Alexander Sundermann, DrPH, assistant professor of epidemiology at the University of Pittsburgh School of Public Health, has been named to Pittsburgh Magazine’s 2026 40 Under 40 class.
The annual recognition honors 40 professionals under the age of 40 who are making an impact in the Pittsburgh region through their professional accomplishments, leadership and community contributions.
“It’s an honor to be recognized alongside so many people doing meaningful work across the Pittsburgh region,” Sundermann said. “Pittsburgh has played an important role in my education and career, which makes this recognition especially meaningful.”
Sundermann’s research focuses on detecting and preventing infectious disease outbreaks in health care settings. His work combines whole-genome sequencing, epidemiology and health care data to identify transmission that traditional infection prevention methods may miss, with the goal of detecting outbreaks earlier and improving patient safety.
Sundermann earned his MPH in infectious diseases and microbiology from Pitt Public Health in 2014 and his DrPH in epidemiology from the school in 2022. His research has included investigations of health care-associated infections and the development of new approaches to identify how pathogens spread within health care facilities.
“Our goal is to find outbreaks and transmission events that otherwise might go unnoticed and give infection prevention teams the information they need to act,” Sundermann said. “This recognition also reflects the work of the mentors, colleagues and collaborators I’ve been fortunate to work with throughout my career.”
Sundermann and the other 2026 honorees will be recognized at the 40 Under 40 Awards Celebration on Nov. 6 at Rivers Casino Pittsburgh.
-Ava Dzurenda