Portland State Magazine Winter 2008

AROUND THE PARK BLOCKS Men share heart-to– heart advice MARCUS BRANCH , a private youth counselor, is used to helping people get their minds around their problems. Bur helping fellow African Americans with their physical health by screening them for high blood pressure has proved just as grarifing. "I screened a couple of men in their 40s, who were afraid to go to the doc– tor," says Branch, "bur they needed to, and with this early intervention they are getting their health under control." Branch was one of 10 African Ameri– can men trained by Charles Smith and Bill Baney from PSU's Early Childhood Training Center, to go our into the com– munity and screen five male acquain– tances for high blood pressure and other health issues. Funded by the Multnomah County Health Department, the project is aimed at African American men because that population suffers high rares of hyper– tension, a potential early warning of such conditions as stroke, heart arrack, and kidney failure. So far, Smith says, anecdotal results of the Men's Blood Pressure Project have been positive. Screenings have encour– aged some at-risk participants to make lifestyle changes or see a doctor. Smith thinks one-to-one communica– tion is the key. Because they were talking to people they knew, he says, it opened the door. .... Marcus Branch talks to Charles E. Bishop about his blood pressure. Branch provides health screenings for African American men through a PSU project. 4 PORTLAND STATE MAGAZINE WINTER 2008 A student shares in the research of engineering professor Liza Zurk, who recently won a Presidential Early Career Award. President George Bush honors prof AT A WHITE HOUSE ceremony in November, Lisa Zurk received the nation's highest honor for profes ionals at the outset to their academic careers-a 2006 Presi– dential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers. Zurk, associate professor of electrical and computer engineering, is one of two Oregonians to receive the award chis year, and the second professor from PSU to receive it. In only three years at Portland Stare, Zurk has earned more than $2 million in research funding, spearheaded a record number of collaborations, and founded the Northwest Electromagnetic and Acoustics Research Laboratory. Zurk's research involves sensors and their applications, including the development of advanced sonar systems for the U.S. Navy as well as the mapping of coral reefs and the estimating of almon populations. She's also researching reraherrz imaging for medical application , such as the detection of skin cancer, and for security uses, including the detection of explosive devices and bio-agents. This year, she begins a five-year, $500,000 research initiative with The Nature Conservancy to a sist in its worldwide marine conservation efforts.