapies for malaria that combat theemergence of drug-resistant parasites.

Plowe is one of only 15 new HHMIinvestigators in patient-oriented research.

“Dr. Plowe is the first Howard HughesMedical Institute investigator from theUniversity of Maryland School of Medicine,and we are extremely proud of his achieve-ment,” says E. Albert Reece, MD, PhD,

MBA, vice president for medical affairs atthe University of Maryland, John Z. andAkiko K. Bowers Distinguished Professor,and dean of the School of Medicine. “Thisrecognition from HHMI validates Dr.Plowe’s extraordinary efforts to eradicatemalarial diseases and will help him translatethat work from discoveries made in thelaboratory to actual treatments and curesfor the millions of people in the worldwho suffer from this disease.”

Plowe joined the School of Medicinefaculty in 1995 to create a new molecularand field-based malaria research programat the CVD, which has a long tradition ofmalaria research. The HHMI, a nonprofitmedical research organization and one ofthe nation’s largest philanthropies, plays a major role in advancing biomedicalresearch and science education in theUnited States.Christopher Plowe

The nurse anesthesia Class of 2007

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SCHOOL OF MEDICINEBryan Soronson, MPA,CRA, senior administratorin the Department ofNeurology, has been nameda fellow in the AmericanCollege of Medical Practice

Executives. The fellowship is the highestdistinction in the medical group practicemanagement profession.

The Get Fit Maryland program, the resultof a partnership among the School ofMedicine, the University of MarylandMedical Center, and Merritt AthleticClubs, has been chosen as a nationalInnovation in Prevention Award winner bythe Department of Health and HumanServices for its efforts in promotinghealthy lifestyles in communities. Get FitMaryland, a 12-week program targetingobesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular diseaseprevention and awareness, received thefaith-based and community-based awarddue to its success in raising health awarenessamong Maryland children and adults.

SCHOOL OF NURSINGBeth Pettit-Willis, MSN, RN, CNOR,one of several U.S. Army nurses teachingundergraduate classes through a partnershiprecently begun between the Army NurseCorps and the School of Nursing, has beenpromoted to the rank of lieutenant colonel.The joint program helps address the shortageof nursing faculty.

Carolyn Yocom, PhD, RN, FAAN, associateprofessor and chair, Department of Organi-zational Systems & Adult Health, has beenchosen to serve on the American Academyof Nursing’s Fellow Selection Committee.

SCHOOL OF PHARMACYAlexander MacKerell Jr., PhD, professorand director of the Computer-Aided DrugDesign Center, has been appointed theSchool’s first Grollman-Glick professor.MacKerell is an internationally recognizedscholar on theoretical chemistry approachesto understanding complex biologicalsystems. The Grollman-Glick professorshipwas established to honor the late EvelynGrollman-Glick, a benefactor of the

School, and her brother, the late EllisGrollman ’26.

SCHOOL OF SOCIAL WORK“Christ-like Love and Forgiveness: A BiblicalFoundation for Counseling Practice,” anarticle by professor Frederick DiBlasio,PhD, MSW, and Robert Cheong, PhD,assistant professor at The Southern BaptistTheological Seminary, was published inthe Journal of Psychology and Christianity.

“Using the Classroom to ExamineUnconscious Communication BetweenStudent and Client: A Supervisor’s Per-spective,” written by Assistant ProfessorShoshana Ringel, PhD, MSW, was pub-lished inThe Clinical Supervisor.

The article “Revisiting the Benefits Debate:Does Qualitative Social Work ResearchProduce Salubrious Effects?” written byAssistant Professor Corey Shdaimah, LLM,PhD, and Judith McCoyd, PhD, assistantprofessor at Rutgers—The State Universityof New Jersey, was published recently inSocial Work.

HEALTH SCIENCES AND HUMANSERVICES LIBRARYPaula Raimondo, MLS, head of outreachand liaison services, was named Librarianof the Year by the Medical Library Associ-ation’s mid-Atlantic chapter. The award,for October 2006 to September 2007,recognizes outstanding contributions inhealth sciences librarianship includingleadership in the profession; scholarship,publications, and research; and teaching,training, and mentoring.

