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Monica L. Wang, ScD

Associate Professor, Community Health Sciences - Boston University School of Public Health

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Biography

Dr. Monica L. Wang is an Associate Professor of Community Health Sciences at the Boston University School of Public Health, an Adjunct Associate Professor of Health Policy and Management at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, and Executive Editor of Public Health Post. She is a globally recognized researcher, educator, and thought leader specializing in social and structural determinants of health, chronic disease prevention, and health communications. Dr. Wang has secured over $6 million in federal and foundation funding for her research, including an NIH-funded randomized controlled trial to reduce sugary drink consumption and prevent obesity. Her work has been featured in leading academic journals such as the Journal of the American Medical Association and in prominent media outlets including The New York Times, The Washington Post, National Public Radio, Forbes, National Geographic, The Boston Globe, and CBS.

As an innovative educator with formal training in case-based teaching and online education, Dr. Wang has developed and taught graduate courses on the social determinants of health at Harvard University and Boston University since 2010. She has received numerous national, regional, and institutional awards for her research, teaching, and service, including the Society of Behavioral Medicine Leading the Narrative Award, the Society of Behavioral Medicine Early Investigator Award, the Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce Ten Outstanding Young Leaders Award, and the Boston University School of Public Health Excellence in Teaching Award and Excellence in Public Health Practice Award. Dr. Wang earned her Doctor of Science and Master of Science degrees from the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health and completed her postdoctoral training at the University of Massachusetts Medical School.

Other Positions

  • Adjunct Associate Professor, Health Policy & Management - Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health
  • Chair of Narrative Office, Center for Antiracist Research - Boston University
  • Member, Evans Center for Interdisciplinary Biomedical Research - Boston University

Education

  • Harvard School of Public Health, ScD Field of Study: Social & Behavioral Sciences
  • Harvard School of Public Health, MS Field of Study: Social & Behavioral Sciences
  • Tufts University, BA Field of Study: Public Health

Websites

Classes Taught

  • SPHSB806

Publications

  • Published on 2/3/2025

    Wang ML, Narcisse MR, Rodriguez K, McElfish PA. Gender disparities in job flexibility, job security, psychological distress, work absenteeism, and work presenteeism among U.S. adults. SSM Popul Health. 2025 Mar; 29:101761. PMID: 40007632.

     Read At: PubMed
  • Published on 1/16/2025

    Wang ML, Bertrand KA. AI for all: bridging data gaps in machine learning and health. Transl Behav Med. 2025 Jan 16; 15(1). PMID: 39868946.

     Read At: PubMed
  • Published on 10/30/2024

    Wang ML. Digital redlining perpetuates health inequity. Here’s how we fix it. Harvard Public Health Magazine. 2024.

     Read At: Custom
  • Published on 9/3/2024

    Narcisse MR, Wang ML, Stanford FC, Schwarz AG, McElfish PA. Racial/Ethnic Differences in the Age-Varying Association Between Adherence to 8-5-2-1-0 Guidelines in Adolescents with High BMI. J Racial Ethn Health Disparities. 2024 Sep 03. PMID: 39227545.

     Read At: PubMed
  • Published on 8/27/2024

    Pagoto SL, Goetz JM, Xu R, Wang ML, Palmer L, Lemon SC. Randomized non-inferiority trial comparing an asynchronous remotely-delivered versus clinic-delivered lifestyle intervention. Int J Obes (Lond). 2025 Jan; 49(1):76-83. PMID: 39191926.

     Read At: PubMed
  • Published on 5/22/2024

    Narcisse MR, Wang ML, Schootman M, DelNero P, Schwarz AG, McElfish PA. Physical activity among cancer survivors: do neighborhood walkability and metropolitan size play a role? J Cancer Surviv. 2024 May 22. PMID: 38775900.

     Read At: PubMed
  • Published on 5/1/2024

    Wang ML, Gago CM. Shifts in Child Health Behaviors and Obesity After COVID-19. JAMA Pediatr. 2024 May 01; 178(5):427-428. PMID: 38436952.

     Read At: PubMed
  • Published on 4/16/2024

    Wang ML, Gago CM, Rodriguez K. Digital Redlining-The Invisible Structural Determinant of Health. JAMA. 2024 Apr 16; 331(15):1267-1268. PMID: 38497952.

     Read At: PubMed
  • Published on 3/26/2024

    Wang, ML. Not having job flexibility or security can leave workers feeling depressed, anxious and hopeless. The Conversation. 2024.

     Read At: Custom
  • Published on 3/4/2024

    Wang ML, Narcisse MR, Togher K, McElfish PA. Job Flexibility, Job Security, and Mental Health Among US Working Adults. JAMA Netw Open. 2024 Mar 04; 7(3):e243439. PMID: 38526492.

     Read At: PubMed

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News & In the Media

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