UW Department of Health Systems and Population Health

We're excited to recognize and celebrate the following UW HSPop faculty members on their promotions, effective July 1, 2026. Their accomplishments have strengthened our department, enriched our academic community, and advanced our mission in meaningful ways. We extend our heartfelt congratulations on this well-earned achievement.

Earlier this week, several students, alumni, faculty, and staff from the UW Department of Health Systems and Population Health presented research at the at the 2026 AcademyHealth Annual Research Meeting. There are so many reasons to be proud of this amazing community. To name just a couple, the READU team received the Mosaic Award and Angela Chen was included in the best student poster symposium!

In 2004, Washington became the first state to enact a “Don’t Pass the Trash” law aimed at prohibiting public schools from allowing K-12 teachers accused of sexual misconduct from quietly resigning and moving on to teach elsewhere. To broaden the scope, Rep. Gerry Pollet spearheaded a 2020 law that required higher education institutions to include sexual misconduct findings in an employee’s personnel file and disclose it when asked by other institutions.

Yet there have been instances of both K-12 public schools and higher education institutions circumventing these laws. Districts have allowed accused teachers to resign without adding formal discipline to their records, kept misconduct quiet through confidentiality clauses and settlement agreements, and neglected to conduct employment checks for past sexual misconduct.

Rep. Pollet, who also serves as a clinical professor of health systems and population health at UW, told InvestigateWest that he was disturbed by the recent reporting, “I absolutely intend to work on legislation to fix the gap between the K-12 and higher [education] laws.”

Full story: https://loom.ly/nMTdl_s

So many students, alumni, faculty, and staff from the UW Department of Health Systems and Population Health will present research at the 2026 AcademyHealth Annual Research Meeting from 5/30-6/2. Scroll through to see a few highlights from our department!

Swing by booth 708 during exhibit hours from 5/31-6/1 to discuss our academic programs and to see the full list of HSPop affiliated presentations!

https://loom.ly/BG9ANT0

Betty Bekemeier, NWCPHP director and HSPop adjunct professor, was a recent guest on Exploring Rural Health, a podcast from Rural Health Information Hub. Betty and Casey Balio shared new insights about the rural public health workforce from their recent research study published in the Journal of Public Health Management & Practice.

Listen on your favorite podcast app or here: https://loom.ly/O3lNshU

In honor of tonight’s Survivor season 50 finale, please enjoy this pop culture meets pop health analysis. 🌴

What did we miss?

The 2026 Anti-Racism & Community Health Conference will be held on Saturday May 16th, from 10AM-4PM at the Hans Rosling Center!

The ARCH conference will focus on the current realities of public health careers, what motivates individuals to stay engaged in the field, and how younger generations are shaping the future of public health practice, advocacy, and leadership. Get ready for informational talks — including keynote speaker Kush Doshi (MHA '21) — workshops, and networking opportunities!

Learn about the conference and RSVP: https://loom.ly/nXpmOuc

This event is organized by Students of Color for Public Health UW. Follow on Instagram for more information and updates.

The Unspoken Truths Traveling Museum centers Black history while creating space to reflect on the interconnected struggles of marginalized communities everywhere. Through immersive experiences, it invites us to ask: How is the history and liberation of my people linked to yours?

Visit the exhibition May 4–22 in HRC—located in the 1st and 2nd floor lobbies and near the north elevators.