Voices Against Vaping

Overview

Held December 2023

Vaping, originally introduced as a cessation device, has quickly become an epidemic in our nation. Join us as we highlight people and organizations doing the important work to research, educate, and provide resources. Dr. Irina Stepnov answers questions about her research followed by our team member, Alexa Jo Schafer, highlighting organizations and providing resources.

This is one of a 3-part vaping informational series co-hosted by 100 Rural Women and the American Lung Association. Part one, held in March of this year, focused on general information about vaping and how it is affecting our rural communities. Part two was centered around the physical and mental health impacts professionals are seeing as a result of long-term vape use. This webinar, our third and final part, highlights people and organizations doing important work in the movement to end vaping.

Watch the recording

SPEAKERS

Dr. Irina Stepanov

University of Minnesota

Dr. Irina Stepanov, PhD is a distinguished Mcknight University Professor, Mayo Professor in Public Health, Division of Environmental Health Sciences. She got both her bachelors and PhD from Moldova State University, followed by postdoctoral training at the University of Minnesota Masonic Cancer Center.

In her research program, she is applying the fundamental concepts of science and analytical technologies to incorporate biochemical measurements, such as biomarkers of exposure, harm, and susceptibility to disease, into epidemiological and community-based studies and intervention trials. Such integration can provide important insights into human-environment interactions and offer effective tools for addressing critical issues in public health, such as identification of at-risk populations, public education, and the development of public health policies and regulations.

She has expertise in aging, chronic diseases, environment & exposures, genetics, mother & children, tobacco, biomarkers, DNA adducts, analytical biochemistry, mass-spectrometry, cancer, inflammation, regulatory science.

Alexa Jo Schafer

Stillwater, MN

Alexa is one of our team members at 100 Rural Women. Filling various roles throughout her time here, Alexa has primarily focused on our Spotlight Profiles, kickstarting the book club, developing new social programs, and managing our interns. For the first time, she will be attending one of our webinars as a speaker. She studied psychology and communications and Winona State University, graduating in 2021. She is a writer and feels passionately about lifting other people up through her work. She will present on the work of various organizations working in the fight against vaping.