MUSEUM OF DENTISTRY The Dr. Samuel D. Harris NationalMuseum of Dentistry and its executivedirector, Rosemary Fetter, MFA, MA,have been given a Distinction in PublicService Award by the Friends of theNational Institute of Dental and Cranio-facial Research. Fetter accepted the awardduring the organization’s annual gala at the National Press Club in Washington,D.C., on Dec. 10. The gala honors contri-butors to the advancement of oral healthand research.

Attention Crafters!Look for the Women’s History Month crafts bazaar

announcement and registration form in this issue.

Inclement Weather Information

The fastest way to obtain accurate information regarding the status of theUniversity during inclement weather is to call 410-706-8622 or visit theCampus Alerts page of the University’s Web site (www.umaryland.edu/alerts).

Radio and television stations in the Baltimore and Washington, D.C., areasare also notified when the University is closed or is opening late.

5February 2008

EMPLOYEES OF THE MONTH

NOVEMBER LIKIVU SPEAKS

With a Web-based, integrated financials and grants system in place for theentire campus, Likivu Speaks, budget analyst in the Department of FinancialServices, has handled up to 90 requests a day to create, modify, or updategrants and contracts projects. Still, he was surprised when David J. Ramsay,DM, DPhil, University president, showed up at his workstation to presentSpeaks with an Employee of the Month Award.

“Before I knew it he was handing me a plaque and letter, all the while praisingme for winning the award,” Speaks says. “I didn’t have time to say anything butthank you.”

In nominating Speaks for the award, Cheryl Williams-Smith, restricted fundsmanager, praised Speaks as “the ideal employee who is very much a teamplayer as well as an independent worker who handles his job very well.”

Speaks says he is very pleased to be named an Employee of the Month, but he can’t take all the credit for his accomplishments.

“It’s a great privilege and honor to have my name associated with such aprestigious award,” he says. “I can’t begin to thank all of my colleagues andpeers who have contributed to my success.”

DECEMBER APHRODITE BODYCOMB

When University President David J. Ramsay, DM, DPhil, arrived at the HealthSciences and Human Services Library to surprise Aphrodite Bodycomb, MBA,with an Employee of the Month Award, she was told that someone was stuck in an elevator. The ruse worked—Bodycomb rushed out of a meeting to help.

“That’s so like her,” says M.J. Tooey, MLS, AHIP, the library’s executive director.

Tooey nominated Bodycomb, the library’s assistant director for business devel-opment and operations, for the award, which was presented just before Christmas.Tooey described Bodycomb as “one of the people on this campus who just makesthings work. Her can-do and enthusiastic personality says never say never.”

Bodycomb’s work includes overseeing much of the library’s business operationsand coordinating building projects, mailroom operations, and events in the WeiseGallery. She has been employed at the library since 1999.

“I was so surprised,” Bodycomb says about receiving the award—surprised andhonored. “It really meant a great deal to me to be nominated by my boss andpresented the award by Dr. Ramsay. It was definitely a great way to end the year.”

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Written by Ronald Hube

Written by Ronald Hube

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New Associate Deans JoinDental and Nursing Schools

PATRICIA ADAMS AND REGINA LAVETTE DAVIS

The Dental School and the School ofNursing have each appointed a newassociate dean.

Carroll-Ann Trotman, BDS, MA, MS,is now the Dental School’s associate deanfor the Office of Academic Affairs. Trotmancomes from the University of North Caro-lina School of Dentistry, where she wasassistant dean for graduate education. Shesays enhancing student research to make it“more of an integral part of their academicexperience” is one of her initial goals.

“I am looking for students to furtherdevelop their critical thinking skills andengage in activities that foster their questfor knowledge,” says Trotman, who overseesan active research laboratory. She is alsoresponsible for redesign and managementof curriculum, and administering a facultydevelopment plan.

