Dear colleagues and friends,

As 2024 winds to a close, I am reminded public health practitioners are always working on the edge of uncertainty. That is true whether we are preparing for the next pandemic, protecting health in a changing climate or informing local, national and global policy to address inequities and improve health outcomes for all.

In the midst of uncertainty, I am immensely proud that our school stands as a beacon of knowledge, research and insight. It is driven by students, faculty, staff and alumni who work diligently to ask the hard questions and drive change using evidence and data in ways that ultimately improve the lives of people around the world. So much hard work goes into improving public health I couldn’t be prouder of all you achieved this year.

This was a banner year for the Brown University School of Public Health. We made exciting leaps in the field of biosecurity, launching the Biosecurity Game Changers program. We brought together policymakers, parents and youth in Washington, D.C. to discuss the shifting landscape of social media on children’s mental health. We launched new, interdisciplinary research projects in climate and health, celebrated thirty years of biostatistics at Brown and launched our newest research center, the Center for Health System Sustainability. We welcomed 15 new faculty to our community to continue to build on our successes.

More than ever before, in both physical and virtual classrooms, we are preparing the next generation of diverse public health leaders ready to tackle the big challenges facing us. In May, we celebrated over 225 individuals who earned their bachelor’s, master’s or Ph.D. degrees at our commencement ceremony. In September, we welcomed our newest cohort of students who helped expand our enrollment to the highest levels ever.

While these are just some of the highlights from this year, there are thousands more: from successful grant applications, to groundbreaking new research studies to the lasting impact of our alumni. Our community members are eager to pursue excellence in their scholarship, teaching, advocacy and leadership. Over these coming weeks, I hope you will celebrate your own achievements and enjoy some downtime with family and friends.

I wish you a warm and restful holiday season full of reflection and mirth. Cheers to 2025 – I’ll see you in the new year.

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