Professor is new liaison at VA center

Cal State Long Beach Professor Robert Friis of health science department was recently been appointed the university liaison for the Long Beach Veterans Administration Medical Center.

Friis will serve serve as the main communicator between CSULB and the medical center.

"I would like to bring CSULB faculty, staff and students together with the center's staff in order to learn and share valuable resources," Friis said. "I call this synergy. If two things are working together, it will be able to produce more."

Friis said he already has two major goals set for the 1995-96 school year, one which is being met next week.

His first goal was to plan the sixth annual Long Beach Research Symposium, which will combine presentations from CSULB, the VA medical center and the Long Beach Memorial Medical Center.

The presentation takes place Nov. 17 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the University Student Union Multipurpose Rooms.

Friis said more than 30 abstract posters will be displayed at the presentation. CSULB President Robert Maxson will also be on hand to welcome all the guests.

Friis said his second goal is to strengthen relationships and communication between faculty and researchers from both institutions.

For example, Friis said he wants to expand student internship programs at the VA medical center. Some current internships at the center include social work, psychology and physical therapy.

Friis graduated in 1964 from UC Berkeley with a bachelor's degree in psychology and went on to earn his master's and doctoral degrees at Columbia University in New York.

His doctoral dissertation involved student activism at Columbia, and in 1969 Friis decided to make a career in the study of stress factors that influence health.

He previously worked 13 years at UC Irvine as a professor of neurology and medicine and social ecology.

"Health science is primarily focused on looking at the health of population groups," he said. "It is important that all groups have access to proper health care in order to prevent diseases."

Friis' primary research interests are chronic diseases in minority populations, neurological diseases (like multiple sclerosis), and the process of aging.

In 1992, he received CSULB's Scholarly and Creative Achievement Award and in 1993, he was awarded a sabbatical to do research on the health of migrants in Europe at the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm, Sweden.

Friis also is involved in CSULB's Partners Success Program, which is designed to help under-represented minority students adjust to university life, career plans and financial problems.

"I deeply appreciate the strong support that I have received from Dean Lauda and President Maxson, and officials at the medical center," Friis said.

He also has published his first book titled "Epidemiology for Public Health Practice" due out in March and that will be available at the University Bookstore.

The book will not only provide information on the study of diseases, but it also will discuss public-health practices in preventing diseases, Friis said.