Trotman’s areas of education and experi-ence range from orthodontics, oral biology,clinical research design, and statisticalanalysis to international affairs, graduatepolicy, conflict resolution, faculty retention,and diversity. “She brings broad andsophisticated expertise to my team,” saysChristian S. Stohler, DMD, DrMedDent,dean of the Dental School.

“This is a very exciting opportunity forme,” Trotman says. “I am looking forwardto working with the dean to advance hisacademic vision for the School.”

The School of Nursing has namedLaurette Hankins associate dean for dev-elopment and alumni relations. As the

School’s chief fundraising officer, Hankinsis responsible for planning and implementinga comprehensive development programincluding capital campaigns, major gifts,planned giving, and annual gifts. She alsooversees the alumni relations program forthe School’s 16,000 graduates.

Hankins was previously at the WilmerEye Institute at the Johns Hopkins Hospital,where she held the position of director ofdevelopment for more than five years.During her tenure at Wilmer, more than$150 million was raised—double theamount raised in the previous five-yearperiod. The rest of Hankins’ 22-yeardevelopment career has been spent at ThePeabody Institute of the Johns HopkinsUniversity, Fordham University, TheMetropolitan Opera, Towson University,and Severn School in Severna Park, Md.

Hankins says it is an honor to be at theUniversity of Maryland School of Nursing.“Working closely with the dean, the faculty,and staff, I am fully committed to leadingthe development and alumni relations staffto new heights,” she says. “Together withthe Board of Visitors, we will further theSchool’s mission by raising the critical fundsneeded for scholarships, research, andfaculty support in the capital campaign.”

“Ms. Hankins brings a wealth ofexperience to this position,” says Janet D.Allan, PhD, RN, CS, FAAN, dean of theSchool of Nursing. Allan says Hankins’experience and leadership skills will beinvaluable as the School conducts a $30million capital campaign.

University Is GBC SponsorReaching out to Baltimore’s businesscommunity will be easier for Universityofficials this year, thanks to the University’srole as the Greater Baltimore Committee(GBC) corporate sponsor for 2008.

The University has a long-standingrelationship with the GBC—an organi-zation of leading businesses, nonprofitorganizations, and educational and civicinstitutions that works to improve thebusiness climate in the Baltimore area.

“By partnering with the GBC, we willbe able to increase our visibility, raiseawareness of the $650 million capital cam-paign, and advance the University’s missionand identity,” says T. Sue Gladhill, MSW,vice president for external affairs.

The University will connect with theBaltimore area business community throughGBC events such as a bioscience speakerseries, representation on GBC committees,and through GBC promotional vehiclesincluding its Web site and all promotionalliterature. The University will receive an awardand tribute at the GBC’s annual meeting.

Donald Fry, JD, president of the GBC,says the organization is privileged to havethe University as the corporate sponsor. “Alongtime active GBC member, UMB hasbeen the catalyst for redevelopment inWest Baltimore and is also playing a keyrole in the region’s emergence as a natio-nally recognized center for biosciences andtechnology,” says Fry.

Laurette HankinsCarroll-Ann Trotman

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7February 2008

CAMPUS BRIEFS

University Collects Record Amountfor Charity DriveThe University collected a record-hightotal of more than $475,000 in 2007 forthe annual Maryland Charity Campaign(MCC), an increase of nearly $7,000 overthe previous year. Employees and retireespledge donations through the University—in the form of payroll deductions or one-time gifts—to the statewide charity drive,which benefits hundreds of charitableorganizations.

“UMB is once again the largest contri-buting agency statewide,” says Dave DeLooze,the University’s assistant director of opera-tions and maintenance, and chair of thecampus’ MCC effort. DeLooze says theUniversity has collected the most MCCdollars among state agencies for severalyears. “Year in and year out, we continueto provide the support needed to build andcontinually improve our communities.”

