The University of Texas School of Public Health at Houston is proud to celebrate 35 years of making health happen. There’s never been a better time to talk about what we’ve accomplished, what’s taking place now, and our exciting plans for the future. This report is only a sample of the many important activities and programs conducted by school faculty and staff. I hope it will stimulate your interest in learning more about the UT School of Public Health.

Some who receive and read this report may not be familiar with public health. When we think of health, we often think of medicine. But medicine addresses health one patient at a time. In public health we address health by looking at a whole population. We work to improve and protect health by addressing those things affecting a large number of people. We develop programs to protect or improve health for an entire community.

The University of Texas School of Public Health at Houston, established in 1969, is one of six schools comprising The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston. The school has more than 150 faculty and approximately 1,000 students, making it one of the largest schools of public health in the nation. Our doctoral program in health education is ranked number one in this country. Additionally, we have established ourselves as the leading research institution in public health in Texas and one of the top seven nationally.

What’s unique about our research is that it’s strongly linked to providing service to communities. In addition, we provide educational oppor-tunities for students

throughout Texas at our regional campuses. We’re the only school of public health with four outlying campuses, in Brownsville, San Antonio, Dallas and El Paso. Students who cannot come to Houston can receive their public health education closer to home, and the research at those campuses can serve those communities.

Two new centers at our school of public health, the Hispanic Health Research Center in the Lower Rio Grande Valley in Brownsville, and the Hispanic Health Disparities Research Center in El Paso, will focus on the health needs of the fastest growing, least studied and most disadvantaged population in the country. We are also in the process of establishing the Institute for Health Policy to translate research findings into practical recommendations.

As I move into the position of dean of The University of Texas School of Public Health, I acknowledge my predecessor Palmer Beasley, who served this school for more than 17 years with imagination and insight. I share Palmer’s vision for the school – that it will become one of the leading schools of public health in the country.

Please join me in celebrating the school’s 35 years of teaching, research and service to improve and protect the health of the people of Texas, the nation and the world. As we move forward to expand and improve all of our programs, I welcome your involvement and support.

In these challenging times of rapid change and emerging threats to our health, public health will be called upon to lead the way to better health. The University of Texas School of Public Health at Houston is poised and ready to respond to these challenges.

Guy S. Parcel, Ph.D.
Dean, The University of Texas School of Public Health at Houston