I am delighted to announce that I am appointing JESSICA BURKE, associate professor of behavioral and community health sciences, as the new associate dean for education of the Graduate School of Public Health. Burke will report to me, and will assume most of my prior responsibilities for educational programs within the school. I will remain in the position of senior associate dean, and will also retain responsibility for accreditation compliance.
Burke came to Pitt Public Health in 2005 after completing her PhD in social and behavioral sciences and MHS in international health at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. Since her arrival here she has made significant contributions to the school in research, teaching, service, and administration. Her research is in community and women’s health; she is an internationally-recognized expert on the intersections of intimate partner violence, substance use, and HIV/AIDS, as well as on novel research methods for studying these issues. Her approach to public health research is summarized in the Methods in Community Health: Integrated and Engaged Approaches, a book that she developed and co-edited. The book introduces readers to systems sciences research methods particularly appropriate for addressing the context of complex health issues, translating research into action, and engaging community and relevant stakeholders. Burke has a long-term commitment to education and to students, with a strong record of teaching, student engagement and mentoring. She has developed and taught new courses and programs across several disciplines, including our Certificate in Community Based Participatory Research and Practice. She has also contributed significantly as the associate chair for administration of the Department of Behavioral and Community Health Sciences, including coordinating an internal self-study and external review for the department in 2016.
The appointment will be effective March 1, 2017, but the transition period will begin immediately and is expected to run through June. Dr. Burke will retain her role as associate chair of administration of the Department of Behavioral and Community Health Sciences.
Please join me in congratulating Burke and welcoming her into this new role.
Eleanor Feingold
Professor, Departments of Human Genetics and Biostatistics
Associate Dean for Education
Senior Associate Dean
1/12/2017