Summer Institute 2011 kicks-off

by Nicole VanKim

Guest Blogger, Reporting from the Summer Institute 2011

Today kicked-off the second Summer Institute in LGBT Health! This year, I join 17 other fabulous participants who come from a variety of academic backgrounds, including sociology, demography, anthropology, social work, human development, psychology, and public health. Over the next four weeks we will be attending seminar sessions in the morning and data labs in the afternoon, as well as a full week of a data analysis course next week. Topics covered in the seminar are partially guided by the recent IOM Report on LGBT Health, thus providing us with a clearer framework and more concrete guide for current and future work to improve the health of our communities. These seminars are led by Dr. Judith Bradford, who is one of the authors of the IOM report, and Dr. Aimee Van Wagenen as well as a great line-up of guest lecturers. The data lab, led by Sari Reisner,  provides the opportunity to pursue our own interests in LGBT health as that time is spent working on specific projects that will hopefully result in a manuscript or abstract and can give us a better sense of the landscape of LGBT health.

Besides the wonderful opportunity to participate in the Institute, this marks my first trip Boston and I really look forward to exploring and experiencing more of “the city on a hill”.

Stay tuned for more information over the next four weeks as I delve deeper into the Summer Institute!