at Indiana State University:

1. Developing Strategies for a Center of Excellence at Indiana State University: CENTER FOR ENVIRONMENTAL, MATHEMATICAL & EVOLUTIONARY EPIDEMIOLOGY ~~~~ CEMEE ~~~~

2. Biology Applied Health Science PI and co-PIs Eli Bermudez Shiaw-Fen Ferng Kathy Dannelly Diana Hews Liz Brown Earth & Environmental Systems Chemistry Mathematics Science Ed Carolyn Wallace Steve Wolf Jen Latimer Qihao Weng CENTER FOR ENVIRONMENTAL, MATHEMATICAL & EVOLUTIONARY EPIDEMIOLOGY

3. Mission and Vision • Mission: • Emphasis on the environment • Including mathematics and evolution and their relationships to epidemiology • Better prepare pre-medicine and pre-health professionals, basic biologists and environmental scientists in understanding the importance of an integrative approach to health, which includes applying knowledge from environmental and evolutionary perspectives to help solve human health challenges. • Vision: • Provide the best educational experiences that result in competent professionals in epidemiology, biology, environmental science and related STEM disciplines • Deliver outstanding scholarship and outreach services that enhance ISU’s strategic goals in diversifying revenue, retaining excellent faculty and staff, and engaging communities. CENTER FOR ENVIRONMENTAL, MATHEMATICAL & EVOLUTIONARY EPIDEMIOLOGY

4. Societal Needs • A number of “emerging diseases” challenge society. Such emergences are often associated with degradation of the environment. • Education about these challenges and research into the pattern and causes of the health disorders is much needed. • ISU will capitalize on its programmatic developments for training health and environment professionals, and in its graduate programs in the sciences, by having a center devoted to research and education in understanding the patterns and causes of health challenges facing populations in Indiana. CENTER FOR ENVIRONMENTAL, MATHEMATICAL & EVOLUTIONARY EPIDEMIOLOGY

5. Why emphasize ENVIRONMENTAL? • Many challenges to human health stem from human-caused changes to the environment. • What is EPIDEMIOLOGY? • The study of patterns of health and illness and associated factors at the population level. • Why emphasize MATHEMATICAL? • Assists ISU and general community in understanding this core feature of epidemiology, i.e., computational analysis of disease-associated factors. • Why emphasize EVOLUTIONARY? • Biomedical & health scientists need a deeper appreciation of evolution, especially as it relates to evolution of virulence, evolution of antibiotic resistance, and evolution of homeostatic mechanisms related to development and to immune system function and health. CENTER FOR ENVIRONMENTAL, MATHEMATICAL & EVOLUTIONARY EPIDEMIOLOGY

6. Environmental Concerns in the Wabash Valley • A legacy of industrial pollution • Terre Haute has several Superfund and Brownfield Sites polluted with heavy metals and organic solvents • Soil-contamination with lead and arsenic & blood lead poisoning of children • Detention ponds & combined storm-sewer system related issues • Wabash River fish polluted with toxic metals • InDNRstate fishing areas on reclaimed strip mines have • toxic sediments • harmful algal blooms • Heavy use of agricultural & industrial compounds • contribute to water pollution • May dramatically affect developing fetuses. CENTER FOR ENVIRONMENTAL, MATHEMATICAL & EVOLUTIONARY EPIDEMIOLOGY

