Amidst the pandemic, the new dean was having a difficult time finding opportunities to spend time with students, faculty, and staff. Being new to Providence, and hoping to get to know the Brown University campus and surrounding area, the dean started hosting short walks on Tuesday and Thursday mornings, inviting members of the Brown School of Public Health community along for conversation. In formulating the idea for these ‘walk and talks,’ the dean said he thought it was a nice alternative to sitting in an office or on a Zoom call, as it creates a more casual environment.
Dr. Jha was accompanied by two students on his first walk of the semester; a junior undergraduate studying health policy who expressed immense respect for the dean and hoped to learn from his pioneering work in pharmaceuticals, and a first year Master of Public Health student who simply wanted to learn more about Dean Jha and his plans for the school.
The dean said he has no deep agenda for these conversations other than getting to know the people within the Brown SPH community. This gives the unique opportunity to talk about a variety of topics. Dr. Jha looks forward to these walks with students, faculty, and staff, and hopes to “hear what’s on their mind.”
Feeling like the “new kid,” Dean Jha is excited to “get to know people and get to know Providence.” These casual conversations make for a great introduction to Dr. Ashish Jha’s deanship.
If you'd like to participate in these walks, please sign up for one of the two slots per day.