Dean, School of Technology for Public Health

Arizona State University (ASU) invites inquiries, applications, and nominations for the role of inaugural Dean of the School of Technology for Public Health, a first-in-the-nation school shaping an emerging and critically important field that harnesses the power of technology to address pressing public health challenges and opportunities at the local, national, and global levels.  

This is a tremendous opportunity for an academic entrepreneur to drive transformational change and the future of public health by establishing a revolutionary new school at one of the nation’s most innovative universities. The COVID-19 pandemic exposed significant deficiencies in the nation’s public health infrastructure and coordination challenges between federal, state, and local agencies and other stakeholders in the pandemic response. Recognizing these key issues, the new School of Technology for Public Health aims to create a new and rapidly evolving space for the integration of modern technology, data-driven decision-making, and a significant focus on local impact within public health, as well as to contribute to a technologically sophisticated workforce that will power the field of public health into the future through educational, research, and entrepreneurship opportunities. The effective and innovative application of technologies and tools—including artificial intelligence, machine learning, electronic health platforms, sensors, and disease surveillance systems—in a public health setting will drastically impact the space, offering new opportunities to address sociocultural determinants of health at scale and ultimately reducing health disparities to promote better outcomes for all. 

Expected to welcome its first class of students in 2025, the School of Technology for Public Health will be a cornerstone of ASU Health, the University’s new healthcare enterprise. Headquartered in downtown Phoenix, ASU Health is a learning health ecosystem using innovation and technology to improve the lives and health outcomes of Arizonans and beyond. Arizona has one of the most severe hospital and healthcare worker shortages in the United States, with more than one in three hospitals in the state facing critical staffing shortages. Arizona also ranks near or in the bottom quartile of many health system performance indicators. ASU Health takes a bold and creative approach to addressing these challenges through solutions focused on prevention, coordination of public health and community healthcare, and by leveraging the multifaceted strengths of the University to recruit, develop, and train a professional workforce prepared to improve health outcomes in Arizona, nationally, and globally. 

In support of this ambitious goal, the School of Technology for Public Health will bring together experts and partners from across the public health ecosystem – learners, researchers, local and national public health experts, technology experts, community partners, and others – an interdisciplinary, interorganizational group of people to define and design new directions and solutions in public health. Reporting jointly to ASU’s Provost / Executive Vice President and the Executive Vice President of ASU Health, the Dean will be a critical early hire for ASU Health and must be a visionary, dynamic, and creative builder who can turn these bold plans into reality while operating in alignment with the University’s Charter. 

Because this is an inaugural role in a large university and a complex healthcare landscape, the successful candidate’s experience must demonstrate a history of entrepreneurship and comfort with ambiguity and should include progressive administrative responsibility in environments that rely upon vision, teamwork, planning, delegation of authority, and measures of accountability.

Screening of complete applications will begin immediately and continue until the completion of the search process. For best consideration, please apply by April 15, 2024. Inquiries, nominations, referrals, and CVs with cover letters should be sent below. Electronic submission of materials is required.

David Bellshaw and John Muckle are leading this search with Carley Davenport, Silvia Cheng, and Salem Adisu.

Arizona State University is a VEVRAA Federal Contractor and an Equal Opportunity/ Affirmative Action Employer. All qualified applicants will be considered without regard to race, color, sex, religion, national origin, disability, protected veteran status, or any other basis protected by law. For more information, please visit here and here.

In compliance with federal law, ASU prepares an annual report on campus security and fire safety programs and resources. ASU’s Annual Security and Fire Safety Report is available online here. You may request a hard copy of the report by contacting the ASU Police at 480-965-3456.