Faculty & Research
UCLA Fielding faculty engage in research that runs the gamut from bench science to applied research and policy analysis.
UCLA Fielding School of Public Health students learn from and collaborate with a deep bench of renowned faculty —widely heralded experts and innovators, both in the communities of Los Angeles and around the world. FSPH faculty include individuals who have held top local, national, and international positions, from directors of the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health and the California Department of Health Services to president of the American Public Health Association and senior leadership positions at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and World Health Organization.
FSPH faculty members consistently appear on lists of the most influential scientific and public health researchers, such as Elsevier’s BV, SciTech Strategies’ list of the most highly cited in the field from 1960 to 2020, and Clarivate’s annual list of the most highly cited researchers. More than two dozen have been elected to the National Academy of Medicine —among the highest honors in the field of public health. Many are fixtures in leading print, broadcast, and online media outlets, providing clear and accurate communication on key public health issues —FSPH experts and their research were featured in more than 23,000 news media stories in just the last two years. Members of the UCLA Fielding faculty serve on local and state advisory panels, contributing their expertise on issues such as food insecurity and air quality; and as policy consultants to national and international officials on issues such as healthcare reform and infectious disease control. They are regularly invited to testify before legislatures on the important public health matters of the day, from family leave and reproductive health to COVID-19 policies.
The school receives substantial federal, state, and private funding for its research projects, a testament to their quality. This funding also provides opportunities for students to participate in high-impact research alongside renowned experts, and to work with communities and policymakers in disseminating the findings. Ultimately, FSPH faculty utilize their expertise, research skills, and resources for greater impact, fulfilling the potential of their work to improve the lives of millions of people.
UCLA Fielding Faculty
UCLA Fielding faculty, as well as students and staff, engage in research that runs the gamut from bench science to applied research and policy analysis, and from projects in local communities to national and international work. Befitting the highly collaborative nature of public health, faculty join with experts from other disciplines and other fields — whether it’s working across FSPH departments, with faculty in various UCLA schools and departments, or with community and organizational leaders in Southern California and well beyond. UCLA Fielding also has research and training partnerships with many organizations. Examples include the Los Angeles Area Health Services Research Training Program, a partnership with USC, RAND, and the VA with funding from the Agency for Healthcare Quality and Research; the NCI Cancer Epidemiology Training Program, a National Cancer Institute-funded program to train cancer epidemiologists in molecular epidemiology; and the UCLA Industrial Hygiene Program, supported by the Southern California NIOSH Education and Research Center. The school also has strong ties with the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health (LACDPH) —connections embodied by the LACDPH officials who have UCLA Fielding School faculty appointments, as well as the numerous UCLA Fielding alumni working at the department, in many cases after having gained their first public health practice experiences as LACDPH interns while they were students.
