September 2020

Quarter 3 

Stay Connected, Stay Well with News from CHHS

This year, the annual HHL Conference will virtually bring together global health and humanitarian logistics experts from various backgrounds including government, NGO, academia, industry, and non-profit organizations. The global health events of this year have highlighted the importance of gathering our community to collaborate and to inspire advancements. Please consider joining us September 29 - October 1, as we address modern issues facing the health and humanitarian logistics sectors!

Visit our conference website to register (ends Sept. 28) and propose a presentation or workshop. This year's conference is made possible by the following co-organizers as well as the sponsorship of the UPS Foundation and Chemonics.

CHHS Covid-19 Research and Thought Leadership

• Anxiety, Exhaustion, and Uncertainty as School Year Approaches (GPB)
• The Supply Chain and COVID-19 (WABE)
• Grandfather: 'School Sent Home Death Sentence' After Covid-19 Closes Class (GPB)
• Specialized Clinics Could 'Flatten Curve' of Pandemics, Influenza Outbreaks, NCSU Study Finds (WRAL)
• Georgia Tech Study Designed as a Blueprint for a Semester During Covid-19 (WABE)
• Why We Should Already be Planning for Covid-19 Vaccine Distribution (NCSU)
• Protests Amid the Pandemic (Radio Health Journal)
• Coronavirus Cases are Accelerating Across the US (WSJ)
• Against the Unknown, Georgia Hospitals Gird for the Next Virus Wave (AJC)

The 12th Annual Health and Humanitarian Logistics Conference will be hosted virtually with a focus on Pushing the Boundaries of Agility. LEARN MORE

The France-Atlanta Humanitarian Forum, co-organized by CHHS, will take place on October 16, 2020 from 10:00 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. EDT. The forum will address the public health impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. REGISTER NOW

The Georgia Tech Supply Chain and Logistics Institute will host a virtual career fair Sept. 15, 2020 from 8:30 a.m. - 5:30 p.m. EDT. LEARN MORE

The Georgia Tech Alumni Association named former CHHS student affiliates and ongoing collaborators Sheereen Brown (IE 2013, MS HS 2014) and Evren Ozkaya (PhD IE 2008) to its inaugural 40 Under 40 class. Recipients of this honor have demonstrated innovation in their industries and positive impacts on their communities. A list of honorees and more information about the program can be found here. Congratulations, Sheereen and Evren!

Georgia Tech ISyE faculty Lauren Steimle, Natashia Boland, and Dima Nazzal (CHHS Research Director of Healthcare Operations) have assembled a group of ISyE students to investigate the safety and effectiveness of various procedures and recommend best practices for a safe return to campus this fall semester. Further details of the group's work and their findings can be found here.

CHHS Professors Pinar Keskinocak and Nicoleta Serban and student affiliates Arden Baxter and Buse Eylul Oruc Aglar have developed simulation models to predict the progression of Covid-19. Their approach uses demographic data and social dynamics to provide insight into the future of the disease. By comparing various intervention methods, the group has been able to provide recommendations to the state of Georgia. A more detailed look at this work and its implementation can be found here. 

The Georgia Tech Health and Humanitarian Supply Chain Management Certificate Program (HHSCM) transitioned to a virtual format this summer amid disruption due to Covid-19. We congratulate this year's cohort for deciding to further their professional education in an online setting, and thank them for making this year a great success with engagement from 18 participants who have lived or worked in 24 countries. Participants remarked:

2020 course participants have lived or worked in 24 countries

"We were able to be in groups, that was new to me and very interactive. I absolutely loved it."

"Having the program online is very helpful especially for people who are challenged logistically to be in the U.S. Please continue having this option available for future batches."

CelebRAYtion (July 28-Oct. 18, 2020) provides an opportunity to make a donation to initiatives such as the Ray C. Anderson Center for Sustainable Business; the mission of the center is to "enable sustainability-driven innovation and sustainability integration in business and education."

CHHS affiliate Joshua Weitz (biological sciences, Georgia Tech) and a team of researchers from Georgia Tech and Stanford have created an interactive COVID-19 Risk Assessment Planning Tool. Users adjust input parameters (such as state and event size) to receive an estimate for their risk of contracting Covid-19 in a particular scenario. Risk can be assessed both on the county and state level for any location in the United States.