Pitt Public Health

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Pitt Public Health

We are a diverse community of public health leaders committed to helping communities thrive.

The University of Pittsburgh School of Public Health was the first fully accredited school of public health in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, with alumni who are leaders in the field. A member of the Association of Schools and Programs of Public Health, Pitt Public Health consistently ranks among the top five schools of public health in funding from the National Institutes of Health.

02/25/2026

Thank you to everyone who supported Pitt Public Health during this year’s Pitt Day of Giving!

Because of the generosity of our community, we exceeded last year’s participation by a significant margin. Your support demonstrates the dedication and shared purpose that define Pitt Public Health.

We also extend our congratulations to Health Policy & Management for winning this year’s Department Challenge! Their outstanding engagement exemplifies the spirit of participation that made this year’s effort so successful.

We are grateful for the support that allows us to continue moving our work forward.

02/24/2026

Please join us TODAY on Pitt Day of Giving (PDoG) to show your support for the future of public health!

You are Essential to our Public Health Community! Every gift helps us in our mission to prevent disease, promote well-being and protect communities.

To donate, check our goal progress and department rankings visit
https://pittdayofgiving.com/pages/pdog-public-health

02/20/2026

By age two, Emily Thomas’s family was already navigating organ transplantation.

Over the years, additional transplants and medical emergencies became part of her family’s reality. Those experiences shaped how she understands health, resilience and the impact of organ donation.

Today, she is an MPH student in Epidemiology at Pitt Public Health, focusing her academic work on organ donation research and strategies to expand donor engagement.

As we approach Pitt Day of Giving on February 24, Emily’s story is a reminder that public health is deeply personal. The work happening in classrooms, research labs and communities is often inspired by real lived experiences.

Learn more about Emily's story here: https://www.publichealth.pitt.edu/news/pitt-public-health-student-pays-it-forward

02/19/2026

If you will be attending the 2026 ASPPH Annual Meeting or will be in the Arlington area, join us for a Pitt Public Health Alumni Mixer.

Reconnect with fellow alumni and spend time with the Pitt Public Health community while you are in town.

Register here: https://securelb.imodules.com/s/1729/2-pittsburgh/interior.aspx?sid=1729&gid=2&pgid=7655&cid=21879

02/13/2026

What if the stories we watch are shaping how we respond in real life?

Pitt graduate Ore Fawole explored that question at the University of Pittsburgh, where she double majored in natural sciences and film and media studies.

Her work looks at how television portrays medical emergencies and how those portrayals may influence public understanding, representation and real world response.

“I don’t think people realize how much health information they’re getting from screens,” Fawole said.

For her, improving what appears on screen is a form of public health, one that reaches millions of people beyond the walls of a clinic.

Her research has also been featured in national outlets including The Washington Post and The Guardian.

Read more about her story and work here: https://www.publichealth.pitt.edu/news/storytelling-meets-science

02/05/2026

Earlier this semester, our community gathered for a dedicated Pitt Public Health night at Freedom House: Giving Life a Second Chance, a powerful theatrical telling of the origins of Freedom House Ambulance Service.

As part of One Book One Community programming, that shared experience continues with Coffee & Conversation, an open, informal discussion centered on American Sirens, the book that inspired the play.

Join us on February 10 from 12:30–1:30 p.m. in the Public Health Commons for a conversation exploring themes of belonging, institutional responsibility, race, socioeconomic status and how expertise is recognized in professional spaces.

Playwright L.E. McCullough and Freedom House cofounder Philip Hallen will join the discussion, and coffee and light snacks will be provided!

You do not need to have read or finished the book to attend. All are welcome to listen or join the discussion!

Register at the link in our bio. You’re welcome to attend even if you don’t register.

01/30/2026

This month’s staff highlight is Calvin Dziewulski 📷

Calvin works at the University of Pittsburgh School of Public Health as executive assistant to the Chair of Biostatistics and Health Data Science. Outside of work, he explores Pittsburgh through photography, capturing the city’s neighborhoods, architecture and overlooked corners.

