Faculty Spotlight: Megan Healey.
"Public health thrives on collaboration. We generate better ideas and solutions when we work together across disciplines, sectors and communities."
Collaborative work is key to developing sustainable public health solutions and improving population health outcomes. This weekly series spotlights one SPH faculty member who advances public health through collaborations within the field and across sectors.
As a molecular epidemiologist, can you talk about your primary research interests?
My research combines my interests in molecular biology, epidemiology and women’s health. As a molecular epidemiologist, I apply a microscopic lens to improve population health. My projects range from using molecular markers of breast cancer to optimize classification to identifying biomarker screening panels that can reduce unnecessary breast biopsies. My interdisciplinary work often takes me in new and unexpected directions.
How are collaborative partnerships integral to your work, and can you describe one or two collaborations that have been most meaningful to you?
Collaborative partnerships drive my work and amplify its reach and impact. The most meaningful collaborations have happened within teaching teams of faculty and student teaching assistants. Sharing perspectives is a powerful way to design and deliver the best educational experiences. The interdisciplinary teaching team for the course “Quantitative Methods for Public Health” is part of my work family; the course reflects the best of our collective ideas, expertise, and support for one another.
As director of MPH programs, how is collaboration emphasized throughout the curriculum?
Public health thrives on collaboration. We generate better ideas and solutions when we work together across disciplines, sectors and communities. Collaboration is therefore foundational to the MPH curriculum. As examples, students can develop collaborative skills and approaches by working as teams to complete course projects, acting as consultants to address an external organization’s health need, or engaging within interprofessional teams at a practicum site. Collaboration underpins every MPH program component and prepares students to make the most meaningful contributions as future public health leaders and practitioners.
“Professor Healey is a public health education wiz. Her mastery of both classroom and on-line teaching, curriculum development, program oversight, and student advising is truly impressive. The MPH program is in excellent hands under her leadership.”
Martha Werler, professor and chair of epidemiology
Comments & Discussion
Boston University moderates comments to facilitate an informed, substantive, civil conversation. Abusive, profane, self-promotional, misleading, incoherent or off-topic comments will be rejected. Moderators are staffed during regular business hours (EST) and can only accept comments written in English. Statistics or facts must include a citation or a link to the citation.