UNC Gillings School of Global Public Health

In a new story from The Atlantic about algae in the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool, Dr. Hans Paerl of the Gillings School of Global Public Health explains what water testing revealed about the bloom — and why efforts to suppress one type of algae created conditions for another to take over.

“The guys dealing with peroxide treatment can pat themselves on the back,” Dr. Paerl said, “But it doesn’t really solve the overall problem. What’s happened is they’ve just switched the players, and the green algae are just taking over.”

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Science Has a Name for What’s Plaguing the Reflecting Pool Testing reveals that efforts to suppress one algal bloom seem to be fueling another.

Most older adults want to age in place, but aging well at home takes more than individual determination. It requires coordinated support for mobility, chronic disease management, cognitive health, caregiving, and the everyday services that help people live safely and independently.

In the spring issue of Carolina Public Health magazine, Gillings faculty explore what it means to build an ecosystem of care for older adults — from training leaders in home and community-based services to improving diabetes technology access, supporting physical function and studying Alzheimer’s disease trajectories.

The throughline is clear: complex needs require connected systems and individualized support. Or, as Dr. John Batsis puts it: “We shouldn’t be using a one-size-fits-all approach with anyone, but especially not with older adults who are dealing with complexity upon complexity.”

Aging Requires an Ecosystem of Care | UNC Gillings Carolina Public Health magazine As Americans grow older, more face complex chronic conditions. Gillings faculty support them across the full ecosystem of geriatric care, from home to hospital.

What if everyday consumer actions could help expand access to safe water?

Water.org, the nonprofit co-founded by actor Matt Damon and Gillings alum Gary White, has launched Get Blue, a new campaign with partners including Gap, Starbucks, Amazon and Ecolab. The campaign builds on Water.org’s model of connecting families to small, affordable loans for water and sanitation solutions — an approach designed to move beyond traditional charity and help more people finance the pipes, pumps and plumbing they need.

White, an engineer and innovator, earned a master’s degree from the Gillings School in environmental sciences and engineering with an emphasis on water supply and sanitation in developing countries. We are proud that his work continues to shape global efforts to address the water crisis at scale.

Read more from Fortune: https://fortune.com/2026/06/09/matt-damon-gap-water-amazon-starbucks-campaign/

Corporate America has been draining the world's water. Matt Damon's new campaign calls on Gap, Starbucks, and Amazon to help give it back | Fortune Matt Damon teamed up with Water.org and companies like Starbucks, Gap and Amazon to donate portions of their profit to the organization.

Global health is built through sustained relationships — across countries, institutions, disciplines and communities.

Dr. Vivian Go, professor in UNC Gillings' Department of Health Behavior, has been named the School’s new associate dean for global health.

She brings deep experience in international partnership, implementation science and student mentorship to the role. Her work includes more than two decades of leadership in Vietnam, where she co-established UNC-Vietnam, now one of UNC’s flagship international research hubs.

As global public health faces a difficult and uncertain moment, Dr. Go will help guide Gillings’ global engagement by supporting faculty and students, raising the visibility of their work, and strengthening partnerships that connect research, practice and communities around the world.

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Go named associate dean for global health at UNC Gillings School - UNC Gillings School of Global Public Health May 21, 2026 Dr. Vivian Fei-ling Go, professor in the Department of Health Behavior, has been named the School’s new associate dean for global health. She takes over this role from Dr. Suzanne Maman, who was recently named chair of the health behavior department.

💧 The UNC Water and Health Conference returns October 26–30 at the Friday Center!

Hosted by The Water Institute at UNC, this annual gathering brings together global leaders in water, sanitation and hygiene ( ) — including researchers, practitioners, policymakers and advocates — for a week of exchanging ideas focused on translating science into action.

Register by June 30 to lock in the lowest rates of the year. Student discounts are available for currently enrolled students! https://tinyurl.com/WHC-learn-more

What infectious disease threats should public health teams watch for during the 2026 FIFA World Cup?

A Gillings-led team recently tackled that question in a rapid analysis featured in the news section of Science.

Researchers with the Atlantic Coast Center for Infectious Disease Dynamics and Analytics (ACCIDDA) analyzed more than 70 infectious disease threats to help public health workers in host cities prioritize preparedness around the surge in travelers for game days.

The team identified 14 pathogens or pathogen groups of interest, including mosquito-borne diseases, out-of-season respiratory infections, measles, norovirus, some chronic infections that are rare in the United States but more common globally, and “Disease X” wildcards.

The key takeaway: Some increased attention is warranted, but the World Cup represents a relatively small increase compared with routine global travel to and from the US — meaning the incremental increase in risk is likely small.

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Will the World Cup kick off disease outbreaks? Don’t expect pathogens to steal the show, says research group that studied the risk of visiting fans spreading infections

Medical codes may sound technical, but they shape how conditions are tracked, studied, reimbursed and understood.

In a new Bloomberg Law story, Dr. Noel Brewer of the Gillings School weighs in on a CDC proposal that would create medical codes to track adverse effects from COVID-19 vaccines.

His concern: Codes are most useful when they describe clearly defined clinical conditions. Without that clarity, a new code could create confusion instead of improving care, research or surveillance.

“The push for new vaccine harm codes appears to serve injury lawyers and not doctors or patients,” Dr. Brewer said.

The debate offers a reminder that public health data systems are only as strong as the definitions behind them — especially when science, policy, medicine and public trust are all moving at once.

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CDC to Weigh Adding Covid-19 Vaccine Injury Medical Codes The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is gathering feedback on a proposal that would create a medical code to track adverse effects from the Covid-19 vaccine.

Juneteenth is a celebration of freedom — and a reminder of how long freedom was delayed.

Today, we honor the generations of Black Americans whose resilience, leadership and labor have shaped this country, including the field of public health.

At Gillings, we also recognize that freedom and health are deeply connected. Building healthier communities means confronting the systems and inequities that shape access to care, safety, opportunity and the conditions people need to thrive.

🏆 The Gillings School's Dr. Carmina Valle has received a Phillip and Ruth Hettleman Prize for Artistic and Scholarly Achievement — one of Carolina’s top honors for exceptional early-career faculty.

Her research combines behavioral science, health communication and technology to design programs that support cancer prevention and survivorship, including interventions using social media, mobile health tools, personalized messaging and emerging AI approaches.

Overall, Dr. Valle's work shows how digital tools can help people build healthier habits before and after cancer treatment, while expanding access to evidence-based support.

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Valle receives 2026 Hettleman Prize for exceptional early-career faculty - UNC Gillings School of Global Public Health June 11, 2026 The annual Phillip and Ruth Hettleman Prizes for Artistic and Scholarly Achievement have been awarded to five faculty members who exemplify groundbreaking and innovative research — including UNC Gillings' Dr. Carmina Valle.