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 HIV/AIDS
was the topic of Maggy Tomkins's 10-month lecturing grant at the
University of Hartford. The scholar in residence brought considerable
international perspective to the issue, having worked as an HIV/AIDS
nurse and educator since 1986 in both the United Kingdom and Australia.
She has also participated in numerous international health care
projects throughout Asia.
Teaching in Hartford's Interdisciplinary Education Program, Tomkins
offered courses on "Epidemics and AIDS" and "Introductions
to Health Concepts." In addition to teaching and presenting
seminars to faculty and staff, Tomkins also served as a clinical
associate at the New Britain Sexual Health Clinic, where she provided
sexual health advising and pre-HIV test counseling. She also initiated
safer venepuncture and cleaning protocols at the clinic, developed
a collaborative epidemiological research project with nurses there
and introduced new, combined HIV and hepatitis C screening forms.
Tomkins was also in great demand as a speaker off campus because
of her extensive knowledge on Australian HIV/AIDS policy. Australia
has taken an aggressive and innovative approach to prevention
and treatment of the disease, which has resulted in an incidence
rate much lower than in many Western countries, including the
United States. Tomkins gave a number of presentations throughout
Connecticut, New York and Massachusetts on the Australian response
to AIDS, HIV/AIDS counseling and services in Australia and the
Australian needle exchange program. She was also invited to give
the convocation for students in the graduate program in public
health at the University of Connecticut School of Medicine.
According to her faculty host, Ralph Aloisi, professor of biology
and clinical laboratory science, the University of Hartford benefited
tremendously from Tomkin's knowledge and insight. "Her presence
gave us an opportunity to reexamine our courses/curriculum and
the way we present international issues of importance."
To build upon the experience, the university is hoping to host
a scholar from sub-Saharan Africa so both students and faculty
can learn more about prevention strategies used in Africa and,
Aloisi explained, "get a more complete understanding of the
crisis HIV presents to the world."
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