Message from the Dean

Even if countries come together to hold down the increase in global temperatures, adverse health effects from climate change are inevitable.

In fact, impacts are already being felt—we’re seeing vector-borne diseases expand their territory, ER visits for asthma jump on high-pollution days, and increases in injuries from wildfires, floods, and intense storms.

Rollins researchers, particularly those in our environmental health department, are working to discover best practices to mitigate such health outcomes. A university-wide organization housed at Rollins, Climate@Emory, is partnering with other academic institutions, industries, and governments to support education and climate remediation efforts. And, of course, we are educating the next generation of public health leaders who will be on the front lines when the fallout from global warming is felt. I’m proud of the vast and varied work of our school to deal with this looming public health crisis.

We recently welcomed James Lavery as the inaugural Conrad N. Hilton Professor in Global Health Ethics. Lavery is one of the leading experts in navigating the complex and nuanced world of public health research in global—often third-world—settings. He will enrich our many studies in the global arena.

Closer to home, Rollins is committed to helping fulfill the needs of our Atlanta community. A few of these efforts are highlighted in this issue, including community grants that help neighborhoods address environmental concerns, a project to help low-income first-generation Latino high school students gain work experience in health-related fields, and an initiative to identify public health benefits of the City of Atlanta’s Climate Action Plan.

Finally, and sadly, we lost a good friend and valued colleague. William “Bill” McClellan Jr. passed away on March 9. All of us know Bill as an outstanding teacher and mentor for many years in the epidemiology of cardiovascular disease and other chronic diseases and aging. He was the ultimate physician and clinical epidemiologist. With his countless trainees, mentees, and colleagues, we will miss him greatly.

James W. Curran, MD, MPH
James W. Curran Dean of Public Health