7. Internal and External Collaborations • Other ISU Departments : • Math & Computer Science • (Liz Brown, Math education) • Nursing (patient care) • Psychology (Statistics; Counseling; Cognitive disorder research) • Other Organizations: • IU Sch Medicine-Terre Haute • Rural Health Initiative Collaborative • RiverScape • Rose-Human Inst. Technology • Vigo Co Public Health • City of Terre Haute • IN Dept Nat Resources • (WabashikiFish & Wildlife Area) • IN Dept of Public Health • IN Dept of Environmental Management Dept BIOLOGY Post-Doc expertise Endocrine Disruptors/Wetland organisms current expertise Endocrinology & Stress Physiology (D Hews, G Bakken) Bacteriology /MRSA (K Dannelly) Biological Modeling (W Mitchell); Biostatistics (G Bakken); Cancer (A Albig); DNA vaccines & Immunology (S Ghosh); Wildlife population health assessment (R Gonser, S Lima, J O’Keefe P Scott, E Tuttle) Dept CHEMISTRY Post-Doc expertise Environmental geochemistry current expertise Environmental Chemistry (S Wolf); Structural Bioinformatics (J Inlow); Dept EARTH & ENVIRONM. SYSTEMS Post-Doc expertise Epidemiologist w GIS strength current expertise GIS, remote sensing of Disease (Q Weng); Bioarchaeol. Health & Disease (S Phillips); Environmental geochemistry (S Brake); Riverscape, Remote Sensing (S Berta); Medical Geol, Environ. Geochem(J Latimer); Environmental Science; GIS (S Aldrich); Soils & Biogeography (J Speer) Dept APPLIED HEALTH SCIENCES current expertise Environmental epidemiologists (E Bermudez; S Ferng) Epidemiology (B Barton; S Raychowdhury) CENTER FOR ENVIRONMENTAL, MATHEMATICAL & EVOLUTIONARY EPIDEMIOLOGY

8. Major Center Activities • Advance Multidisciplinary Training & Education in CEMEE disciplines • Summer Undergraduate Research Experiences (SURE) • Increase the number of funded projects. • New Junior Colleges Initiative: Attract students from SMWC, Ivy Tech, Vincennes Universities, etc. to work with ISU faculties during the summer in SURE. • Future Sycamores Initiative: High school teachers and students work with ISU faculties and graduate students in science projects. • STEM summer camp: Offer health and environment related summer camps(s) for Grade 6-12 students. • McNair Program: Partner with McNair program to enhance education for minority or first-generation college students in STEM disciplines, especially relating to health and environmental issues. • Science Education programs: Partnering with Sci Ed to • - Enhance learning opportunities for Science Education students; - Involve science teachers at high and middle schools. CENTER FOR ENVIRONMENTAL, MATHEMATICAL & EVOLUTIONARY EPIDEMIOLOGY

9. Major Center Activities • 2. Advance Research and External Funding in CEMEE-related projects • Coordinate 1-2 thematic, multi-year service-learning projects involving multidisciplinary teams of students and faculty, with a west-central IN focus. • Leverage key aspects of the Center for external grant funding (student focused) • Increase contract funding on environmental issues. a CEMEE project Discipline- specific Classes: • 3. Curricular/Programmatic Development • Coordinate the service learning projects (undergraduate, graduate) across the colleges. Research 499 course so all teams meet regularly during semester • Develop interdisciplinary major - Environmental Epidemiology • Develop certificate programs- GIS/Applied Health Science Applied Health Sci Chemistry Biology EES Weekly meeting (part of a 499 course) Planning, progress updates; discuss topics/readings / challenges

10. Major Center Activities • 4. Partnership Building • CEMEE will aid in enhancing community engagement by establishing partnership with CEMEE related government agencies in Indiana, by working in partnership with academic institutes which have distinctive programs or related research in CEMEE disciplines (U AL Birmingham etc.) and with pertinent federal government agencies (e.g. NASA, and CDC). • 5. Community Engagement & Outreach Efforts • “Update” presentations by students (UG, Grad) & Researchers at Vigo County Public Library on CEMEE projects. • Children’s Museum - development “units” or presentations. • Website on CEMEE projects, providing public Health information. • Develop with Science Education, “units” for science classes in local school-district. • Visiting Scientist Lecture Series at ISU campus and LandsbaumCenter for Health Education (Union Hospital). • Creating an Educational Center at Riverscape. CENTER FOR ENVIRONMENTAL, MATHEMATICAL & EVOLUTIONARY EPIDEMIOLOGY