Liza Conyers, professor of education (rehabilitation and human services), was invited by Harold Phillips, director of the White House Office of National AIDS Policy, to make a brief presentation to leading federal officials in August to engage their participation in national strategic planning to end the HIV epidemic.
Conyers presented with her colleague Mark Misrok, executive director of the National Working Positive Coalition, and shared her insights and recommendations on how to address economic needs as key drivers of negative HIV care and prevention outcomes. She highlighted ways in which leaders from the Departments of Labor and Education can partner with leaders from the Department of Health and Human Services to reduce the economic disparities associated with vulnerability to HIV by improving access to vocational training and employment services.
One of the main issues that Conyers addressed at the meeting is the need for cross-sector coordination and collaboration across government and community-based health, workforce development, education, housing, legal and other service systems.
Conyers and Misrok recently co-hosted a National Convening on HIV and Employment. A key recommendation that came from that convening, said Conyers, is the need to expand access to community-located employment services for people living with or at greater vulnerability to HIV.
A well-rounded strategy for tackling the HIV epidemic, Conyers said, requires a strong focus on the social determinants of health. A lack of access to food, adequate income and other services all can undermine the health and well-being of people with or vulnerable to HIV.
“It’s really important to bring everybody on board to address the social determinants that fuel HIV, and educational interventions have a key role to play in ending the HIV epidemic,” said Conyers. “It is great to see so much interest across the federal government.”
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Kathy Hill, director of the College of Education’s Center for Science and the Schools (CSATS), and Christina Grozinger, director of the College of Agricultural Sciences’ Center for Pollinator Research, are leading a team that has been awarded a $300,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The grant will allow the team to partner with elementary school teachers in Pennsylvania to develop cross-disciplinary curricula to support their students in understanding pollinator research in the areas of food, agriculture and natural resources.
One of the motivators for the project, Hill and Grozinger said, is that reforms in K-12 STEM teaching recommend using the practices of scientists to teach concepts in science. However, they added, teachers often lack a background in scientific research and find it challenging to generate science learning opportunities that do not involve leading students through linear, stepwise exercises, which contrasts with the actual dynamic, interactive work of scientists.
This curriculum will involve hands-on activities in school gardens and yards and be integrated with other subject areas important in elementary teaching such as language arts, math and computer science.