ANN ARBOR—In the aftermath of Sept. 11, anthrax has become a household word. Public health practitioners, normally working behind the scenes to prevent and control disease, have been thrust into the spotlight in our nation’s efforts to contain bioterrorism. These professionals are charged with such things as protecting air quality and municipal water systems, developing and implementing immunization programs, and educating us about threats to our health.

The University of Michigan School of Public Health is asking challenging questions about how the nation’s public health system and the school itself should deal with biological, chemical and nuclear terrorism. What are the threats, what tools does public health have available to address those threats, and what role should public health experts play in informing the country of the risks? A forum Nov. 26, cosponsored by the U-M Life Sciences Values and Society Program and the International Institute, will delve into those issues with expert speakers and audience discussion.

Speakers include:

Suzanne White, medical director at Children’s Hospital of Michigan Regional Poison Control Center and associate professor of emergency medicine and pediatrics at Wayne State University School of Medicine. She is a member of the American College of Emergency Physicians Nuclear, Biological and Chemical Taskforce, and will discuss the threats we face.

Matthew Boulton, state epidemiologist, Michigan Department of Community Health, and clinical associate professor of epidemiology, U-M School of Public Health. In his role as the state’s lead epidemiologist, Boulton has advocated for increased bioterrorism preparation, and he will speak about the tools public health can use to keep people safe from such things as anthrax attacks.

Henry D. Baier, U-M associate vice president for facilities and operations and a master’s graduate of the School of Public Health’s environmental health sciences program, is scheduled to speak about the country’s response to bioterrorist threats, including the tension between what the public can tolerate, what the military expects, and what our regulations require.

Gilbert S. Omenn, U-M executive vice president for medical affairs and CEO of the U-M Health System, plans to talk about the future of public health readiness. Omenn also has an appointment as a professor on the faculty of U-M School of Public Health.

Noreen M. Clark, dean of the School of Public Health, will open the program and Mark L. Wilson, associate professor of epidemiology and associate chair of the department of ecology and evolutionary biology, will moderate the discussion. Richard Lempert, director of the Values and Society Program as well as professor in both law and sociology, and Sioban Harlow, associate director of the International Institute and associate professor of epidemiology at School of Public Health, will speak on behalf of their programs.

“The relevance of academic public health is evident in its ability to foster—through work of faculty and through training students—the leadership needed to guide action when catastrophe strikes,” Clark said. “Recent terrorist attacks have tested the mettle of the entire public health community.”

This event, which is free and open to the public, runs noon-3 p.m. Nov. 26 in the auditorium of School of Public Health II, located on Washington Heights on U-M’s Central Campus. For a map of central campus, visit http://www.umich.edu/~newsinfo/ccamp.html

For more information on the U-M School of Public Health, which focuses on preventing disease and promoting the health of populations in the United States and worldwide, visit http://www.sph.umich.edu

To learn about the Life Sciences Values and Society Program, which addresses society’s ability to understand and cope with cutting-edge scientific discoveries: http://www.lifesciences.umich.edu/values/index.html

The International Institute sets priorities and creates opportunities for supporting faculty, student, and public engagement with a diverse and inter-connected world: http://www.umich.edu/~iinet/

School of Public HealthSuzanne WhiteMatthew Boultonenvironmental health sciencesGilbert S. OmennNoreen M. Clarkhttp://www.umich.edu/~newsinfo/ccamp.html