Gates Foundation Funds DiarrheaResearch Researchers at the Center for VaccineDevelopment at the School of Medicinehave been awarded a $5.6 million grantfrom the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundationto develop a faster and more precise mole-cular test to diagnose the causes of diarrhealdisease in developing countries. The fundingwill also enable the researchers to work onidentifying new pathogens that cause theseinfections, which are often blamed for thedeaths of children under age 5.

“In the United States, we have tech-nologies that offer promise for providingrapid, sensitive, and specific diagnoses in

Africa and elsewhere, and we hope to adaptthose strategies for use in developingcountries through this grant,” says JamesNataro, MD, PhD, associate director ofthe Center for Vaccine Development. Nataro,who is also a professor and the head of theSchool of Medicine’s Division of InfectiousDiseases and Tropical Pediatrics, hopes theefforts will lead to more timely treatmentsand better vaccines.

Since Fiscal Year 2001, the Universityhas received nearly $65 million in fundingfrom the Gates Foundation.

First-Ever Method to DelayDiabetes Is Studied School of Medicine researchers are partici-pating in an international clinical study todetermine whether a daily insulin pill canprevent or delay type-1 diabetes in somepeople at risk for the disease. The methodcould be the first strategy available to delaythe disease, which has been on the riseespecially among children under age 5.

The University of Maryland MedicalCenter is recruiting family members ofpeople with type-1 diabetes to participatein the study. The researchers want toinclude people who have a high level ofspecific autoantibodies, which signifies anincreased risk for developing the disease.People interested in volunteering for thestudy can call 410-328-5419.

Advocacy Events Planned in Annapolis University students, faculty, staff, and alumnican meet members of the Maryland GeneralAssembly in Annapolis and participate in

advocacy events on the following datesduring the legislature’s 2008 session:

Feb. 6: Maryland State Dental Association Dental Day

Feb. 13: Maryland Nurses Association briefing and reception

Feb. 14: Maryland Pharmacy Coalition Pharmacy Day

Feb. 27: National Association of Social Workers Social Work Day

For more information, call the University’sOffice of Government and Community Affairsat 410-269-5087.

Master Events CalendarDevelopedA new master calendar for the entire campushas been developed that allows authorizedusers throughout the University to postevents electronically.

Events can be placed under a variety ofcategories—such as the school name, facultyand staff news, student services, research,and special events—that users access by adrop-down menu. Users can search eventsby category, month, date, or keyword.

The calendar is available at http://cf.umaryland.edu/intranet/calendar for anyoneto view and for authorized users to postevents. For more information, contact theWeb Development Department at the Centerfor Information Technology Services atwebdevelopment@umaryland.edu.

Autopsy from page 1Most states require an autopsy when

a death is sudden or unexplained. Approxi-mately 4,000 full autopsies were performedlast year in Maryland. While a forensicmedical examiner requires several hours to conduct a full autopsy, a multidetectorCT scan and interpretation of the imagescan be performed in about 30 minutes.Also, CT is noninvasive, so it does notdamage or destroy key forensic evidence.

“CT has been used in autopsies ofAmerican soldiers and in a few countriesaround the world,” says Daly. But he adds,“While the preliminary results are promising,more research is needed to show that CTcould be widely used within the U.S. medicalexaminers’ system.”

The researchers have received a $292,000grant from the National Institute of Justice,part of the U.S. Department of Justice, tolook at the use of CT autopsy to investigatedeaths that might be related to elder abuse.

“Our office and those of medical exam-iners nationwide are seeing increasingnumbers of suspected elder abuse cases,”says Fowler. “With some state governmentsconsidering mandatory autopsies for alldeaths in residential care and assisted-living facilities, we have been challenged to find new ways to accurately and rapidlyassess the causes of these deaths.”

Interns from page 1shuffle are the most vulnerable populationswho are least able to advocate for theirown needs. For students, getting involvedin the legislative process maximizes theircontribution to the health and well-beingof our communities.”

