Dean's Message from Melinda Pettigrew - Fall 2022

When Charles-Edward Amory Winslow arrived at Yale in 1915 to open a new Department of Public Health at the Yale School of Medicine, one of his first acts was to ensure that public health courses were also listed as electives in the offerings of other Yale schools. Winslow, widely regarded as a seminal figure in public health, did so because he knew that addressing society’s complex public health issues requires collaboration across academic disciplines, government structures, private entities, community organizations, and among individuals themselves. 

That fundamental understanding of the importance of innovation and collaboration in improving public health remains at the core of the Yale School of Public Health’s mission 107 years later. It is within this context that I am proud to share with you the Fall 2022 issue of Yale Public Health, which celebrates YSPH’s long-standing and distinctly collaborative culture.

In these pages, we highlight some of our many collaborations across Yale, including our work with Yale’s Cancer Outcomes, Public Policy, and Effectiveness Research (COPPER) Center, the Global Health Justice Partnership, and within our own Institute for Global Health. 

We also highlight our partnerships outside of Yale, where YSPH faculty, staff, students, and trainees are collaborating with government agencies, private corporations, and numerous nonprofit organizations in a variety of creative ways. 

Lastly, I would like to encourage you to read two very special stories. The first (on page 28) tells the tale of how a generous gift from Robert, Virginia, and Derek Shiller and the Shiller Foundation has allowed us to offer our students and local community organizations three new fellowships focused on improving equity in maternal health. The second (on page 36) celebrates the tremendous dedication and energy of our alumni who collaborate with their alma mater by mentoring students, raising funds, and helping us to enhance our programs and services.

I think that this cumulative picture of our collaborative culture at YSPH would make C.-E. A. Winslow very, very proud.

Melinda Pettigrew