VIPR NEWS

March 2026: The first quarter has been a dynamic start to the year—marked by meaningful action, new partnerships, and momentum across our work. From timely webinars and published manuscripts to cross-state collaborations and poignant documentaries, VIPR continues to lean into the work that matters. We’re energized for the upcoming quarter and look forward to all we’ll accomplish together.

📢 VIPR Summer Research Workshop: The VIPR Summer Research Workshop returns for its 8-week intensive program under the mentorship of Dr. Testa. For the 2026 cohort, VIPR received 31 applications from undergraduates at Rice University, the University of Houston, and Texas Southern University. Applications are currently under review, and two students will be selected to participate.

📢 Injury and Violence Prevention Certificate: In partnership with UTHealth Houston School of Public Health, the new Injury and Violence Prevention Certificate is now underway. Open to degree- and non-degree-seeking students, the program builds skills in injury and violence prevention—please share with students or practitioners who may be interested. Summer application deadline: April 1; Fall deadline: July 1. More information is available HERE.

📢 VIPR Community Mini Grants: Coming soon!

📢 VIPR Kudos: Dr. Wood and Gloria Terry were appointed by Governor Greg Abbott to the Family Violence Criminal Homicide Prevention Task Force.

📢 VIPR Kudos: Dr. Hensen-Garcia, former UTH SPH doctoral student, was the recipient of the 2025 Jess Kraus Award in Injury Epidemiology for his publication, under the mentorship of several VIPR faculty.

📢 Submission Request: Injury Epidemiology is currently welcoming submissions to a Collection on “Emerging risk factors for self-injury in youth in the current milieu of growing mental health crisis”

📢 Featured Publications:

• Firearm exposure and threats among young adults in Texas: Identifying high risk groups for prevention

• Perceived neighborhood safety and firearm secure storage: findings from the 2024 behavioral risk factor surveillance system

• State firearm policy context and household firearm storage In 13 US states: Findings from the 2023 BRFSS

• Examining longitudinal associations between polysubstance use and firearm-related risk behaviors from adolescence Into emerging adulthood: a group-based multi-trajectory modeling approach

• AHT Diagnoses: The Influences of clinical presentation and evidence of impact

UPCOMING EVENTS

WEBINAR SERIES

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

Interested in presenting? Email info@texasvipr.com

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

Tuesday, April 21 | 12 - 1 PM 

Join Rohit Shenoi, MD, Professor of Pediatrics at Baylor College of Medicine and Attending Physician- Emergency Center at Texas Children’s Hospital, for an insightful discussion on drowning. Drowning is a public health problem. This session will explore the knowledge of the differences in burden and risk factors based on body of water and demographics is crucial when planning drowning countermeasures and when advocating for the safety of all persons in and around water.

UPDATE: This webinar is approved for 1.0 Entry-Level CHES/MCHES® credits! This event is sponsored by the Center for Health Promotion and Prevention Research: UTSPH, a designated provider of continuing education contact hours (CECH) for Certified Health Education Specialists/Master Certified Health Education Specialists (CHES/MCHES®) through The National Commission for Health Education Credentialing, Inc. (NCHEC®). Provider ID#1153624

Please indicate on the registration form if you will be claiming credit. Register Online

📢 Hotel of 10,000 Stars | Tuesday March 31, 4 - 5:30 PM Hotel of 10,000 stars is a short documentary that highlights the people who are tasked with doing the difficult and dangerous work of putting food on our tables. It serves as a window into the supply chain and a complex web of systems that make up this industry, allowing viewers to peek into the lives of the people whose livelihoods and health are forever intertwined with it. Register online.

📢  5th Annual Firearm Injury Prevention Conference: Sharing Evidence and Connecting Communities

Friday, June 5, 2026 | 8:30 AM – 4:00 PM

TMC Helix Park | 1885 Old Spanish Trail | Houston, TX 77030

A virtual option will also be available. Registration coming soon.

Next VIPR Quarterly Meeting

May 7, 3:30 PM - 4:30 PM

If you would like to attend, email info@texasvipr.com

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

📢 2026 SAVIR Conference, April 13 - 15, Providence, RI

📢 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

📢 Society for Prevention Research (SPR), May 26 - 29, 2026, Washington, DC

*VIPR members attended the Southeastern & Southwestern Injury Prevention Network Meeting hosted by Safe States Alliance.

Do you have something you would like distributed or announced?

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

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