Addressing misinformation and economic trade-offs only begins to detail the “complex wrestles” of a public health professional. Join Dr. Chantel Sloan-Aagard as she shares insights from her career as an epidemiologist and considers the rise of RSV and other infectious diseases.

Bio:

Dr. Sloan-Aagard received her Doctorate in genetics from Dartmouth College, following a Bachelor of Science in biology from BYU-Hawaii.  After completing a postdoctoral program at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, she joined the BYU Department of Public Health faculty. As a spatial epidemiologist, her research interests include patterns in pediatric respiratory infectious diseases, such as COVID-19, influenza, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), and pneumococcal pneumonia.

Recorded, Edited & Produced by Christy Gonzalez, Harper Xinyu Zhang, Kailey Hopkins, and Tanya Gale

Carl Hanson dives into mental health, distinguishing between mental health and mental illness, and discussing what overall wellness means. He also identifies perfectionism as a hindrance to emotional well-being. He acknowledges that we are not meant to be perfect in this life and suggests how we can use hardships as growth opportunities.

Guest Bio:

Dr. Carl Hanson is a professor of public health and former chair of the Department of Public Health at BYU.  Prior to the chair appointment, he served as director of BYU’s master of public health program for six years. Prior to joining the faculty at BYU, he spent 11 years as a professor at Montana State University – Billings. He holds a bachelor’s degree in psychology and a master’s degree in health science from BYU.  His doctorate in community health education is from Southern Illinois University at Carbondale.

Hanson has authored and co-authored numerous publications and presentations in the areas of computational health science, mental health, and substance abuse. He is the recipient of the BYU College of Life Sciences Faculty Distinguished Service Award and the Catherine Summerhays Distinguished Service Award. He and his wife Loraine reside in Spanish Fork and have four children and six grandchildren. 

Listen to Hanson's recent speech at BYU titled "Something About Mental Health" for further insights on this topic.

Recorded, Edited & Produced by Christy Gonzalez, Harper Xinyu Zhang, Kailey Hopkins, and Tanya Gale

Most US adults struggle to fit exercise into their lifestyle, while children seem to do so naturally. Dr. Keven Prusak explains why the “Western lifestyle” alters our approach to physical activity and how we can reframe our thinking. He also stresses the value of a good physical education program and the unexpected learning outcomes it provides.

Guest  Bio:

Dr. Keven Prusak is BYU’s elementary physical education program director of 10 years and has been an associate BYU professor since 2002. After receiving his master’s degree in physical education from Utah State University, he earned a PhD in Physical Education-Pedagogy from Arizona State University.  He focuses his research on motivation in physical education, video self-analysis in teaching, and systematic success in physical education programs.

Click here for more on Dr. Prusak and his research.

Recorded, Edited & Produced by Christy Gonzalez, Harper Xinyu Zhang, Kailey Hopkins, and Tanya Gale

While traveling abroad undoubtedly creates cherished memories, the rich learning experience it provides should not be overlooked.

Dr. Cougar Hall joins his study abroad co-directors of 5 years, Dr. Ben Crookston and Dr. Josh West, to reminisce about their shared experience in Europe this past summer. The three strive to facilitate a life-changing program for the students. In this episode, they enlighten us on various paradigm shifts, such as views on work-life balance to new spiritual beginnings that arose from time abroad. 

Both Dr. Crookston and Dr. West have previously appeared on our podcast. Listen to their areas of expertise here.

Learn more about BYU’s Public Health study abroad in Europe here. 

Recorded, Edited & Produced by Christy Gonzalez, Harper Xinyu Zhang, Kailey Hopkins, and Tanya Gale

Recent BYU alumnus Scott Herrod shares what inspired him to study public health at BYU and how he sought out research opportunities. He describes his global health research as an undergraduate student, including a recent trip to Ghana where he participated in cataract surgery initiatives. Specifically, he collaborated with providers in Africa affiliated with the Stop Infant Blindness in Africa Task Force, Daybreak Vision Project, and Himalayan Cataract Project.

 Guest Bio

 Inspired by his church mission to Ghana, Scott Herrod chose to study public health at BYU with a minor in international development. Herrod graduated in April and started Harvard medical school this fall. Passionate about global eye health, Herrod plans to earn a Master of Public Health after medical school and work with international colleagues as an academic ophthalmologist. In his free time, Herrod enjoys camping, hiking, and skiing with his wife, Madelaine. 

 Scott’s Research:

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41372-021-01040-7

https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/09286586.2021.1910315

Global Eye Health Initiatives:

https://cureblindness.org/

https://www.daybreakvisionproject.org/

https://www.childrenseyefoundation.org/webdev/what-we-do/africa-rop

Recorded, Edited & Produced by Christy Gonzalez, Harper Xinyu Zhang, Kailey Hopkins, and Tanya Gale

Ignoring the root causes of social disparities won’t solve the problem. Tune in as we analyze how these disparities affect public health. Dr. Lori Spruance joins Cougar to discuss inaccessibility to nutrition, the benefits of free school lunch, and the importance of discussing difficult topics in the classroom.


