Dear colleague: 

Matthew Wynia, MD, MPH, director of the Center for Bioethics and Humanities, participated in a panel, "Quelling Violent Extremism with Public Health Tools," at the Aspen Ideas Festival on June 23. The panel, which also included a Tunisian activist and a former director for strategic planning of the White House National Security Council, discussed ways to combat the worldwide rise of violent extremism. Matt compared the effort to control extremism with efforts to counter gang violence, domestic violence and suicide. The video is available on the festival’s website.

The School of Medicine Honor Council is looking for a new faculty advisor. CU was first in the nation to have a medical student Honor Code, and, since at least 1908, it has provided a philosophy and a set of rules that require medical students and their peers to hold each other accountable for their actions. It aims to instill and maintain ethical and honest behavior in medical students. The Honor Code and Honor Council strive to create an atmosphere of mutual trust and respect among all members of the campus and medical community. The role of the faculty advisor is to provide for continuity of action as well as to advise members of the Honor Council, and to serve as a liaison between the council and the faculty and administration. The faculty advisor is required to hold a professional degree, but does not need to hold a clinical degree. Applicants should submit a statement of interest and copy of their curriculum vitae to the Office of Student Life to Ingrid.Summers@ucdenver.edu. 

In June, the CU Office of the President launched a monthly audio podcast series, “CU on the Air," in which Ken McConnellogue, vice president for communication for the CU System, will interview faculty and staff who are leading experts in their fields. The first interview featured Huntington Potter, PhD, who discussed current and past research efforts to prevent and treat Alzheimer’s disease and his goal to make the Rocky Mountain Alzheimer’s Disease Center the premier research and care center in the United States. 

Bob Anderson, MD, exhibited 10 of his photographs in his Building 500 office Thursday to mark his retirement as the School of Medicine's senior associate dean for education. Bob’s “Last Day at Work” exhibit included photos from Great Britain and the U.S., including colorful shots of Pete’s Kitchen and Bonnie Brae Ice Cream in Denver. Over the past few years, Bob, a former chair of the Department of Medicine, has exhibited his photography in Manhattan and Denver. We wish him a happy and productive retirement. It is well-earned.

Congratulations to Robert Hodges, PhD, professor of biochemistry and molecular genetics, who received the 2017 R. Bruce Merrifield Award from the American Peptide Society at the 25th American Peptide Symposium held in Whistler, British Columbia, Canada, June 17-22. The award recognizes Bob for lifetime achievement and research exemplifying the highest level of scientific creativity. 

On July 1, the Clinical Research Administration Office began routing all Material Transfer Agreements and Confidentiality (Non-Disclosure) Agreements through a new web-based portal. View instructions for the new portal or email Crao_Contracts@ucdenver.edu with questions. 

Condolences to the friends and family of Sharon Marston, Colorado Springs branch coordinator and executive assistant to the assistant and associate deans in Colorado Springs, who died June 29.  Sharon joined the School of Medicine in 2008 and served as a human resource and finance specialist for Undergraduate Medical Education. She also worked as support staff for the Curriculum Steering Committee.  In 2014, she joined the School of Medicine's Colorado Springs Branch (CSB).  Erik Wallace, MD, associate dean for the branch, said Sharon was a passionate and dedicated member of the team in Colorado Springs, and she played a critical role in establishing and nurturing relationships with Colorado Springs community leaders, clinical partners and students. “She will always be considered the ‘mom’ of the CSB by the local leadership team and the students,” Erik said. Details regarding services and ways to honor Sharon’s memory will be forthcoming.

Have a safe and happy holiday.

John J. Reilly, Jr., MD
Richard D. Krugman Endowed Chair
Vice Chancellor for Health Affairs and
Dean, School of Medicine