Public Health Faculty and Students Engage in Community Outreach, Scholarship,& Creative Initiatives

Dr. Kae McCarty, Chair of Public Health at the Muskie School of Public Service,
University of Southern Maine, has been actively engaged in a range of initiatives
highlighting public health education, community engagement, and creative approaches
to teaching and learning.

The Public Health Program was well represented at the recent Maine Public Health
Association (MPHA) conference, where faculty and students connected with public
health professionals from across the state. The department hosted an informational
table alongside Rachel Gallo and Fleur Hopper from USM’s Catherine Cutler Institute.
Two Master of Public Health (MPH) students and two Bachelor of Science in Public
Health (BSPH) students attended, including one undergraduate who presented a poster
highlighting his Stop the Bleed program. The conference also provided an opportunity to
celebrate longtime faculty member of Public Health, Judy Tupper’s, upcoming
retirement.

Over the summer, Dr. McCarty published an opinion piece in the Portland Press Herald
addressing proposed restrictions on transgender athletes. McCarty also led workshops
on zines—small, independently produced publications used for creative
expression, education, and advocacy—at the University of Maine at Augusta
Teaching Symposium and the SOJ Summer Institute. These efforts have expanded into
a collaborative initiative to introduce zine galleries and promote zine-based teaching
approaches on USM’s Gorham and Portland campuses.

Dr. McCarty has also launched a new talk radio program, Filibuster, on WMPG, USM’s
community radio station. Airing every other Thursday from 11:30 a.m. to noon, the show
provides a platform for conversations with members of the university community. Guests
have included Provost Adam Tuchinsky and undergraduate Public Health student Grace
Farr, who serves on the USM President’s Committee on Community Access and
Belonging following McCarty’s nomination.

Together, these activities demonstrate the Public Health Program’s commitment to
student engagement, public dialogue, innovative pedagogy, and meaningful
connections between the university and the broader community.

Learn more: Kae McCarty’s USM profile | Portland Press Herald opinion article |
WMPG Radio