A Greensburg native and Pitt alum, Calvin’s work reflects a deep appreciation for Pittsburgh’s history and character, especially in quiet or worn spaces that often go unnoticed. His Instagram account reaches more than 60,000 followers and receives millions of views each month.

In addition to sharing his photography online, Calvin leads monthly photo walks across Pittsburgh, inviting others to slow down, observe their surroundings and see the city in new ways.

Read more about Calvin and his photography here: https://www.publichealth.pitt.edu/news/meet-calvin412

01/22/2026

When students identify a need, they can be powerful drivers of change.

After noticing that peers were struggling to access basic necessities, BSPH junior Grace Osborne worked with Pitt Public Health staff to create a new resource locker in the Public Health Building. Designed to be discreet and easy to use, the locker provides food, hygiene products, self care items and seasonal essentials through an honor based system that prioritizes dignity and accessibility.

The initiative reflects how public health values show up in everyday ways, not only through research and policy, but through students supporting one another and strengthening the communities they are part of.

The resource locker is located on the ground floor of the Public Health Building in the Sustainability Room, G31.

🔗 Read more about the student led initiative here: https://www.publichealth.pitt.edu/news/students-launch-resource-locker-support-pitt-public-health-community

01/19/2026

Martin Luther King Jr. reminded us that injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.

On Martin Luther King Jr. Day, we reflect on his legacy and recommit to the work that remains. In public health, this means confronting the systems that produce inequities in health, access and opportunity.

Martin Luther King Jr. Day is a day of service and a reminder that advancing equity requires action. We honor Dr. King’s legacy through service, scholarship and community partnership, today and throughout the year.

12/15/2025

This month’s Staff Highlight (our final spotlight for 2025!) features Lora Ann Bray, Center for Health Equity (CHE) Manager of Community Partnerships, Education and Training.

Lora Ann serves as the CHE Manager of Community Partnerships, Education and Training, where she leads health education programs like the CHE Journal Club and helps coordinate the center’s daily work across research, education, community engagement and administration. Her efforts help bring students, faculty, staff and community partners together around meaningful health equity learning.

This year, Lora Ann played a key role in expanding the Health Advocates In Reach (HAIR) Program, a collaboration with African American owned and operated barbershops and salons. She worked with students and health sciences partners to support community health screenings, develop new program tools and strengthen outreach efforts.

Outside of her role at CHE, Lora Ann enjoys music and recently returned to playing the viola, performing in the music school’s spring recital this year. Her family also recently adopted a cat who has quickly become a source of daily happiness.

We’re proud to spotlight Lora Ann and her important contributions to the Center for Health Equity and the Pitt Public Health community.

12/12/2025

Mayor Alyia Gaskins is a Pitt Public Health alum (HPM ‘11) who has dedicated her career to improving the conditions that shape community health. From her early work in food access to her roles in public health and urban planning, she has consistently centered equity and community voice in her approach to leadership.

Now serving as mayor of Alexandria, Va., Gaskins brings a public health perspective to issues such as housing quality, city planning and emergency preparedness. She also made history as the first Black woman to lead the city.

Read her full story here: https://www.publichealth.pitt.edu/news/mayor-and-pitt-alumna-alyia-gaskins-healthy-outlook

12/10/2025

We are proud to share that Sonja Swanson has been named the new editor-in-chief of the journal Epidemiology, published by Lippincott Medicine.

This is an outstanding accomplishment and a meaningful recognition of her work in the field. Please join us in celebrating this achievement!

Address

130 De Soto Street
Pittsburgh, PA
15261

Telephone

+14126245200

Website

http://www.publichealth.pitt.edu/

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One of the top-ranked schools of public health in the U.S., the University of Pittsburgh Graduate School of Public Health was the first fully accredited school of public health in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, with alumni who are among the leaders in their fields. A member of the Association of Schools of Public Health, Pitt Public Health consistently ranks in the top five among schools of public health in National Institutes of Health funding received. Pitt Public Health is a leader in research related to women’s health, HIV/AIDS, and human genetics, among others.