News
Awareness of Freedom House Ambulance Service, historically overlooked, surged after 'The Pitt'
A single television storyline can quickly spread knowledge and spark conversations about an important public health history topic, said Beth L. Hoffman, PhD, assistant professor of behavioral and community health sciences at Pitt Public Health. "Entertainment media can play a meaningful role in educating the public and encouraging people to learn more, including about topics like health equity and systemic racism," she said.
Meet Pitt’s 2026-27 Fulbright scholars
Iliya Lefterov, PhD, research professor in the School of Public Health’s Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, was one of eight University of Pittsburgh faculty members awarded Fulbright U.S. Scholar Program Awards by the U.S. Department of State and the Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board. He will travel to Bulgaria to work alongside fellow scholars and researchers, continuing his studies on Alzheimer’s disease.
How Sharon Welburn found her passion for public health and teaching
Sharon Welburn (MPH, EPI ’13; PhD, EPI ’19) was first introduced to public health while working alongside epidemiologists in an injury center lab at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. “My team and I were conducting research on car crashes using driving simulators, and it allowed me to see firsthand how data and research can directly push policy,” said Welburn, now an assistant professor of epidemiology at Pitt Public Health.
School of Public Health staff honored for service milestones
The University of Pittsburgh recognized employees reaching significant service milestones during the Chancellor’s Staff Recognition Ceremony and Reception on June 11. Among those honored were 20 School of Public Health staff members who reached service milestones ranging from 40 to five years in 2026.
The Salk legacy: Vaccines and the future of public health
Peter L. Salk, adjunct professor in the Department of Infectious Diseases and Microbiology at Pitt Public Health, discusses the Salk legacy, the state of public trust in science, and the future of public health with the City Club Forum of Cleveland.
New data shows vaccinations uneven at Allegheny County’s public and parochial schools
The Allegheny County Health Department is currently working with the University of Pittsburgh School of Public Health to create a strategic plan that will draw on the immunization data provided in a recent school immunization report. The report shows that nearly a third of schools in the county have vaccination rates below the county’s 95% target threshold.
Deakings graduates from ADVANCER program
Jason Deakings, PhD, MSPH, assistant professor of behavioral and community health sciences, recently graduated from the Institute for Clinical Research Education's ADVANCER Program, a yearlong career development program for early-career faculty and researchers.
Across disciplines and borders, Pitt researchers tackle questions of data, power and health
A conversation about shared research interests sparked a new collaboration between public health researcher Zoe Mistrale Hendrickson, PhD, and anthropologist Sanghamitra Das, PhD. Working with partners in Nepal and India, the researchers are examining the ethical, legal and social dimensions of reproductive health data governance.
Far less than one drink a day could raise your cancer risk, study finds
Having just 0.35 ounces of alcohol per day has been linked to a higher risk of cancers of the pharynx, colon, rectum, esophagus, breast, liver, pancreas and prostate. “If you do the math, the results of this study suggest that it’s not safe to drink even one standard drink every day,” says Natacha DeGenna, PhD, associate professor of psychiatry, clinical and translational science, and epidemiology at the University of Pittsburgh.
Pitt Public Health students, faculty present at American College of Sports Medicine Annual meeting
Students and faculty in the Department of Epidemiology at the University of Pittsburgh School of Public Health attended the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) Annual Meeting held May 25-29 in Salt Lake City, Utah, where they presented research on aging, physical activity and maternal health.
After Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, more young women opted for sterilization
A 2024 study by researchers at the University of Pittsburgh School of Public Health found that sterilization procedures increased immediately after Dobbs, especially among women ages 18–30. The increase has persisted, suggesting demand for permanent contraception remains high, according to lead author Jacqueline Ellison, assistant professor of health policy and management.
Tick season is here. Why your backyard may be at risk
It's tick season in Allegheny County, and public health officials say the risk may be closer to home than many residents realize. Danielle Tufts, assistant professor in Pitt Public Health’s Department of Infectious Diseases and Microbiology, and her team have tracked these ticks across western Pennsylvania for years.
Cheering for Pitt: How David Dyjack is shaping the future of public health
School of Public Health Partner Advisory Board Member David Dyjack started his career focusing on asbestos and lead. “My job is divided into many different challenges; every day is different," Dyjack said. "That is why I love public health so much—it is dynamic and evergreen."
Swapping a desk for a week of service
Safe, stable housing is often considered a cornerstone of public health, a metaphor that resonates with Pitt Public Health research administrator Scott Szypulski. Each spring, he trades his desk for a Habitat for Humanity housing site, spending a week with Pitt students and alumni helping construct the walls, frames and foundations that give families a secure place to live.