Public health media advocacy pioneer to speak at free Thursday (Sept. 29) lecture
| September 23, 2005 | |
| Dr. Lawrence Wallack, dean of the College of Urban and Public Affairs at Portland State University, will lecture on public health media advocacy at 4 p.m. Sept. 29 on the UNC campus.Wallack’s lecture, “Talking Public Health; America’s Second Language,” will focus on creating new ways to explain and communicate public health issues to the general public and policy-makers. His work draws on linguistic, communication and ethics research findings.
The UNC Predoctoral Tobacco Use Prevention and Control Training Program, based in UNC’s School of Public Health, is hosting the free lecture. The location is the Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina Foundation Auditorium in the Michael Hooker Research Center. 
Photograph of Dr. Kurt Ribisl
“We are thrilled and honored to have our School of Public Health host one of the pioneers of public health media advocacy,” said Dr. Kurt Ribisl, associate professor of health behavior and health education in the School of Public Health and director of the training program. “Dr. Wallack’s techniques have been widely used to advocate for policies in tobacco control, prevention of alcohol abuse, gun control, toxic waste cleanup, and the promotion of social justice. A recipient of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation’s Innovator’s Award (2000-05), Wallack is the author of several books on the issue. He also is the founding director of the Berkeley Media Studies Group, dedicated to working with community groups, journalists and public health professionals to advance public health policy through the media. The UNC Predoctoral Tobacco Use Prevention and Control Training Program is a fellowship provided through a grant from the American Legacy Foundation, a national, independent public health foundation established by the 1998 tobacco settlement, and dedicated to reducing U.S. tobacco use through initiatives that reach out to at-risk populations including youth. # # # For further information please contact Ramona DuBose, director of communications for the UNC School of Public Health, by telephone at 919-966-7467 or by e-mail at ramona_dubose@unc.edu. |
