We offer a variety of degree programs, from specialized master's options to doctoral programs fostering groundbreaking research.
We are driven by a passion for breaking down the societal barriers that keep individuals, families, communities and populations from optimum health and wellness. Our mission is to address Georgia's distinct public health challenges through exceptional education, innovative research, and collaborative community engagement.
08/11/2026
Only ONE WEEK until our annual Welcome Back & Orientation event!
We're looking forward to seeing new and returning faces in the School of Public Health!
🗓️ WHEN: Monday, August 17, 2026
⏰ TIME: 11:30 AM to 1:00 PM
📍 WHERE: Science Hall W1002, Summerville Campus
See you there!
You already know what day it is…
Faculty Spotlight Friday! 💡
This week’s special feature is Brett Burrows, PhD, an assistant professor in the Department of Community and Behavioral Health Sciences.
Burrows sheds some light on his chronic kidney disease research, advice he would give to current and future SPH students, and a base-ically awesome fun fact about himself. ⚾️😎
08/06/2026
"We don't do research on the agricultural workers. We do research with our community partners, our research leaders and our faculty and students, and provide avenues so that we can find out and improve the healthcare status among those workers."
– Pam Cromer, DNP, Augusta University College of Nursing professor and director of Costa Layman International Outreach and Community Engagement
As part of our IPPH Summer Scholar lecture series, SPH Dean Teresa Waters, PhD; Teal Benevides, PhD; and Marlo Vernon, PhD, invited AU and community partners to join a discussion about doing research with, not on, communities.
08/05/2026
The School of Public heath is proud of our Summer 2026 graduates! We can’t wait to see what you accomplish next! 🎓
08/04/2026
Congratulations to our MPH students who recently wrapped up summer internships with the Georgia Department of Public Health's East Central Health District 6!
For their final presentations, Eboney Sharpton and Kayla Huff showcased their 2025 and 2026 CSRA county health rankings research, and Nehemiah Brown presented his Richmond County mosquito surveillance findings. 🦟 📊 📈
07/28/2026
The School of Public Health 🤝 a good collab
SPH faculty members Huang Huang, PhD, Vahé Heboyan, PhD, Teal Benevides, PhD, Dustin Tracy, PhD, and Sejong Bae, PhD, recently participated in a lightning roundtable showcase with faculty from the Department of Psychiatry and Health Behavior at the Medical College of Georgia.⚡
They each had ~5 minutes to share their work, brainstorm ideas and build multidisciplinary connections that could lead to lasting partnerships.
07/28/2026
Faculty. Spotlight. FRIDAY! 🙌
This week’s special feature is the one and only Dr. Jie Chen! From her data science and biostatistics background, to her current research projects, to her love of cooking and The Hunger Games, watch to learn all about this star in BDSE. 🌟
07/22/2026
"Since 1983, there have been a lot of changes in violence risk assessment for the better. I think we're going to see even more improvements in the upcoming years on violence risk assessment ... My guess is, in the next five to 10 years, we're going to see another step ahead based on what we're able to do and what AI is able to detect."
— Michael Vitacco, PhD, professor in the Department of Community and Behavioral Health Sciences
Dr. Vitacco recently presented, "Some toxins can be deadly in small doses: Conducting atypical violence risk assessments," as part of our IPPH Summer Scholars lecture series. The presentation included examples of how statistical data and structured professional judgment can counter each other in violence risk assessments, and how biases in risk assessments can lead to detrimental legal outcomes.
🚨 What you need to know about the cyclosporiasis outbreak 🚨
Epidemiology Professor KM Islam, MD, PhD, provides need-to-know info on the outbreak spanning across the U.S.
Most recent updates and more details provided below 👇
🦠 OUTBREAK UPDATE:
• Since May 1, the CDC has received reports of 4,173 laboratory-confirmed cases across 41 states, with more than 7,400 additional cases pending laboratory confirmation.
• The FDA initially linked the outbreak to shredded lettuce supplied by Taylor Farms de Mexico and served at Taco Bell locations in Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio, and West Virginia. A more recent FDA update determined those findings were a false positive.
• As of July 19, there are no confirmed positive sample results for Cyclospora.
• Taylor Farms de Mexico has voluntarily recalled its Mexico-sourced iceberg lettuce from the U.S. market.
🤒 COMMON SYMPTOMS:
• Explosive diarrhea
• Fatigue
• Loss of appetite
• Fever
• Stomach cramps
• Bloating
• Nausea
•Symptoms typically begin about one week after infection and, without antibiotics, can last a month or longer.
🥬 HOW TO HELP PROTECT YOURSELF:
•Avoid recalled iceberg lettuce.
•Rinse fresh produce under running water for at least 20 seconds.
•Cook produce to at least 158°F to kill the parasite
•Wash your hands thoroughly.
•Remove the outer leaves from leafy vegetables.
•Choose whole produce instead of bagged produce when possible.
| Monday | 8am - 5pm |
| Tuesday | 8am - 5pm |
| Wednesday | 8am - 5pm |
| Thursday | 8am - 5pm |
| Friday | 8am - 5pm |