2000 Health Sciences Open House dates set; Susanna Cunningham named honorary chair

Planning is under way for the 2000 Health Sciences Open House, to be held next spring. The dates have been set for Friday and Saturday, April 7 and 8.

Dr. Susanna Cunningham, professor of biobehavioral nursing and health systems in the School of Nursing and an adjunct member of the Department of Physiology and Biophysics in the School of Medicine, has been named the honorary chair for the 2000 Open House.

Susanna Cunningham

The event was first held in 1949, and has been held nearly every other year since. In 1999, health sciences administrators decided to delay the next event until 2000—both to coincide with the new millennium and to avoid conflicts with biennium closing at the UW.

“The public really looks forward to this event,” Cunningham said. “It’s a wonderful way for us to report back to them on the work we’re doing here and to garner support for the importance of research. It’s also an important way for us to recruit students who have an interest in health sciences careers.

“I hope faculty and staff who haven’t participated before will have a chance to find out how much fun it is to share your passion for your work with the public,” she added. “People really love the interactive activities—especially learning about themselves.”

Several thousand visitors, including high school and undergraduate students, have attended each Open House. Exhibits—usually more than 100— from the schools of Dentistry, Medicine, Nursing, Pharmacy, Public Health, Social Work, UW Medical Center, Harborview Medical Center and other centers and institutes will be featured. Applications for exhibit space will be available by the end of 1999. In the meantime, contact Health Sciences/Medical Affairs News and Community Relations with questions at 543-3620. ¶

Claire Dietz