B. Rick Mayes, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Political Science (UR) and Faculty Research Fellow, Petris Center (U.C. Berkeley School of Public Health)
Academic Year(s) Offered
2010 - 2011
Overview
This program examines what makes us sick, what keeps us healthy, and what it would take to give good health the upper hand in developing countries. Over the last century, clean drinking water, modern sanitation and good nutrition—along with the development of highly effective vaccines and antibiotics—have increased average Western life expectancy by an unprecedented 35+ years. Sadly, the benefits of public health have yet to be extended to many of the poorest nations in the developing world who critically need improved access to economic opportunities, medical care and improve public health infrastructure. Meanwhile, in the past two decades, infectious diseases that had nearly been conquered, such as tuberculosis, have come surging back, while devastating new diseases such as AIDS, SARS and Swine Flu have emerged. Microbial resistance to many modern drugs is rising, threatening everyone everywhere. And with globalization, humans are more vulnerable than ever before to disease outbreaks from any part of the world. The health of any one nation now increasingly depends on the health of all nations. The program includes a research trip to the Dominican Republic over the Thanksgiving break (November 2010) to learn more about the health care needs and importance of microcredit finance development in developing countries.
Related Links
In the spring of 2007 Dr. Mayes agreed to meet with a group of interested students on Friday evenings to discuss health care policies and health care in the developing world. He was able to get funding to take a group of students to Peru over spring break. In the spring semester of 2008 a formal course was created and supported by the Quest Program which became the pilot for the SSIR course described above. Although the students did not live together they did have a class trip to Peru over spring break. Video clips and other information about the previous classes are below.
- “Mountaintop Experience” (UR Alumni Magazine article, Fall 2008)http://magazine.richmond.edu/fall08/feature_2/index.html
- YouTube clip of 2007 trip to Peru “Gringos en la Puna” (en Espanol)
- YouTube clip of 2008 trip to Peru “Pampas Grande”
- 2nd YouTube clip of 2008 trip to Peru “Pan Peru”
- Peruvian TV News Segment on Village that UR Students Visit “Pampas Grande II”
- Article on Arts & Science Web site
- My Spring Break In Payroo (Peru)! (link to a Spider Diary) http://spiderdiaries.richmond.edu/shannon09/2008/03/23/my-spring-break-in-payroo-peru/
- Syllabus from spring 2008 course with trip to Peru
- Health_Human_Rights_Brochure
A few more pictures …
