4.1 Identify pressing societal problems where the School can make an impact and align efforts to develop meaningful solutions
Addressing societal needs is very important and we will take steps to ensure that we are soliciting information from our constituents, community leaders, stakeholders, and government agency representatives. We will engage in dialogue with them to hear about their highest priorities and seek to respond to those needs. We will also develop information on the societal and economic impact of the school’s programs to help us communicate with the public new animal health information and the role of veterinarians in the health of animals, people and the environment.
b. Document SVM’s contributions to society and the State of California.
- Define the societal and economic impact of the school’s programs; commission a study or develop a collaborative project with the Graduate School of Management.
- Engage in external relations to promote school initiatives with government agencies and representatives.
- Link with campus government relations to identify opportunities for interacting with government leaders.
- Capitalize on geographic proximity to Sacramento; get legislators and their staff on site.
- Train and provide faculty with the skills, approaches and techniques for effective communication in presentations, press conferences and legislative testimony.
d. Improve public understanding of the role of veterinarians in the health of animals, people and the environment.(Strategy 5.1)
- Develop a concise summary of SVM success stories and research accomplishments.
- Teach students to promote veterinary medicine as a profession and resource.
- Re-engage faculty in communication activities to better define how SVM efforts benefit animals and humans.
- Organize and host symposia around issues of importance (e.g., food safety).
e. Coordinate expertise to deliver effective outreach and extension programs to key stakeholders and decision-makers.
- Disaster Preparedness and ResponseLast week Center for Equine Health and VMTH faculty and staff prepared to support county animal control efforts related to large animal evacuations associated with the Wragg Fire. Additionally, equine emergency preparedness information, fire updates and animal disaster response resources were collected on a web site to assist animal owners.
- Outreach Education and CDFA Partnership for Poultry Health A "Train the Trainer" symposium on backyard poultry farming, funded by the CDFA, was held last month led by Drs. Maurice Pitesky and Rodrigo Gallardo, with Drs. Mark Lubell and Matthew Hoffman from the Center for Environmental Policy and Behavior. Attendees were provided with basic information about poultry nutrition and health, food safety, biosecurity, production management, avian disease and disease prevention, public health and more.
- Advancing Animal Well-being – Hummingbirds are not only magical creatures, but also essential pollinators providing critical ecosystem services. Efforts to promote Hummingbird Health and Conservation Programs are the subject of our newest website which provides critical information about hummingbirds, the program's accomplishments, and future research projects.
- Addressing Societal Needs – Developing Meaningful Solutions (Download pdf)
- Protecting Livestock & Poultry Health, Public Health and the Food Supply (Download pdf)
- Saving Shelter Animals (Download pdf)
- Agriculture and Natural Resources Activities – June 2014 (Download pdf)
Knights Landing: One Health in Practice.
Medical and veterinary students partner to bring healthcare to the Knights Landing Community Download pdf
- Agriculture and Natural Resources Update - December 2014 (pdf)
- Progress Report – June 2013 – Addressing Societal Problems (4.1) Download pdf
- External Relations
In support of our goal to engage in external relations to promote School initiatives with government agencies and representatives, an External Relations Committee was established. The committee consists of members of the SVM leadership team and leaders of our major centers who routinely operate programs with state/federal funding. The committee recently met to introduce the UC Davis State Government Relations Officer, Adrian Lopez, to our programs in support of public health, food safety, animal agriculture, wildlife, environmental health and water quality/safety. Student Kathy Heng, SCAVMA Legislative Liaison, also attended the meeting to learn of the School’s outreach efforts and discuss potential future student support initiatives. On-going efforts to preserve funding for two current programs under legislative review were also discussed.
- January Update
Drs. Michael Kent, Robert Rebhun, Carlos Rodriguez and Katherine Skorupski were recently acknowledged by the Director of the Center for Cancer Research at the National Cancer Institute (NCI) for their efforts in the area of comparative oncology. Their unique and noteworthy scholarly contributions in the field of cancer drug development were particularly noted. Our colleagues have been collaborative members of the NCI’s Comparative Oncology Trial Consortium (COTC) which includes 20 veterinary schools across the U.S. and Canada. This is a great example of the collaborative efforts of our outstanding faculty, the recognition of their expertise at the national level, and the impact of their efforts to advance translational research, the development of new oncology drugs/treatments, and the further promotion of our School’s national reputation.
- Quarterly Report – October 2012 – Solving Societal Problems (4.1.) Download pdf