For Immediate Release
Contact Michelle Forman at 240.485.2793 or michelle.forman@aphl.org
Silver Spring, MD, August 15, 2023 – The Association of Public Health Laboratories (APHL) is proud to announce that the Career Pathways in Public Health Laboratory Science: an APHL-CDC Initiative received the 2023 Inspiring Programs in STEM Award from INSIGHT Into Diversity magazine, the largest and oldest diversity and inclusion publication in higher education. The Inspiring Programs in STEM Award honors college and university programs that encourage and assist students from underrepresented groups to enter the fields of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). Through the Career Pathways program, current students, early career scientists and established laboratorians participate in opportunities to explore or advance their career in public health laboratory science. This includes the recently launched Public Health Laboratory Internship and Fellowship Programs.
The APHL Career Pathways program was selected by INSIGHT Into Diversity to receive this award because of the program’s dedication to recruiting underrepresented students from STEM education disciplines and to building a larger highly trained public health laboratory workforce that represents the communities they serve. This commitment is in alignment with APHL’s core value to embrace, promote and model a culture of diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility (DEI).
“We are deeply grateful to be a recipient of this award that celebrates our engrained focus on diversity in the Career Pathways program’s recruitment efforts,” said Christine Bean, PhD, MBA, MLS(ASCP), chief learning officer, APHL. “Our program has placed hundreds of fellows and interns in public health laboratories for hands-on experiences working closely with public health scientist mentors. We feel strongly that our focus on diversity is an investment in a more representative public health laboratory workforce in the future that will serve diverse communities across the nation. Thank you to INSIGHT Into Diversity for this honor.”
Inspiring Programs in STEM Award winners were selected by INSIGHT Into Diversity based on efforts to inspire and encourage a new generation of young people to consider careers in STEM through mentoring, teaching, research and successful programs and initiatives. The APHL Career Pathways program will be featured, along with 79 other recipients, in the September 2023 issue of INSIGHT Into Diversity magazine.
“We know that many STEM programs are not always recognized for their success, dedication and mentorship for underrepresented students,” says Lenore Pearlstein, owner and publisher of INSIGHT Into Diversity magazine. “We want to honor the schools and organizations that have created programs that inspire and encourage young people who may currently be in or are interested in a future career in STEM. We are proud to honor these programs as role models to other institutions of higher education and beyond.”
A call for nominations for this award was announced in March 2023.
For more information about the 2023 Inspiring Programs in STEM Award and INSIGHT Into Diversity magazine, visit insightintodiversity.com.
For more information about the APHL Career Pathways program, visit aphl.org/career-pathways.
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The Association of Public Health Laboratories (APHL) works to strengthen laboratory systems serving the public’s health in the U.S. and globally. APHL’s member laboratories protect the public’s health by monitoring and detecting infectious and foodborne diseases, environmental contaminants, terrorist agents, genetic disorders in newborns and other diverse health threats. Learn more at www.aphl.org.
INSIGHT Into Diversity magazine is the largest and oldest diversity and inclusion publication in higher education today and is known for its annual INSIGHT Into Diversity Higher Education Excellence in Diversity (HEED) Award, the only award that recognizes colleges and universities for outstanding diversity and inclusion efforts across their campuses. INSIGHT Into Diversity magazine presents timely, thought-provoking news and feature stories on matters of diversity and inclusion in higher education and beyond. Articles include interviews with innovators and experts, as well as explorations of best practices and profiles of exemplary programs. In our Career Center, readers will also discover career opportunities that connect job seekers with institutions and businesses that embrace a diverse and inclusive workforce. Current, archived, and digital issues of INSIGHT Into Diversity magazine are available online at insightintodiversity.com.