I am writing this message at the close of the second week of rapid-fire U.S. executive orders and changes in public-facing health data. One of our faculty members said to me that this moment feels like one of shifting tectonic plates. That metaphor feels very apt.
At YSPH, we are linking science and society, making public health foundational to communities everywhere, guided by our visionary 2025-2030 Strategic Plan.
Many scientists agree that successive extreme weather events associated with climate change set up the dangerously dry conditions that led to the catastrophic California wildfires.
Scientists at the Yale School of Public Health warn that these compound extreme weather events — droughts, floods, hurricanes, and wildfires — pose an increasing threat to population health and highlight an urgent need for more robust public health preparedness and response in a new report by Dr. Kai Chen, PhD, a co-director of the Yale Center on Climate Change and Health and
Dr. Harlan Krumholz, MD, a leading cardiologist at Yale School of Medicine.
Dr. Xi Chen, PhD, associate professor of health policy, recently led a study on how racial segregation in schools may influence the development of dementia in later life. Identifying people at risk of dementia using information based on their schooling could help prioritize limited clinical resources for these higher-risk groups, Chen said.
“Medicaid is one of the country’s most important social programs and it faces a number of challenges and complexities that potentially affect the health and well-being of tens of millions of people nationwide,” said Dr. Jacob Wallace, PhD, associate professor of public health (health policy) and one of the event’s organizers.
The event was sponsored by the White House Office of Gun Violence Prevention and the Office of Science Technology and Policy in collaboration with the Yale School of Public Health, the Tobin Center for Economic Policy at Yale, the University of Chicago Crime Lab, and National Neighborhood Indicators Partnership (NNIP). Also attending was Dean Megan L. Ranney.
Redefining Public Health
We believe that collaboration is the cornerstone of advancing public health and are dedicated to fostering a community of professionals who work together to address the pressing health challenges of our time.
"It’s an incredible honor to receive an award named for Dr. Emery Hetrick, who recognized decades ago the mental health promise of providing LGBTQ people with stability, support, and purpose in their local communities," said founding director Dr. John Pachankis, PhD
, David R. Kessler, MD '55, Professor of Public Health (Social and Behavioral Sciences) at YSPH, and professor of psychology and psychiatry.
Two former MPH students met at YSPH and discovered that they shared more than a love of public health. Joe Lewis, MPH ’23, and Jessica Robles, MPH ’23, were married in November 2024. They tell us what drew them to YSPH, how they met, and what they are doing now to link science and society in their public health careers.
YSPH recently debuted our reimagined annual magazine,
Science & Society, complete with a name that reflects our newly independent school’s aspirations, strengths, and vision for the future.
Science & Society includes a special section about our independence and five-year strategic plan. Its articles highlight how we are already realizing YSPH’s new vision, priorities, and areas of scholarly focus, and how our community of friends and alumni are helping to ensure that this scholarship is translated into real-world impact.
FEBRUARY 28 Solving Real World Challenges in Health Innovation
Alumna Kayla Wooley, MPH ’21, is creating pathways for translating outstanding science into local health impact. An expert in senior care technology, she will share her entrepreneurial journey and insights on driving health innovation to meet real-world needs.
MARCH 4-5 Digital Health Equity: Local Engagement and Global Alignment
Join us at the conference Digital Health Equity: Local Engagement and Global Alignment on March 4-5 at Yale and become part of the effort to promote data equity as a fundamental pillar of health equity.
MARCH 19-21 ASPPH Annual Meeting Dean Megan L. Ranney is the conference co-chair for the 2025 ASPPH Annual Meeting March 19-21 in Arlington, Va. Dean Ranney is excited for the opportunity to foster collaboration and innovation in our field, ensuring that all schools and programs can continue to meet the evolving challenges in public health.
APRIL 11 The 21st Yale Healthcare Conference
This student-led event brings together professionals, scholars, and students to engage in informative discussions. The event contributes to the students’ understanding and use of rigorous science to advance population-level health. Mark your calendars!
YSPH 3 ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS The link between alcohol and cancer
Dr. Vasilis Vasiliou, PhD, chair of the Department of Environmental Health Sciences and Susan Dwight Bliss Professor of Epidemiology
Fact Sheets – We welcome your ideas for our new fact sheets initiative, which supports members of our Yale School of Public Health community in serving as trusted spokespeople for public health science. Read our childhood vaccines fact sheet.
Setting the Record Straight
Dr. Chelsey R. Carter’s name was misspelled in a news note that appeared in the October 29, 2024 issue of Linking Science & Society newsletter. Read more about Dr. Carter and her work.
