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SPH Training Center Earns Awards for Online Learning

The New England Public Health Training Center, which operates out of the Department of Environmental Health at SPH, has received three awards from the International E-Learning Association in recognition of its self-paced trainings on mpox, public health infrastructure, and stigma in infectious disease work.

The New England Public Health Training Center (NEPHTC), housed within the Department of Environmental Health at the School of Public Health, recently earned international recognition for excellence in online learning.

The Center, which aims to provide continuing education to the public health workforce, received three awards from the International E-Learning Association (IELA) for its self-paced trainings on mpox, public health infrastructure, and stigma in infectious disease work. The 2025 award winners were announced at The Learning Ideas Conference on June 13.

The award-winning courses swept the Online Learning Experience category, with “Understanding Mpox: A World Health Issue”, “Public Health Infrastructure: From the Inside Out”, and “Infectious Disease and Identities: Recognizing and Reducing Stigma in Public Health” earning the Gold, Silver, and Bronze awards respectively.

The courses were developed with the support of funding from the Health Resources and Services Administration and additional funding from the National Network of Public Health Institutes. Envision Performance Solutions spearheaded instructional design, Michele Levy provided writing and language expertise, and Tom Carpino and Imani Daniel lent their subject matter expertise. Co-principal investigators Patricia Janulewicz, adjunct associate professor of environmental health, and Madeleine Scammell, professor of environmental health, direct NEPHTC and Candice Bangham serves as senior project manager.

“Providing high-quality, accessible, and free training opportunities to the public health workforce in New England is our top priority and these courses respond directly to the workforce’s needs by providing up to date information on infectious diseases and helping to create a stronger, more resilient public health workforce by building mental fortitude, equitable and wellness-oriented organizations, and equitable, trusted partnerships,” says Bangham.

The NEPHTC’s mission is to strengthen the public health workforce across New England and nationally through needs assessments, tailored training programs, and student field placements. It is one of 10 regional training centers, located at top universities throughout the US, that focus on evidence-based applied practice and workforce development to ensure public health professionals have access to convenient, flexible ways to meet their learning goals.

Over the years, NEPHTC has developed a number of nationally and now internationally recognized resources for public health professionals to utilize, including an agenda for systems change for public health and a racial justice competency model. The center partners with other Massachusetts training providers such as the Massachusetts Local Public Health Training Program (formerly the Local Public Health Institute).

The IELA, founded in 2007, functions as an international community for online learning researchers, practitioners, and students who hail from a variety of backgrounds, from business and industry to government and academia. The organization is dedicated to advancing the knowledge and practice of e-learning in schools, universities, and workplaces through conferences, journals, and other activities, such as its awards program.