DLSPH Open: Gratitude for our Frontline Health Workers
April 8/2021
Dear students, faculty members and staff,
In the midst of this newest COVID-19 wave, I am so grateful for the heroism of our front-line health workers and the dedication of all who choose to teach, study and work in public health and health systems.
At a time like this, it can be challenging to take the time to properly appreciate the contributions made by our community. But I would like to point out just a few opportunities to do so.
Adalsteinn Brown
Professor and Dean
We have just launched Pillars of the Pandemic, a new series that recognizes the deep commitment and exemplary contribution to public health and safety demonstrated by health care professionals across Ontario during the COVID-19 pandemic. Created by DLSPH and Closing the Gap Healthcare, the recognition series honours the unique involvement and tireless dedication by various health care professionals such as front-line workers, community advocates, caregivers, volunteers, administrative leaders, and academic scholars and leaders. Please consider applying or nominating a colleague for this recognition by May 3. Recipients will be featured on the website Healthy Debate and are eligible for DLSPH continuing education opportunities.
Our School is also partnering with Toronto photographer Paul Bettings on a series of photographic portraits of our staff, faculty members, students and alumni, which will hang in the front windows of the Health Sciences Building. Paul is photographing each participant at a window in their home, as part of an exploration of our community’s experience of social distancing during the pandemic. To learn more, please contact communications.dlsph@utoronto.ca.
And finally, I’d like to remind all of our faculty members, staff and students, that we are actively collecting archival materials of your COVID experiences for the benefit of future public health researchers. Run by Adj. Prof. Chris Rutty, a medical and public health historian, the DLSPH Covid-19 Archive is now collecting photographs, papers, plans, memos, emails, journal entries, videos, and social media posts that will help tell the story of our School’s COVID experiences. It’s simple to upload your materials to the Archive, and you can choose whether you’d like your submissions to be available to the public or to those with a documented public health research purpose.
I am looking forward to the day we can meet in person. Until then, I continue to enjoy seeing you in classes and meetings. And I am constantly grateful for the continued patience, resilience and professionalism of our entire community as we face the greatest public health crisis of our generation.
All my best,
Adalsteinn Brown
Dean and Professor
Dalla Lana School of Public Health