We find hope in the Black Lives Matter movement for racial justice, and in an American public newly awake to the vital importance of our field. And we find hope in the 91 new graduate students joining the Brown School of Public Health at this precarious time. We are dedicated to making their time with us as meaningful and productive as possible as they work to build the skills needed to impact the health of populations and further health equity.
Orientation 2020
The School of Public Health held virtual Orientation activities this year to welcome our new graduate students and introduce them to the School. Through a mix of live and pre-recorded sessions, 17 PhD students and 74 Master's students, including 53 MPH students, connected with their peers and academic support services and learned more about the School and our approach to education. In his Orientation address to incoming students, Dean Jha welcomed students saying, "The first six or twelve months of your journey will be a bit unusual, because we are all living through this pandemic, but I am committed to making sure that it is an excellent experience where you learn what you need to know to change the world."
Convocation
For the first time in over 250 years, Brown University held Convocation remotely. Presided over by President Christina Paxson and with remarks delivered by Andre Willis, associate professor of religious studies, the virtual ceremony was live-streamed to an audience of more than 800 new graduate students and 144 first-year medical students, as well as the undergraduates who will begin their Brown careers more formally in January as part of Brown’s modified three-term academic year.
New Faculty
Brown University welcomes 59 new faculty members, including 20 new faculty in the School of Public Health. From investigating the socioeconomic disparities underlying childhood obesity to understanding how payment and delivery reform affect the outcomes of vulnerable patient populations, these faculty represent a wide array of public health approaches to improving population heath.