• Global Mental Health Impact Story of the Week
• Upcoming Mental Health Related Webinars
• Opportunities
  • Open Job Positions
  • Book Cover Artwork Contest
  • Global Training Program
  • Dissertation Research Awards
  • T32 in Psychiatric Genetics and Translational Research

Genes, Equity, and the Biggest Neuropsychiatric Genetics Study in Africa, Part Three

Over the next few weeks, GMH@Harvard will be featuring a five-part series on the largest mental health genetics study in Africa and the project’s corresponding training initiatives. The study and training efforts are a collaboration between scientists in Ethiopia, Kenya, South Africa, Uganda, and Boston at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health and the Broad Institute. The series explores issues of equity, ethics, building the next generation of psychiatric geneticists, and what it takes to recruit more than 35,000 people. See the third video installation below:

Mental Health For All Webinar Series 
Tuesdays 9am -10am ET 
In April 2020, The Lancet Psychiatry, Mental Health Innovation Network, MHPSS.net and United for Global Mental Health launched a webinar series designed to provide policy makers and the wider health community with the latest evidence on the impact of COVID-19 on mental health and how to address it. Since then, we have seen increased interest in global mental health more generally and so have expanded the topics covered by the webinars beyond just COVID-19. 

Questions can be submitted in advance by email. The sessions are recorded, and summary notes produced and can be found here. 

DECEMBER 1 2020 - Mental Health Research with International Alliance of Mental Health Research Funders

Lee Kum Sheung Center for Health and Happiness - Monthly Seminar Series
Wednesdays 1:00pm - 1:50pm ET 
The monthly seminars bring faculty and researchers to the Center to discuss topics that further explore the linkages between happiness and health. This year the focus is on health equity and positive well-being. 

DECEMBER 2 2020 - Dr. Cheryl Giscombé
Cheryl L. Woods Giscombé, PhD, RN, PMHNP-BC is the Melissa and Harry LeVine Family Professor of Quality of Life, Health Promotion and Wellness at UNC-Chapel Hill. Her program of research focuses on understanding and reducing stress-related health disparities among African Americans. Her research incorporates sociohistorical and biopsychosocial perspectives to investigate how stress and coping strategies contribute to stress-related psychological and physical health outcomes. Dr. Giscombé has a particular interest in the potential for integrative approaches to reduce mental health-related disparities among African Americans.

JANUARY 27 2021 - Dr. Ashley Whillans

FEBRUARY 24 2021 - George Ward, M.Sc.

Friday Morning Seminar in Culture, Psychiatry, and Global Mental Health
10am - 12pm EDT
For more information and a password to connect email Sadeq Rahimi
        
December 4th 2020 
COVID in Iran: Biological and Moral Immunity.
Orkideh Behrouzan, MD, PhD is a physician, medical anthropologist, anthropologist of science and technology, and the author of Prozak Diaries: Psychiatry and Generational Memory in Iran (2016, Stanford University Press). Dr Behrouzan is an associate professor at the Department of Anthropology at SOAS, University of London. For more information on Dr. Behrouzan, please visit http://orkidehbehrouzan.com 

Information Session on the Interdisciplinary Concentration in Population Mental Health - HSPH students only 

December 8th 2020 1-2pm ET 

Join Dr. Karestan Koenen for an information session! The goal of this interdisciplinary concentration is to increase expertise in mental disorders among public health professionals. Students who complete this interdisciplinary concentration will be prepared to articulate the U.S. and global public health impact of mental disorders and obtain critical skills that will enable them to conduct important work, in both research and practice, aimed at understanding the causes and consequences of mental disorders as well as reducing their public health burden.
 
Students from any academic department at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health are eligible to complete this concentration

Connect via zoom!  For more information email Zach Schwartz. 

Free Daily Live - Online Mindfulness Sessions 

In light of COVID-19, our Center for Mindfulness and Compassion is offering free guided daily online practices. These practices are secular and open to all. Over 20 teachers are offering sessions in mindful movement; bringing kindness to our stress, anxiety, grief and fear; supporting care giving during this difficult time, and expressing appreciation and love for each other. We look forward to you joining us!
See the Schedule, as well as more specialized offerings, here. 

Open Positions 

PIH Cross-Site Mental Health intern

• The intern will be responsible for supporting aspects of the PIH Cross-Site Mental Health team’s work, specifically in the areas of communications, writing, training, graphic design, and/or data visualization. Experience living and/or working in resource-limited settings is preferred. Ideally, we would like to find an intern who can stay on with the team through Summer 2021, with a minimum commitment of at least 6 months. The time commitment is at least 10-15 hours a week. 

