At the University of Michigan School of Public Health, more than 200 professors and research scientists teach tomorrow’s public health leaders and perform cutting-edge research that helps advance the field of public health. Many faculty members are leading experts in their fields who consult with governments, communities, and nongovernmental organizations.

Meet Our Faculty


Faculty who have expertise in Social Epidemiology

Fan Bu Fan Bu, PhD
  • Assistant Professor, Biostatistics

Areas of Expertise
Biostatistics, COVID-19, Diabetes, Global Public Health, Health Care, Health Informatics, Health Policy, Infectious Disease, Modeling, Social Epidemiology, Vaccines

James Buszkiewicz James H Buszkiewicz, PhD, MPH
  • Research Assistant Professor, Epidemiology

Areas of Expertise
Chronic Disease, COVID-19, Health Equity, Health Policy, Mental Health, Nutrition, Social Epidemiology, Substance Use, Tobacco

EPID logo Steven Cook, PhD
  • Assistant Research Scientist, Epidemiology

Areas of Expertise
Biostatistics, Chronic Disease, Health Equity, Mental Health, Social Epidemiology, Tobacco

Nancy Fleischer Nancy L Fleischer, PhD, MPH
  • Associate Professor, Epidemiology
  • Co-Director, Center for Social Epidemiology and Population Health
  • Co-Director, Certificate in Social Epidemiology

Areas of Expertise
Chronic Disease, COVID-19, Health Equity, LGBT Health, Occupational Health, Racism, Social Epidemiology, Substance Use

Alexis Handal Alexis J. Handal, PhD, MPH
  • Associate Professor, Epidemiology
  • Associate Professor, Global Public Health

Areas of Expertise
Brain Disorders, Child Health, Environmental Health, Environmental Justice, Global Public Health, Health Equity, Maternal Health, Nutrition, Occupational Health, Racism, Reproductive Health, Social Epidemiology, Women’s Health

Spruha Joshi Spruha Joshi, PhD, MPH
  • Assistant Professor, Epidemiology

Areas of Expertise
Health Equity, Opioids, Social Epidemiology, Substance Use

Carrie Karvonen-Gutierrez Carrie A Karvonen-Gutierrez, PhD, MPH
  • Associate Professor, Epidemiology
  • Associate Chair for Faculty Affairs, Epidemiology

Areas of Expertise
Aging, Cardiovascular Health, Chronic Disease, Community-Based Participatory Research, COVID-19, Diabetes, Environmental Health, Health Equity, Occupational Health, Reproductive Health, Social Epidemiology, Sleep, Women’s Health

Lindsay Kobayashi Lindsay C Kobayashi, PhD, MSc
  • Associate Professor of Epidemiology
  • Faculty Affiliate, Survey Research Center, Institute for Social Research
  • Associate Professor of Global Public Health
  • Co-Director, Certificate in Social Epidemiology

Areas of Expertise
Aging, Brain Disorders, Cancer, Chronic Disease, Global Public Health, Health Equity, Social Epidemiology

Aleda (Allie) Leis Aleda (Allie) M. Leis, PhD, MS
  • Research Assistant Professor, Epidemiology

Areas of Expertise
Aging, Biostatistics, Cardiovascular Health, Chronic Disease, COVID-19, Diabetes, Health Informatics, Precision Health, Respiratory Viruses, Social Epidemiology, Vaccines, Women’s Health

Briana Mezuk Briana Mezuk, PhD
  • Professor, Epidemiology
  • Director of Masters Studies, Epidemiology
  • Co-Director, Center for Social Epidemiology and Population Health

Areas of Expertise
Aging, Chronic Disease, Diabetes, Health Equity, Mental Health, Social Epidemiology

Lewis Morgenstern Lewis Morgenstern, MD
  • Professor, Epidemiology
  • Professor, Neurology Emergency Medicine and Neurosurgery
  • Director, Stroke Program

Areas of Expertise
Brain Disorders, Health Care, Health Equity, Social Epidemiology

Belinda Needham Belinda L. Needham, PhD, MA
  • Chair, Epidemiology
  • Associate Professor, Epidemiology

Areas of Expertise
Aging, Health Equity, Racism, Social Epidemiology

Sari Reisner Sari L. Reisner, ScD, MA
  • Associate Professor, Epidemiology
  • Faculty Affiliate, Center for Social Epidemiology and Population Health
  • Faculty Affiliate, Frances and Kenneth Eisenberg and Family Depression Center

Areas of Expertise
Clinical Trials, Global Public Health, Health Care, Health Equity, Infectious Disease, LGBT Health, Mental Health, Racism, Reproductive Health, Social Epidemiology, Substance Use, Urban Health, Women’s Health

Jennifer Smith Jennifer A Smith, PhD, MPH
  • Associate Professor of Epidemiology
  • Research Associate Professor, Survey Research
  • Director, Certificate in Public Health Genetics

Areas of Expertise
Aging, Cardiovascular Health, Chronic Disease, Epigenetics, Genetics, Genomics, Precision Health, Social Epidemiology, Women’s Health

Ashly Westrick Ashly Westrick, PhD, MPH
  • Research Investigator

Areas of Expertise
Aging, Cancer, Health Equity, Social Epidemiology

Brady West Brady Thomas West, PhD

Research Professor, Department of BiostatisticsResearch Professor, Survey Methodology Program (Institute for Social Research)

Areas of Expertise
Biostatistics, Modeling, Social Epidemiology

Wei Zhao Wei Zhao, PhD
  • Assistant Professor, Epidemiology
  • Research Assistant Professor, Institute for Social Research

Areas of Expertise
Aging, Chronic Disease, Child Health, Epigenetics, Genetics, Health Equity, Mental Health, Precision Health, Reproductive Health, Social Epidemiology, Substance Use

Kathleen Ford Kathleen Ford, PhD
  • Research Scientist Emeritus, Epidemiology
  • Faculty Associate, Southeast Asian Studies

Areas of Expertise
Global Public Health, Health Equity, Infectious Disease, Mental Health, Reproductive Health, Social Epidemiology

George Kaplan George A. Kaplan, PhD
  • Thomas Francis Collegiate Professor Emeritus of Public Health
  • Professor Emeritus, Epidemiology
  • Founder, Center for Social Epidemiology and Population Health (CSEPH)

Areas of Expertise
Health Equity, Modeling, Social Epidemiology

Hal Morgenstern Hal Morgenstern, BArch, MRP, PhD
  • Professor Emeritus, Epidemiology
  • Professor Emeritus, Environmental Health Sciences
  • Professor Emeritus, Urology, Medical School

Areas of Expertise
Cancer, Chronic Disease, Environmental Health, Health Equity, Racism, Social Epidemiology