For the Record provides information about recent professional activities and honors of University of Delaware faculty, staff, students and alumni.

Recent appointments, presentations, publications and honors in the College of Health Sciences include the following:

Presentations

Karin Grävare Silbernagel, professor of physical therapy, was invited by Michael Kjaer, one of the top tendon researchers in the world, to participate in the International Bispebjerg Matrix Symposium on Sports Medicine at the Royal Academy of Sciences in Copenhagen, Denmark. In August, Silbernagel, associate chair of the Department of Physical Therapy within the College of Health Sciences and an expert in Achilles tendon injuries, presented on tendinopathy and training-related treatment. “I went to this conference as a trainee and to be invited back as a speaker is a very humbling full-circle moment to share the stage with 25 of the top tendon researchers from across the globe,” Silbernagel said. Silbernagel was joined by biomedical engineering doctoral candidate Ellen Bloom. The two are working together, along with others, on interdisciplinary tendon research, led by primary investigator Dawn Elliott, Blue and Gold Distinguished Professor of Biomedical Engineering, who was awarded nearly $2.4 million from the National Institutes of Health to study multiscale tendon damage and abnormal cellular responses in tendinosis.

Publications

Jennifer Horney, professor and director of the Epidemiology Program within the College of Health Sciences, has published The COVID-19 Response: The Vital Role of the Public Health Professional. Published by Elsevier and geared toward graduate students in public health and those working in public health-adjacent fields, the book, available on Amazon, emphasizes the critical roles that the public health workforce played on the frontlines of the response to the COVID-19 pandemic and aims to bring visibility to the field. “Public health is at a real pivot point, and we need to raise awareness of the breadth and depth of the roles of public health agencies and the workforce,” Horney said. “During the pandemic, a lot of people got wrapped up in the complexity or inconsistency of messaging from the CDC, but they didn’t realize their friends and neighbors working in public health were responsible for standing up COVID test sites and vaccination campaigns in NASCAR stadiums or analyzing millions of COVID test results.” The COVID-19 Response also delves into the disinvestment in public health following the 2008 financial crisis and pushes for a path forward that will be essential to meeting the future challenges and threats public health will undoubtedly face. Horney, who serves as core faculty for UD’s Disaster Research Center, is also the editor for COVID-19, Frontline Responders and Mental Health: A Playbook for Delivering Resilient Public Health Systems Post-Pandemic, which covers the mental health impacts of the COVID-19 response. The book will be published by Emerald on Jan. 23, 2023. 

Honors

Jennifer Graber, associate dean of academic affairs and practice initiatives, and Jennifer Saylor, associate dean of faculty and student affairs, both in the School of Nursing, have been accepted into the prestigious Harvard Macy Institute Program for Educators in Health Professions. Of 129 participants from five countries, only five are nurses, including Graber and Saylor. The continuing professional development program, founded in 1994, serves as an international incubator for innovation in healthcare education. More than 3,500 alumni of the program from hundreds of institutions globally have gone on to create programs that inspire change and enhance patient care. Graber and Saylor, who are always looking for opportunities to strengthen their leadership and skill sets, were inspired to apply for the program by the dire need for more nurse educators. One component of their Macy Institute Project includes a faculty development program for all healthcare professionals that mentors and aids professionals in transferring their clinical skills and knowledge into academia. They’ll also develop a nursing education program and curriculum, in the form of either a certificate or a master’s degree, that aims to not only attract more nursing educators statewide to combat the ongoing shortage but also ensures that nurse educators are equipped with the best evidence-based strategies to enhance faculty development and educational pedagogy. The certificate program will then serve as a model for expansion into other areas of healthcare with the curriculum tailored to meet the changing demands of the healthcare environment.

Kelly Bachman, director of communications for the College of Health Sciences, has been recognized by the Delaware Business Times as a 40 Under 40. The DBT 40 recognizes some of the most promising and accomplished professionals from a variety of fields, all under the age of 40. “I was honored to be selected as a DBT40 honoree, joining an outstanding group of seasoned professionals whose accomplishments help Delaware shine,” Bachman said. “I’m grateful to everyone who’s supported and loved me and showed me grace and kindness on my journey.” As the director of communications for CHS, Bachman is committed to developing digital, social and multimedia strategies that further the college’s mission to train the next generation of healthcare professionals. Bachman’s career launched with the state Department Services for Children, Youth and their Families. She also previously served as social media manager and press secretary for former Gov. Jack Markell and held communications management positions with the city of Newark and ChristianaCare. Bachman was also a 2016 Leadership Delaware fellow.

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