• The Research Assistant will be responsible for performing a variety of research and clerical duties supporting the DGHSM faculty members (Dr. Vikram Patel and Dr. John Naslund) who lead the Mental Health For All Lab. The individual will report directly to the faculty supervisor and will report on day-to-day processes to the Mental Health For All Lab Coordinator, who will assist with providing general instructions, setting work priorities, and providing oversight of tasks. All members of the lab work collaboratively on a variety of projects.

• Research and Program Coordinator (Coordinator I). Requisition number 52881BR.
• Senior Research Project Coordinator (Coordinator II).  The position is expected to go live on Harvard’s recruitment site on December 1. Requisition number 52893BR.
  
   

GMH@Harvard, Harvard Law School Project on Disability, & Global Mental Health Peer Network Announce:
Lived Experience Book Cover Artwork Contest



For more information on the book Mental Health, Human Rights, and Legal Capacity and the guidelines for artwork submission click here!  Submissions due on January 8, 2021.

International Center for Child Health and Development (ICHAD) at the Brown School at Washington University in St. Louis 

The Center offers two unique NIH-funded research training programs (see below) for early career researchers from underrepresented backgrounds with an interest in national and global health disparities, child and adolescent mental health, HIV/AIDS, and economic development in resource constrained settings, with a focus on the US and Sub-Saharan Africa. Application are now open, and are due by January 4, 2021.

T37 LEAD Global Training Program

• 10-week transdisciplinary virtual summer training and mentorship program (June 1-August 6, 2021).
• Eligibility
  • Advanced doctoral students or early career investigators.
  • Interest in US or global mental health disparities in resource constrained settings.
  • US citizen, non-citizen national, or permanent resident.
  • From a group disadvantaged or underrepresented in biomedical, behavioral, clinical & social science research.
• LEAD Program Info Session: December 1, 12:00-1:00 PM CST. Register here

• One-year program (April 2021-March 2022); Includes 10-week summer training, All virtual in 2021.
• Work with faculty mentor to publish child-focused studies.
• Receive individualized mentoring and ongoing support and resources across time.
• Eligibility
  • Advanced doctoral students or early career investigators.
  • Interest in child-focused behavioral health in resource constrained settings.
  • Priority given to those of African descent and other underrepresented minorities.
  • Currently studying or employed at a U.S. based organization. (US citizenship not required).

Lee Kum Sheung Center for Health and Happiness 2021-2022
Dissertation Research Awards

The Dissertation Research Award is to assist doctoral students of public health working on relevant topics with research costs. Awards of up to $2500 will be given.

Applicants must be enrolled full-time in a doctoral program at one of the Harvard graduate schools and actively working on their dissertation. Dissertation proposals must have been approved by applicants’ dissertation committee and the dissertation research must be in the field of positive health science or another closely related field.

Applications for 2021-2022 are due on January 8, 2021. Download the application form here.

 

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T32 in Psychiatric Genetics and Translational Research

Led by Drs. Karestan Koenen, Deborah Blacker and JP Onnela, the T32 in Psychiatric Genetics and Translational Research is seeking outstanding candidates for post-doctoral positions for the 2020-2021 academic year at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. This training program includes the Departments of Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Social and Behavioral Sciences. Applications are due January 15^th.
 
The joint training program in psychiatric epidemiology and biostatistics educates promising post-doctoral trainees as epidemiological and biostatistical scientists in psychiatric research, with focus areas including: psychiatric genetics, digital phenotyping and analytical methods for translational research among other areas. Trainees can be quantitative scientists seeking specific research opportunities in mental health, or psychiatrists or psychologists seeking additional training in quantitative methods along with research experience. Training is customized to the needs of trainees, and can include coursework or a formal degree. Mentors are drawn from the Harvard-Chan faculty as well as Harvard Medical School faculty based at our partner hospitals including Massachusetts General Hospital, Brigham and Women’s Hospital and McLean Hospital. More information can be found here. The application can be found here.
 
If you aren't ready to apply, but want to learn more, please visit this link.

Submit the following materials online:

• 2 -page Application form
• Three letters of recommendation
• 2-3 page letter outlining your background, goals and the planned research and mentorship team
• Curriculum Vitae/Resume