Our Challenge

Injury is a major, but under-recognized, public health problem worldwide. In the US alone, about 150,000 people die of injuries each year, resulting in more years of life lost before age 65 than any other single health problem. In addition to loss of life, the pain, suffering, and long-term disability associated with injuries are enormous. Most of these injuries are preventable, but we have much to learn. We need to understand more about the factors that influence when, how, where, and to whom injuries will occur and determine how to design and implement effective and appropriate intervention strategies.

Our Vision

We envision a world in which injuries are reduced as a result of important discoveries made and disseminated in a scholarly manner to guide policies and program development. Our vision includes a leadership role for UNC IPRC in effecting change both nationally and internationally.

Our Mission

Our mission is to build the field of injury prevention and control through a combination of interdisciplinary scholarly approaches to research, intervention, and evaluation as well as through the training of the next generation of researchers and practitioners.

Our Organizational Values

The UNC IPRC strives to be an innovative, nurturing, efficient, highly productive and versatile organization that believes in:

  • promoting rigor and integrity in all aspects of our work;
  • identifying, creating, and seizing opportunities to enhance scientific progress and application of knowledge to prevent injury;
  • creating an intellectual home in which faculty, staff, and students find collegiality, mentoring, and assistance in realizing their professional and academic goals;
  • embracing new ideas with enthusiasm while planning strategically for the future;
  • nurturing an atmosphere of open communication, sharing of ideas, and interdisciplinary collaboration in which good science and practice merge;
  • supporting forward-thinking leadership who bring national and international perspectives;
  • providing high quality service to affiliated faculty, staff and students for project development management and dissemination;
  • ensuring that every person is clear about their roles and responsibilities and does what they are supposed to do;
  • fostering synergies among ideas, individuals and functions such that everyone engaged with the Center contributes fully based on their unique and complementary roles; and
  • being adaptable to shifts in leadership, staffing and external conditions while maintaining organizational stability.
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