Guest Bio
BYU Professor Dr. Lori Spruance combines her passion for nutrition and education. She earned a bachelor’s of science in health and physical education from Utah State University. Knowing she wanted to do more to enact community change, Dr. Spruance completed a Master’s of Education with an emphasis in public health education and promotion from the University of Nevada Las Vegas. Later, she earned a P.h.D. in global community health and behavioral science at Tulane University. She completed her dissertation on school-based salad bars and continues her research in adolescent nutrition.

Additional Resources:

https://ph.byu.edu/the-impact-of-covid-19-on-school-meals
https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=wBHmJEkAAAAJ&hl=en

Recorded, Edited & Produced by Christy Gonzalez, Harper Xinyu Zhang, Kailey Hopkins, and Tanya Gale

Sometimes breaking old habits feels near impossible, especially when we’re hyperfocused on the outcome or our environment is working against us. On the other hand, community interventions,  social support, and technology can be the catalyst for a desired behavioral change. 

Listen to the BYU Public Health Department chair, Dr. Josh West, discuss behavioral change. Both he and Cougar emphasize that change is always possible, despite difficult circumstances. 

Guest Bio

Dr. Josh West has worked at BYU for the past 15 years. He is not only a professor but also the current BYU Public Health Department chair. Dr. West earned a Master’s of Public Health with an emphasis on epidemiology from San Diego State University and later his PhD in public health from the University of California, San Diego - School of Medicine. He focuses his research on behavioral change and its intersection with technology.

For more insights on fitness apps and behavioral change, read this article.

Recorded, Edited & Produced by Christy Gonzalez, Harper Xinyu Zhang, Kailey Hopkins, and Tanya Gale

With over 15 years of international residency, Mary Linehan shares her experience building self-sustainable local communities. She and Cougar discuss this “capacity building” and highlight the importance of leaving people better than we found them. Additionally, she will share her thoughts on public health’s role in Covid. Was society positively or negatively affected by public health, and did Covid change public health’s trajectory?

Guest Bio

Mary Linehan is a senior technical advisor of infectious diseases at IMA World Health and has also overseen global projects with USAID. She has over 20 years of international work experience in program management, technical assistance, and research for maternal and child health; nutrition; and infectious diseases, including 15 years of residence in the Philippines, Thailand, Nepal, Indonesia, and Vietnam. In the last few years, Linehan has engaged in a collaboration with researchers at BYU to document the achievements of IMA World Health's nutrition programs.

Recorded, Edited & Produced by Christy Gonzalez, Harper Xinyu Zhang, Kailey Hopkins, and Tanya Gale

Ben Bikman returns to continue the conversation about nutrition, addressing a wide variety of subtopics from comorbidities of COVID-19 and obesity to effects of veganism. Bikman also spectualtes the word of wisdom’s role in influencing diets of members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, touching on moderation, addiction, and compassion.

Guest Bio
Labeled “the voice for insulin resistance in America” by Dr. Cougar Hall, Dr. Benjamin Bikman devotes his career to studying this disease. He began his education at BYU, receiving a Bachelor’s of Exercise Science and later a Master’s of Exercise Physiology. He went on to earn a PhD in bioenergetics from East Carolina University, after which he completed a postdoc fellowship in Singapore with Duke Medical School. Bikman oversees a lab at BYU, determined to identify links between metabolic health and disease with a specific focus on insulin resistance. Passionate about his work, Bikman also teaches cell biology and physiology at BYU as well as runs an Instagram page with over 100k followers.

Additional Information 

• Why We Get Sick by Ben Bikman 
• Bikman’s company
• Bikman’s lab at BYU
• Facebook
• Instagram 

Recorded, Edited & Produced by Christy Gonzalez, Harper Xinyu Zhang, Kailey Hopkins, and Tanya Gale

Insulin resistance affects a vast majority of adults worldwide, and Dr. Ben Bikman frames it as the culprit behind a myriad of health problems, including infertility, Alzheimer's, and type 2 diabetes. After explaining the prevalence of insulin resistance and its consequences, he briefs us on how we can combat this disease.


Guest Bio
Labeled “the voice for insulin resistance in America” by Dr. Cougar Hall, Dr. Benjamin Bikman devotes his career to studying this disease. He began his education at BYU, receiving a Bachelor’s of Exercise Science and later a Master’s of Exercise Physiology. He went on to earn a PhD in bioenergetics from East Carolina University, after which he completed a postdoc fellowship in Singapore with Duke Medical School. Bikman oversees a lab at BYU, determined to identify links between metabolic health and disease with a specific focus on insulin resistance. Passionate about his work, Bikman also teaches cell biology and physiology at BYU as well as runs an Instagram page with over 100k followers.

Additional Information 

• Why We Get Sick by Ben Bikman 
• Bikman’s company
• Bikman’s lab at BYU
• Facebook
• Instagram 

Recorded, Edited & Produced by Christy Gonzalez, Harper Xinyu Zhang, Kailey Hopkins, and Tanya Gale