WashU officially will launch the Program in Public Health & Society — including a major and minor — at a celebratory event Monday, Oct. 21. The program, housed within Arts & Sciences, offers a distinctive interdisciplinary approach to public health, blending expertise from across the university’s schools. The undergraduate minor is already live, and the major will debut in fall 2025.
Unlike traditional public health programs, Public Health & Society is rooted in Arts & Sciences, allowing students to explore public health through a variety of academic lenses such as environmental science, anthropology, statistics, humanities and gender studies. This structure enables students to create personalized education pathways that equip them with the tools and knowledge to tackle today’s most pressing public health challenges. The program’s first course, “Foundations of Public Health,” emphasizes social justice and addresses health disparities.
The launch event, beginning at 3 p.m. at the Clark-Fox Forum in Hillman Hall, will feature a keynote address by Sandro Galea, MD, a globally renowned public health expert and incoming Margaret C. Ryan Dean for WashU’s planned School of Public Health. Galea will speak on “Why Public Health?” and discuss the critical role of public health in today’s world.
The event also will include introductory remarks by key figures in the program’s development: Mary M. McKay, vice provost for interdisciplinary initiatives; Feng Sheng Hu, the Richard G. Engelsmann Dean of Arts & Sciences; and program co-chairs Lindsay Stark, a professor and associate dean for global strategy and programs at the Brown School, and Tristram R. Kidder, the Edward S. and Tedi Macias Professor of Anthropology in Arts & Sciences.
A panel discussion featuring alumni working in diverse fields of public health will follow the keynote, offering insights into career opportunities and the future of public health practice. The event will culminate with a reception at Nussbaum Family Plaza, west of Hillman Hall, providing an opportunity for attendees to network with faculty, staff, student ambassadors and other guests, while learning more about the program’s vision for the future.
The reception also will serve as the kickoff to the Oct. 21-22 Public Health at WashU annual conference, “The Next Era of Public Health: Equity-Informed Approaches to Innovative Technologies & Workforce Development.”
As part of WashU’s “Here and Next” strategic plan, the Program in Public Health & Society aligns closely with the creation of the university’s new School of Public Health. This connection will create pathways for students to seamlessly transition into advanced degrees in public health, further strengthening WashU’s commitment to fostering the next generation of public health leaders.
