Professor David Savitz named Interim Dean of the School of Public Health

David Savitz, professor of epidemiology, chair of the Department of Epidemiology, an​d director of the Centers for Epidemiology and Environmental Health in the Brown University School of Public Health, will serve as interim dean of the School of Public Health from July 1 to August 31, 2020. Professor Savitz will be taking on this responsibility following the conclusion of Dean Bess Marcus’ term starting on June 30, and continuing until Dr. Ashish K. Jha begins officially as dean on September 1, 2020.
 
As interim dean, Professor Savitz will provide ongoing administrative and academic leadership for the School, and ensure continued operational excellence. His responsibilities will include oversight of budget and personnel matters, and maintaining progress toward the School’s reaccreditation. With Ashish Jha already actively engaged in meeting with faculty, staff, students and supporters of the School, Professor Savitz will work closely with him during this period to ensure an effective and orderly transition.
 
David Savitz is especially well-prepared for this role. He joined the Brown community in 2010, and in addition to his appointments in the School of Public Health, he holds joint appointments in Obstetrics and Gynecology and Pediatrics in the Warren Alpert Medical School. He served as the School of Public Health’s associate dean for research from 2018-19, and as Vice President for Research at Brown University from 2013-17.
 
Professor Savitz’s epidemiological research has addressed a wide range of important public health issues, including assessing environmental hazards in the workplace and community, reproductive health outcomes, and environmental influences on cancer. He has directed 30 doctoral dissertations and 15 master’s theses. A member of the National Academy of Sciences Institute of Medicine, he is the author of over 350 papers in professional journals and editor or author of three books. He earned a B.A. from Brandeis University, his M.S. in preventive medicine from Ohio State University, and his Ph.D. in epidemiology from the University of Pittsburgh.