The University of Minnesota School of Public Health is one of seven accredited schools of public health funded by the CDC as a Preparedness and Emergency Response Research Center (PERRC). The PERRCs were established to conduct extramural research to investigate the structure, capabilities, and performance of public health systems for preparedness and emergency response activities in accordance with the Pandemic and All-Hazards Preparedness Act of 2006.

Enhancing the Usefulness of Training

The seven PERRCs address various priority areas. U-SEEE is the only PERRC funded to address the priority area "Enhance the Usefulness of Training." Within this priority area, U-SEEE has two focus areas:

1. Research to assess the effectiveness of public health preparedness and response simulation games that are role-based and capability-linked to self-efficacy expectations, knowledge, skills, and/or response performance
2. Research to determine whether training modalities and instructional methods (including electronic performance support tools) result in improved individual and system performance under response conditions.

U-SEEE Goal and Objectives

U-SEEE consists of four individual research projects and a Core that administers the U-SEEE Pilot Research Program and the U-SEEE Fellows Program, as well as the overall Center. Debra K. Olson, DNP, MPH, RN, serves as U-SEEE Principal Investigator.

The PERRC awards are for a five-year project period that began on September 30, 2008, and ends on September 29, 2013.