Cougar Milestones August 20, 2020
08/20/2020, 10:45:02 AM

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Announcing Bettina Beech as the
Newest Humana Foundation Board Member

The Humana Foundation recently elected Bettina M. Beech, University of Houston Associate Provost for Planning and Strategic Initiatives, to its Board of Directors. Dr. Beech also serves as Associate Dean for Research and Professor of Health Systems and Population Health Sciences at the UH College of Medicine.

Passionate about research, Dr. Beech has an interdisciplinary background in public health, population health, health disparities, type 2 diabetes, cancer prevention and control, and pediatric and adolescent health issues.

“As The Humana Foundation continues its mission of creating greater health for all, we welcome the deep expertise in social determinants of health Dr. Beech will bring to the Board,” said Bruce Broussard, chairman of The Humana Foundation Board of Directors. “Adding more voices to the Foundation Board who are actively working to address barriers to health strengthens our ability to create sustainable, positive health outcomes in local communities.”


Computer Science Program Adjusts to Online Learning

For 15 years, the University of Houston computer science department’s summer Research Experience for Undergraduates has consistently taught students from universities across the country and piqued their interest in scientific research.

The program is designed to give students experience in research and encourage them to pursue graduate studies. For 10 weeks, they are mentored by a UH computer science faculty member and shown what a graduate-level education and a career in research can look like.

A global pandemic was a new challenge, yet the program maintained its high standards while moving completely online, including its final presentation which was held on Zoom.


Lucien Nana Yobo, a Ph.D. student in geology, received a $20,000 GEM Fellowship from the National GEM Consortium, an organization that aims to increase the participation of underrepresented groups at the master and doctoral levels in science and engineering.

27 universities across Texas, including the University of Houston, have joined forces as the Texas Library Coalition for United Action to consider access to faculty publications and the sustainability of journal subscriptions.

National Institutes of Health awards $1.8 million to Dr. Erin Kelleher in the Department of Biology and Biochemistry to study "Mechanisms and Evolution of Host Tolerance to Transposable Elements."

Paula Myrick Short
Senior Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs, UH System
Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost, UH

provost@uh.edu | 832-842-0550

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