The Sway | April 2026

Dr. Pamela Carter-Nolan believes “public health is embedded in Howard’s legacy,” a commitment that has shaped her lifelong connection to the university. After earning a B.S. in community health education from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst, an MPH from Yale, and a PhD in epidemiology from the University of Pittsburgh, she came to Howard as a postdoctoral fellow and now serves as Director of the Master of Public Health (MPH) program. Driven by her vision for a formal MPH program at Howard, Carter-Nolan launched the first cohort in 2004. She values the chance to influence a field grounded in “social justice, equity, truth, and service,” and has contributed decades of scholarship and leadership to both Howard and the wider public health community. Read more...

PhD alum Dr. Dennis E. Corbin, an associate professor of social work at Fayetteville State University, steps into his new role as chair of the Cumberland County Department of Social Services Board with the quiet gravitas of someone whose life’s work has been shaped by service. His election, effective January 28, 2026, is not merely an administrative transition but a recognition of the depth of experience he brings—nearly three decades of professional practice and academic stewardship, underscored by a reputation for thoughtful, community‑centered leadership. His years on the DSS Board, including his recent tenure as vice chair, have positioned him as a steady hand well‑prepared to guide the organization through its evolving responsibilities. Read more...

The 2026 HBCU Doctoral Career Pathways Conference (virtual) concluded with record-breaking engagement metrics, marking a significant milestone in the event’s five-year history. According to the latest data, the conference achieved its highest-ever levels of registration and session attendance, signaling a deepening commitment from its community despite a smaller pool of unique attendees.

A Surge in Participation 

Total registrations reached an all-time peak of 574 individuals, continuing a steady four-year growth trend from 302 in 2022. More impressively, the total number of attendees in all sessions—a metric representing total session-level engagement—skyrocketed to 849. This is a substantial 15% increase from the previous year’s record and more than double the attendance recorded in 2022. Read more...

Washington, DC’s lead‑in‑water problem just met its match—and the heroes wielding the data aren’t caped crusaders but researchers from Howard University - Drs. Yogesh Bhattarai, Sara Kamanmalek and Sanjib Sharma. Their team, joined by Howard alum Dylan Darling and Rocky Talchabhadel, used cutting‑edge explainable machine‑learning models to expose the city’s most dangerous hidden patterns of lead exposure. What they found is as riveting as it is alarming: more than a quarter of DC, with hotspots clustering in Wards 1, 4, and 6, falls into high or very‑high risk zones due to a potent mix of aging pipes, older homes, heat‑driven corrosion, and deep‑rooted social vulnerability. Schools show a similarly dramatic story—roughly 14% land in the highest‑risk category, especially older buildings with legacy fixtures. Read more...

Howard Doctoral Candidate Elle K. Butler Awarded CDC-Funded Ferguson RISE Fellowship to Study Health Equity in Baltimore

For Baltimore native Elle K. Butler, the path to public health began not in a laboratory, but in the vibrant, Black-centered murals of Thurgood Marshall and the flickering screen of a short-lived medical drama. Today, that journey has reached a new milestone. Butler, a Doctoral Candidate in Developmental Psychology at Howard University, has been awarded the prestigious Dr. James A. Ferguson Emerging Infectious Diseases Research Initiatives for Student Enhancement (RISE) Fellowship. Funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the program supports public health research with a sharp focus on increasing interest in the field among students from underrepresented populations. Read more...

April 16, 2026 | How to Establish your Identity/Brand as a Scholar and Professional

• 12:00 - 1:00 PM
• Registration and session information on the subsequent page.

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