In order to present a unified voice fromthe University on legislative matters, theOffice of Government and CommunityAffairs coordinates the development andpresentation of the University’s positionsto the Maryland General Assembly, otherlocal governments, the U.S. Congress, andgovernment agencies.

Kathleen Hoke Dachille, JD, assistantprofessor at the School of Law, whichconducts a legislative externship program,says students who work in Annapolisduring a legislative session “gain firsthandknowledge of the complex legislative processand a better understanding of how organi-zations and individuals can have an impacton legislation, while making importantcontacts for future policy work.”

“The students also become well-preparedto represent clients before the GeneralAssembly, a skill set that law firms are eagerto have in young attorneys,” she says. Lawstudents currently in Annapolis includeDavid Allen, Paula Bailey, Andrew Chiang,Melinda Freeman, Owen Jarvis, JenniferKehl, Lindsey Marable, and Karlyn Sweetman.

When Gov. Martin O’Malley called aspecial legislative session last year, Mauro

learned “how one person really can make a difference,” she says. Mauro divides hertime between the government and com-munity affairs offices in Baltimore andAnnapolis, while Saber and Ray worksolely in the state capital.

“I signed up for the internship becausemy major focus is policy,” says Ray. “I hadsome clinical experience before and, at thattime, I didn’t understand why there was nomoney for certain programs and now, afterthis experience, I understand why the moneyfor certain things isn’t there.”

Saber is interested in policy too, and hesees himself moving away from the clinicalarena and toward work that can affect manypeople at once.

In addition to obtaining legislativeinternships, social work students oftenwork in Annapolis on behalf of nonprofitand advocacy groups, or governmentagencies.

School of Social Work alumnus BrandenMcCleod, MSW ’06, has applied hislegislative-intern experience in his job as agovernment affairs associate with the ChildWelfare League of America. “The experi-ence gave me a larger view,” he says, “andnow I know how to track legislation on astate and federal level to follow issues thataffect our population.”

The Maryland General Assembly’s annuallegislative session, currently under way, isslated to end April 7.

Send Us Your Best Magazine Story Ideas

The Office of External Affairs is soliciting story ideas for the2009 edition of Maryland magazine. The research andscholarship magazine is published annually and sent to morethan 60,000 alumni, donors, legislators, and University friends.

To submit an article idea, or to request a copy of the recentlypublished 2008 issue, call 6-7820 or e-mail mmagazine@umaryland.edu. Current and past issues can be viewed atwww.oea.umaryland.edu/communications/magazine.

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Vol. 28 Number 5

The VOICE is published by the CommunicationsOffice in External Affairs.

Office of External AffairsUniversity of Maryland, Baltimore410-706-7820Fax 410-706-6330

T. Sue Gladhill, MSWVice President for External Affairs

Paul Drehoff, MSMAssistant Vice President for Communications

Susie Flaherty, Senior Editor

Clare Banks, Editorcbank002@umaryland.edu

Ronald Hube, Editorrhube002@umaryland.edu

The Gazelle Group, Display Advertising410-343-3362, gazellegrp@comcast.net

Submissions are preferred via e-mail:thevoice@umaryland.edu. All copy is subjectto editing.

Any commercial advertisements appearingin the VOICE by firms unaffiliated with theUniversity do not represent endorsement.

The VOICE is delivered through campus mailand to drop boxes across campus. Call 410-706-7820 to request additional copies.

AROUND CAMPUS

1. The School of Medicine’s Department of Microbiology & Immunology enjoys ice cream after Deborah Ingram, accountant, won an Edy’s Grand writing

contest about positive work environments. 2. Rep. Elijah Cummings (center) with students during an oral health care course at the School of Social Work.

On the left: School of Social Work Dean Richard P. Barth. On the right: social work professor Edward Pecukonis. 3. Brenda Afzal, director of health

programs at the School of Nursing’s Environmental Health Education Center, speaks during a press conference at the School about a survey suggesting

links between health problems among nurses and exposure to chemicals, pharmaceuticals, and radiation. On the right: Barbara Sattler, professor and

director of the Environmental Health Education Center. The center’s Environmental Working Group helped conduct the survey. Also pictured (far left)

is Denise Choiniere, environmental health coordinator at the University of Maryland Medical Center, and nursing student D. Paxson Barker.

