Dear SPH Faculty and Staff,

With a very heavy heart, I write today to share the news of the passing of our beloved colleague and friend Alison Field, professor of Epidemiology and former associate dean for Faculty Affairs. For all of us who knew and admired her, I know this moment feels especially difficult.

As many of you know, Alison joined the School of Public Health (SPH) in 2015 as professor and chair of the Department of Epidemiology and director of the Center for Epidemiology and Environmental Health. She had many notable achievements throughout her life. In 2022, she stepped into the role of associate dean for Faculty Affairs - a position she occupied until her leave in November 2023.

Alison was brilliant. Her extraordinary research spanned nutritional, pediatric, and psychiatric epidemiology with a specific focus on how eating disorders and obesity should be best classified. Her early work focused on identifying the personal, peer, family, and media factors that influence the development of an eating disorder. As a testament to her impact in the field, this past spring, she was recognized with a Lifetime Achievement Award from her professional society, the Academy for Eating Disorders.

She was beloved here at Brown for her dedication to students as well as her colleagues. She was warm, kind, and of an immensely generous spirit. She was also an avid skier and cook. One of the many testaments to her accomplishments is the sheer number of trainees who not only admired her but then went on to become stars in their own right. These qualities led the Obesity Society to name an award after her, The Alison Field Early-Career Award for Excellence in Research in Pediatric Obesity.

Along with many loving friends and extended family, she leaves behind her husband and best friend, Eric, her daughter, Sofia, and her three adoring black labs who were by her side until the end.

At this moment, our thoughts are with Alison’s family, friends, and colleagues.

Sincerely,

Ashish K. Jha M.D., MPH
Dean, School of Public Health
Professor of Health Services, Policy, and Practice