On March 14, 2012, Center for Asian Health, Temple University, welcomed two public health academics and administrators, Dr. Yajia Lan and Ms. Yunfang Chen, of Chengdu, Sichuan Province, China. The visitors were hosted by Dr. Grace X. Ma, Professor, Department of Public Health and Founder-Director, Center for Asian Health, and Dr. Yin Tan, Senior Research Manager at the Center. Dr. Lan is Professor and Chair of the Department of Environmental Health, School of Public Health at Sichuan University, and Ms. Yunfang Chen is Director of the Women’s Health Center at one of China’s provincial Centers of Disease Control located in Chengdu.
(China Guests: first and 3rd from Right: Dr. Yajia Lan, and Ms. Yunfang Chen
CAH Host: 2nd of Right, Dr. Grace Ma; 1st of left: Yin Tan, MD. MPH)
Since its establishment in 2000, Center for Asian Health has become a focal point for academics, junior researchers and Chinese government officials who interested in research and global health. In 2002-2003, Dr. Lan was a Center post-doctoral fellow, a research mentee of the Center director, Dr. Grace Ma. As a result of Dr. Lan’s tenure at the Center, a long-term collaborative relationship between Center for Asian Health, Temple University and the School of Public Health at Sichuan University, with a focus on global health of tobacco, cancer and other chronic issues in China.
Following a tour of the Center facilities and a video presentation titled “10 Years, Then and Now: Center for Asian Health”, Dr. Ma briefed the visitors on current Center research and training programs as well as future direction. Dr. Lan was highly impressed by the complexity of the Center programs and the range and extent of the Center research accomplishments since his post-doctoral experience 9 years ago. The host and visitors then discussed potential areas for collaboration, building on past successful collaborative experiences. Specific topics broached included tobacco control, visiting scholar training, and the “4+2” BA/MPH program between Dept. of Public Health, Temple University and School of Public Health, Sichuan University, China.
