SoPH News 2023

As the new year begins, we wanted to let you know about some changes in our School of Public Health. Effective January 3, 2023, Dean Smith, PhD, has stepped down as Dean.  Dr. Edward Trapido, ScD, FACE, will serve as Interim Dean while we plan a national search.

Dr. Trapido is a professor and Associate Dean for Research. He is also Deputy Director for Population Science in the Stanley S. Scott Cancer Center, and the Coordinator for LSU Health Sciences Center’s research on the Gulf Oil Spill. Before joining LSU Health, Dr. Trapido was a Professor of the Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, and Vice Chair for Education, at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine. From 2003-2008, Dr. Trapido was Associate Director of the Epidemiology and Genetics Research Program, at the National Cancer Institute. A cancer epidemiologist by training, Dr. Trapido received his ScD and ScM degrees from the Harvard University School of Public Health and an MSPH from the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill. His areas of expertise include Cancer Epidemiology, Prevention, and Control; HIV; Tobacco; Global Health; Environmental Epidemiology; Health Disparities, Disasters; Global Cancer Planning; Public Health, Politics and Policy, as well as Global Public Health.

Dr. Trapido notes that this is a critical time for public health. “Public Health is at an inflection point following the pandemic, and there are pressing issues that need to be tackled. It is clear that yesterday’s training is not adequate to solve tomorrow’s problems. In harmony with the Health Science Center, the School of Public Health will strengthen its capabilities to address population health in its most pressing domains. I will strive to be a servant leader during this interim period and steer the way forward in research, teaching, and public health practice. I want to thank Dean Smith for his work during the last several years.“

Dr. Dean Smith will succeed Dr. Richard Culbertson, Ph.D., as Director of the Health Policy and Systems Management Program. Dr. Culbertson will focus on teaching, research, and service to the field. He will also continue as Lead for the Ethics Key Resource of the LACaTS consortium.