CALENDAR

Feb. 14: Valentine’s Day bake sale, to support second-year School of Lawstudents. 10 a.m.-6 p.m., studentmailbox table, School of Law. For moreinformation, contact Lisa Elder atLelde001@umaryland.edu.

Feb. 15: School of Social Work springworkshops begin with “Ethical Decision-making in Health Care.” For a brochureon all sessions or to register, call 6-5040 or visit www.ssw.umaryland.edu/cpe.

Feb. 17: George Washington’s Birth-day Celebration, includes a display ofWashington’s lower denture. 1-4 p.m.,The Dr. Samuel D. Harris NationalMuseum of Dentistry, $1. For moreinformation, call 6-0600 or visit www.dentalmuseum.org.

Feb. 25: “Hold Fast to Your Dreams:Stories of Inspiration From the African-American Community,” a Black HistoryMonth lecture by Linda Burnes Bolton,DrPH, RN, FAAN, president, AmericanAcademy of Nursing, and vice presidentand chief nursing officer, Cedars-SinaiMedical Center in Los Angeles. 4-5:30 p.m.,School of Nursing auditorium, free andopen to the public (preregistration pre-ferred). For more information, visit www.nursing.umaryland.edu/events or call6-3767.

Feb. 29-March 1: What DocumentaryFilms Teach Us About the CriminalJustice System (see article on this page).

March 4: Komen Distinguished Lecture,delivered by Karen Dow Meneses, PhD,RN, FAAN, professor and associatedean for research, School of Nursing,University of Alabama, Birmingham. 4-5:30 p.m., School of Nursing auditorium,free and open to the public. For moreinformation, contact Abby Plusen at 6-4233 or plusen@son.umaryland.edu.

March 27: Women’s History Monthcelebration. The women-in-business-themed event includes guest speakerLynne Brick—operator of women’shealth clubs in Baltimore—and a crafts bazaar. 11 a.m., Medical SchoolTeaching Facility.

CLASSIFIEDS

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TAUNYA LOVELL BANKS AND MICHAEL PINARD

Documentary films have the power toinfluence the public and result in reform.As noted by British filmmaker John Grierson,who coined the term “documentary” in 1926,these movies have an aesthetically satisfying“creative treatment of actuality” with “aclearly defined social purpose.” Grierson’sdefinition suggests why documentary treat-ment of the criminal justice system warrantscloser examination.

What Documentary Films Teach Us Aboutthe Criminal Justice System, a day-and-a-half conference at the School of Law onFeb. 29 and March 1, will look at three re-cent documentaries that focus on prisonand post-prison life: Girlhood; The Farm:Angola, USA; and Omar & Pete, whichfollows two longtime Baltimore inmates

after their release from prison. These criticallyacclaimed movies examine race and poverty,drug addiction, violence, faults in the legalsystem, post-release struggles, redemption,and the effects of incarceration and releaseon families and communities.

The conference will also present a seriesof dialogues among filmmakers, formerprisoners, service providers, law instructors,and law students in the hope of exposingthe strengths and weaknesses of the U.S.criminal justice system.

The Feb. 29 portion of the symposiumcan be attended for free. Costs for March 1or the full program with meals range from$10-$20. To register, visit www.acteva.com/booking.cfm?binid=1&bevaID=148072.

The symposium is funded in part by aFrance-Merrick Foundation grant to thelaw school’s Linking Law & the Arts Series.

Conference to Examine Criminal JusticeSystem Through Documentary Film

Campus SafetyPhone Numbers

Emergency 711

Information 6-6882and Escort

Crime Statistics 6-COPSand Safety Tips (2677)

Turnaround 410-828-639024-Hour Hotline (sexual assault/domestic violence)

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