We are proud to announce that Dr. Malinee Neelamegam has been selected as the runner-up for the 2024 Delta Omega Innovative Curriculum Award for her innovative redesign of EPID 5300: Principles of Epidemiology at the University of North Texas Health Science Center.
This prestigious national award, presented by the Delta Omega National Public Health Honor Society, recognizes excellence in public health education by highlighting course curricula that integrates real-world public health practice, emphasizes science-based decision-making and fosters collaboration with community partners.
Dr. Neelamegam’s course was recognized for its flipped classroom model, multimodal instructional design, and strong community-engaged learning. Through a service-learning capstone project, students collaborate with local public health organizations to design epidemiological studies addressing real-world challenges. The course also incorporates problem-based learning, team-based exercises, and guest lectures from community health practitioners, ensuring students develop practical skills essential for public health careers.
The EPID 5300 course revamp was a collaboration with Dr. Adria Battaglia and Dr. Jiaqi Yu from the Division of Academic Innovation (DAI) at UNTHSC. Their expertise in instructional design helped shape the course’s multimodal content delivery and diverse assessment strategies, ensuring a holistic learning experience for students.
“Our DAI team strives to be collaborative thought partners with faculty, ensuring that pedagogical strategies align with evidence-based practices and quality standards. Working alongside Dr. Neelamegam on EPID 5300 was a truly dynamic process, where we blended multimodal content delivery and interactive learning experiences to create a space that empowers students with practical skills. This collaboration underscores the power of faculty-ID partnerships in designing impactful learning experiences for our students,” said Dr. Yu, Assistant Director of Instructional Innovation and Project Management.
Dr. Neelamegam added, “Holistic learning means reaching students with different learning styles and strengths. The integration of interactive lectures, service-learning projects, and problem-based exercises in EPID 5300 ensures that students gain both conceptual epidemiology knowledge and hands-on experience, preparing them for the evolving field of public health.”
Dr. Neelamegam’s commitment to high-impact educational practices has not only enriched student learning but also contributed to the national recognition of our institution’s dedication to advancing public health education.
Congratulations, Drs. Neelamegam, Battaglia and Yu on this well-deserved honor!