UTEP CHS Goes Global - Public Health Professor Leads Effort to Expand Costa Rican Partnerships
Assistant Professor of Public Health Gabriel Ibarra-Mejia visited Costa Rican potential partner site Escuela de Tecnologias en Salud at the University of Costa Rica (UCR) this summer to discuss ways to enhance existing relationships with the UTEP College of Health Sciences. Dr. Mejia’s work with the organization began one year ago when he visited the country as a participating faculty member in the MHIRT (Minority Health International Research Training) program.
While in Costa Rica, Dr. Ibarra-Mejia gave a training on health risk assessment for local researchers, lecturers, physicians, healthcare providers and students representing several majors in the school. The presentation covered topics including the toxicological basis for risk assessment; health, ergonomic, occupational, and quantitative microbial risk assessment; and how to apply probabilistic and non-probabilistic models for risk assessment.
Dr. Ibarra was also approached by the leadership of the UCR School of Medicine to discuss ways to enhance their existing partnership with the UTEP College of Health Sciences, including a potential faculty and student exchange. UCR will visit UTEP in the fall semester to mainly observe the Physical and Occupational Therapy program facilities at the Campbell Street building, as well as the Department of Kinesiology’s Virtual Reality and Motor Control Research Lab, Stanley E. Fulton Biomechanics and Motor Behavior Lab, and Fitness Research Facility. In the near future, UCR will inaugurate a new building which will harbor similar laboratories for their own allied health science programs. They discussed modeling both set up and management of their laboratories based on what they learn during their trip to UTEP.
Go Miners!