VIPR NEWS

Happy New Year, VIPR! We are well into year two as a designated ICRC and not slowing down in 2026. Thank you all for the work that you do everyday and your commitment to violence and injury prevention. Like many of our peers in the field, we are faced with many challenges, but we know our work is meaningful and saves lives.

📢 VIPR Summer Research and Practice Experience: This summer, VIPR proudly supported five students from two undergraduate and two graduate institutions through our inaugural Summer Research and Practice Experience program. From hands-on research to real-world practice, these students tackled timely topics that advance violence and injury prevention. Be sure to check out their profile spotlights to learn more about their projects and experiences.

Applications for Summer 2026 are currently being finalized—stay tuned for details.

📢 Injury and Violence Prevention Certificate: In partnership with UTHealth Houston School of Public Health, the new Injury and Violence Prevention Certificate is officially underway. Open to both degree- and non-degree-seeking students, the certificate is designed for those looking to strengthen their knowledge and skills in injury and violence prevention. If you mentor students or work with community practitioners interested in advancing their expertise, we encourage you to share this opportunity. More information about the graduate certificate can be found HERE.

📢 VIPR Community Mini Grants: Coming soon! More information and applications will be posted soon.

📢 National Injury Prevention Day 2025: Kudos to everyone who took part in National Injury Prevention Day. We were honored to attend the City of Houston proclamation reading officially designating November 18 as National Injury Prevention Day in Houston. A special shoutout to Marisol, Sarah Beth, and their teams for leading this effort—an accomplishment that also earned a Texas state proclamation. Well done all around. (See group photo below.)

UPCOMING EVENTS

WEBINAR SERIES

We are excited to present the Texas VIPR Webinar Series. This monthly series will explore current research, education, and advocacy as it relates to violence and injury prevention across the lifespan and in larger social and institutional structures.

Join us on the third Tuesday of each month from 12 - 1 PM

📢  Next-Gen Prevention Science: VIPR Summer Student Project Showcase

Tuesday, January 20 | 12 - 1 PM 

Join Aisha Khemani and Mahtab Dastur, Rice University undergraduate students share their VIPR Summer Research projects. Students were under the mentorship and supervision of Dr. Alex Testa, Associate Professor in the Department of Management, Policy, and Community Health at UTHealth Houston School of Public Health, San Antonio Regional Campus. Aisha and Mahtab are part of our inaugural VIPR Summer Research and Practice Experience 2025 cohort.

Each student spent the summer working on an independent research project under the supervision of Dr. Testa. Aisha examined data from the 2023 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System to assess the relationship between state firearm policy context in the US states and household firearm storage. Mahtab conducted a study using data from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health to examine the impact of violent victimization during adolescence on educational mobility in adulthood. 

Register Online

For more information about VIPR, please visit www.texasvipr.com or sign up for our ListServ

📢 February 2026 VIPR Webinar Series: February is Teen Dating Violence Awareness month. Stay tuned for details about the February webinar on Tuesday, Feb 17, 2026, 12 Noon. It will have a TDV focus.

Next VIPR Quarterly Meeting; FEBRUARY 5, 3:30 PM - 4:30 PM

*If you are not already on the calendar request invite, but would like to attend, please email Liz Torres, elizabeth.d.torres.1@uth.tmc.edu for more information.

PARTNER EVENTS

📢 2026 SAVIR Conference, April 13 - 15, Providence, Rhode Island

VIPR plans to be well-represented at SAVIR’s annual conference. It’s not too late to register and join the fun.

📢 Southeastern & Southwestern Injury Prevention Network meeting, February 24-25, 2026, Houston, Texas. Register online.

The meeting will be held at the Hotel ICON, Autograph Collection. To book a room at the Safe States room rate, click here. The last day to book is Tuesday, February 10, 2026

If you have any questions, please reach out to Shelli at shelli.stephens-stidham@safestates.org

📢 Public Health Summit, April 6, San Antonio, Texas, Co-hosted with Bexar County Public Health and UT San Antonio

The Summit will bring together community practitioners and public health leaders to explore meaningful collaboration in support of the health and well-being of Bexar County residents and beyond. Call for Abstracts is now open. We encourage you to review the abstract guidelines and submit your work at https://lnkd.in/g2M_cEug. **Community orgs are especially encouraged to submit!** Attendee registration for the Summit will open early 2026.

📢 Society for Research on  Adolescence (SRA), April 15-18, 2026 (Biennial), Toronto, CA

📢 Society for Trauma Nurses (TraumaCon), April 15-17, 2026, Austin, TX

📢 Pediatric Academic Societies Meeting (PAS), April 24 - 27, 2026, Boston, MA

Do you have something you would like distributed or announced?

Please send all requests to info@texasvipr.com, subject line: VIPR Newsletter.