Pam Berenbaum
Professor of the Practice of Global Health
- Office
- RAJ B03
- Tel
- (802) 443-5096
- pberenbaum@middlebury.edu
- Office Hours
- go/pam or https://calendly.com/pberenbaum/office-hours
Pam Berenbaum is a Professor of the Practice and serves as Associate Director of Program Engagement for the Global Health Program. She has taught at Middlebury since 2010, teaching courses on global health, public health policy, social change, and disaster public health. Pam holds a Master of Science in Health Policy and Management from the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, where she engaged in research on risk assessment and economic evaluation. She has worked in many sectors, including government, corporate, academic, consulting, and non-profit. For ten years, she was an infectious disease epidemiologist in the Epidemiology Field Unit at the Vermont Department of Health, where she specialized in syndromic surveillance, bioterrorism, and all-hazards emergency preparedness, collaborating with personnel from other state agencies as well as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Courses Taught
ENVS 0700
Upcoming
Senior Independent Study
Course Description
Senior Independent Study
In this course, seniors complete an independent research or creative project on a topic pertinent to the relationship between humans and the environment. During the term prior to enrolling in ENVS 0700, a student must discuss and agree upon a project topic with a faculty advisor who is appointed in or affiliated with the Environmental Studies Program and submit a brief project proposal to the Director of Environmental Studies for Approval. The expectations and any associated final products will be defined in consultation with the faculty advisor. Students may enroll in ENVS 0700 as a one-term independent study OR up to twice as part of a multi-term project, including as a lead-up to ENVS 0701 (ES Senior Thesis) or ENVS 0703 (ES Senior Integrated Thesis). (Senior standing; Approval only)
Terms Taught
GHLT 0211
Public Health of Disasters
Course Description
Public Health of Disasters
Both natural and man-made disasters, including the release of weapons of mass destruction, reveal a community’s preexisting vulnerabilities. The emergency response, and the nature of the disaster itself, combine to affect the short- and long-term health of the disaster-struck community. We will examine public health components of disasters, including emergency preparedness and response, relief efforts, health surveillance, and the ethical considerations of these activities. With case studies and readings, we will employ a public health perspective to understand the community impact of natural and man-made disasters in both developed and developing countries. (not open to students who have taken INTD 0211) 3 hrs. lect.
Terms Taught
Requirements
GHLT 0225
Upcoming
Public Health Policy
Course Description
Public Health Policy
Public health policy is carried out in multiple sectors of society. In this course we will break down public health problems into their component parts, scrutinizing the roles that governments, health care providers, organizations, and ordinary citizens have in building a healthy (or unhealthy) society. We will examine topics such as obesity, gun violence, substance use, maternal mortality, and product toxicity to understand the extent to which public health problems have behavioral, social, regulatory, or market-based causes and solutions. Our analysis will employ systems thinking, historical trends, and regulatory frameworks. The course will be lecture-oriented with in-class discussions and exercises. Sources will include articles in peer-reviewed literature, industry reports, policy statements, and the popular press.
Terms Taught
Requirements
GHLT 0257
Global Health
Course Description
Global Health
This course provides an introductory survey of the basic issues and initiatives in contemporary global public health, demonstrating the inextricability of public health problems from the social, cultural, economic, political, and environmental issues that exist in an era of globalization. Examining these connections will enable us to critically evaluate the goals and strategies of public health interventions, and discuss factors impacting their success or failure. To do this, we must also examine the lens through which the West views public health problems as they relate to our cultural beliefs, biomedical views of health, sense of justice, and strategic interests. (Not open to students who have taken INTD 0257 or SOAN 0267) (GHLT minors, others by waiver.) 3 hrs. lect./disc.
Terms Taught
Requirements
GHLT 0500
Upcoming
Independent Study
Course Description
Independent Study
(Approval Required)
Terms Taught
INDE 0800
Upcoming
Ind Schol Sr Work/Proj/Thesis
Course Description
Terms Taught
INTD 0426
Critical Frames Social Changes
Course Description
Health, Food, and Poverty: Critical Frameworks for Social Change
Concerns around food, health, and poverty often intersect around the world, and pose shared challenges for countries in how to address them. What frameworks might maximize social impact in addressing such complicated global concerns? In this capstone course for students interested in privilege and poverty, global health, and food studies, we will critically examine a variety of frameworks for social impact, including solidarity, responsibility, development, aid, and entrepreneurship. Our examination of these frameworks will necessarily involve critical comparisons among the countries in which they have been employed. We will identify goals, strategies, and assumptions within each framework, as well as our role in social transformation in conjunction with other actors. Students will engage in interdisciplinary theoretical analysis and employ one or more frameworks to develop a proposal for a project on social change. (By approval only.) 3 hrs. Sem (Comparative Politics)
Terms Taught
Requirements
INTD 0500
Upcoming
Independent Study
Course Description
Independent Study
Approval Required
Terms Taught