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Welcome to the RFPA

PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE 

Dear Colleagues,

Hopefully the start of the new year finds you refreshed from the holidays. Please be reminded of a few things for which we seek input and help:

  • As we plan for our February 25 anniversary celebration, we are hoping to emphasize the vibrancy of retirees in continuing to serve their professions (e.g., presenting at a conference, serving on a board, doing research, teaching, performing, or holding up a new publication) as well as to contribute to the larger community (e.g., volunteering with youth, serving community organizations, expressing views about current events). Please send photos of your activities to rfpa@unc.edu (use a tagline of Photos) by January 20 so we can incorporate them into a PowerPoint to show at the anniversary event.
  • We continue to explore interest among retirees in creating a speakers’ bureau, possibly in collaboration with the Friday Center, to share expertise with N.C. schools and community groups. RFPA member Barbara Bunker and I have been exploring what already exists and what community interest there might be and want to get input from our retirees about interest in participating. We will soon send a short online survey to get your thoughts. Please watch for the survey and let us know your interest. It should take less than 5 minutes to complete.
  • Based on feedback from attendees at the lunches, we are also considering some informal topical discussions at the Friday Center or online as an add-on to our monthly lunches. The idea is to allow time for members to talk together about topics of interest. So far, the greatest interest has been in health-related topics so that is where we intend to begin. Please let me know if you might be willing to lead a discussion with this effort on health or other topics.

As always, I welcome your input and ideas about how the RFPA can best serve your interests and needs as retirees. Remember, we welcome both faculty and senior professionals from UNC-Chapel Hill as well as individuals living in the area who retired from other institutions of higher education. We encourage you, as RFPA members, to be ambassadors to reach out to others who might not be familiar with the organization. Prospective members are welcome to register for one of our lunches to get acquainted with the organization or you can bring them as your guests.

If you are reading this column and are not a member, please contact us at rfpa@unc.edu for more information.

Carol Runyan

RFPA President 2025-26

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January 28, 2026, Webinar
11 – 12:30 PM, The Friday Center’s Community Classroom Online Series

 

A headshot of Dean Stan Ahalt.

Dean Stan Ahalt
School of Data Science and Society

The RFPA is joining the Friday Center to jointly sponsor a free online seminar 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 28, as part of the Friday Center’s Community Classroom Online Series.

Dean Stan Ahalt will discuss building a new school at Carolina as the School of Information and Library Science and the School of Data Science and Society merge. Hear from Dean Ahalt on how this bold move will integrate the strengths and expertise of each school in a variety of disciplines and prepare students to be leaders in an ever-changing workforce. There will be time for questions from the audience.

Registration for the seminar is open at https://unc.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_ZUvL1SsWSf6quZJUiW7XYQ#/registration

 

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February 11, 2026, Lunch and Learn
12-2 PM, Friday Center

Four Decades Later, Is There Generational Improvement in the Overdose “Crisis”?

Headshot of Naburun Dasgupta.

Naburun Dasgupta, PhD, MPH

Senior Scientist, UNC Injury Prevention Research Center Innovation Fellow, UNC Gillings School of Global Public Health
2025 McArthur “Genius” Fellowship Awardee

Recent gains in reducing overdose rates are real and seem to be persisting. Yet threats loom from the molecular level to the geopolitical. Come hear the latest insights about the state of street drugs, with plenty of time for discussion. Presenting in an engaging way, Dr. Dasgupta delights in telling true stories about health, with numbers.

RFPA members can reserve a seat for the luncheon through the reservation form found at this Lunch Reservation Form. They are welcome to bring guests. Reservations are due by Feb. 4, 2026.