PHS Welcomes New Faculty in Division of Epidemiology

We are excited to share that Kathryn (Katie) Conlon, PhD, will join the Department of Public Health Sciences as an Assistant Professor in the Division of Epidemiology through the university’s Hiring Investment Program (HIP)*. She is jointly appointed with the School of Veterinary Medicine’s Department of Veterinary Medicine and Epidemiology (VME). Dr. Conlon’s home department will be PHS in the Division of Epidemiology. 

Dr. Conlon joins us from the Center for Disease Control (CDC) as an epidemiologist with a focus on studying the health effects of climate change. She obtained her BA (2005) and PhD (2013) from the University of Michigan, and her MPH from Emory University (2007), followed by a postdoctoral fellowship in the CDC’s National Center for Atmospheric Research (2013-2015).

Her collaborative research interests focus on topics relating to climate change in an urban setting and adaptation strategies to protect human health in a changing climate. Her research is both timely and impactful considering the increased frequency of extreme weather events. Her published work is in many areas of climate change epidemiology including: prevention of cold-related morbidity and mortality; creation of models to assist urban planners and public health practitioners in identifying vulnerable groups and mitigation strategies; descriptions of methodologies that combine climate and health data to project disease burdens; development of models to predict extreme heat events that will require heat advisories in urban settings; and assessments of the relationships between a population’s vulnerability to disease and climate variability.

Given Dr. Conlon’s research activities and her strong publication and service record, we are confident she will strengthen research in the School of Medicine and School of Veterinary Medicine in climate adaptation health.

*The HIP program is a special initiative of the Provost that annually awards funding to support additional faculty hiring that either transcends the traditional boundaries our colleges, schools, and/or departments or extends their range into critical new areas. One of these critical areas in need of the most promising and creative faculty is climate adaptation, Dr. Conlon’s area of expertise.