Edmond D Shenassa

University of Maryland

Why do you want to serve as a leader of the College? 

I strongly believe Epidemiology can be an effective tool for promoting health as well as a more just society. I have strong convictions, as well as extensive experience, advancing both. I am always eager to take on positions that will enable me to bring my academic, governance, and research strengths to bear on these needs.

What are your qualifications and experiences that will help you in service as a leader?

In my positions with both the University of Maryland (UMD) and Brown University, I have facilitated better internal functioning and more effective outreach to a range of academic organizations. For example, as the Founding Director of UMD’s Maternal and Child Health Doctoral program, I developed a program that has matriculated 23 successful MCH epidemiologists. As the elected Chair of UMD’s School of Public Health’s (SPH) Senate Committee I worked with other Senate Executive Committee chairs across the University to synchronize SPH’s plan of organization with that of the University’s other schools and its constitution. As the President of the Association of Teachers of Maternal and Child Health, I helped develop innovative programs, including webinars and student competitions, to build our membership, increase its diversity, as well as advance the introduction of public health promotion to practitioners.

I have dual Doctorates in Epidemiology and Maternal and Child Health from Harvard University’s School of Public Health. The body of my research (primarily focused on social determinants of health disparities as well as Developmental Origins of Health and Disease) has culminated in the publication of 82 (55 as first or senior author) peer-reviewed manuscripts, invited commentaries, book chapters and white papers along with 118 invited and refereed presentations and talks. My work informs policy and improves health at the international, national and state levels.

Finally, I am an elected Fellow of the College and am excited to be serving as the lead local host to bring next year’s ACE conference to College Park, Maryland.