Washington University in St. Louis announced today that Sandro Galea, MD, DrPH, one of the world’s most influential public health leaders, will become the inaugural Margaret C. Ryan Dean of the university’s planned School of Public Health, effective Jan. 1.
In this critical leadership role, Galea will help shape and launch WashU’s first new school in 100 years. The school is part of WashU’s 10-year strategic plan to make both the university and St. Louis a global hub for solving society’s deepest challenges.
“Sandro Galea’s choice to come to WashU is an endorsement of the strengths, opportunities and potential offered by our university and St. Louis,” said Beverly Wendland, provost and executive vice chancellor for academic affairs. “His insights into the complex interplay between social, environmental and health factors will be crucial as we seek to usher in the next era of public health in partnership with our community.”
With the launch of the new school, WashU will build on its existing public health strengths in research, teaching and clinical practice, and expand its commitment to the field. The school will concentrate on researching and advancing solutions to pressing issues and building partnerships for real-world impact in critical areas such as infectious disease; mental, global and environmental health; and dissemination and implementation science.
Galea currently is dean of Boston University’s School of Public Health and the Robert A. Knox Professor. He also is a professor of family medicine at Boston University’s Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine.
At WashU, he will hold the newly endowed Margaret C. Ryan Deanship at the School of Public Health. Tony and Ann Ryan, of Boston, made a gift to endow the deanship in honor of their late daughter, Maggie Ryan, AB ’16, who demonstrated a strong commitment to leadership and global health.
“Sandro Galea is a trailblazer in the field of public health, and we’re grateful that the Ryan family’s generosity has allowed us to bring his visionary leadership to WashU as the inaugural dean of our School of Public Health,” said Chancellor Andrew D. Martin. “With Sandro leading the way, we’re poised to elevate community health to new heights in St. Louis and worldwide.”
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