SPHHS Dean's Seminar Will Focus on Reclaiming the Human Side of Public Health
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The School of Public Health and Health Sciences invites the campus community to a special SPHHS dean's seminar event featuring Perry Halkitis, dean of the Rutgers School of Public Health, on Friday, September 25th from 12-1 p.m. in the Seminar Rooms of the new SPHHS Hub Building.
Dean Halkitis will deliver a short talk titled "More Than Disease: Reclaiming the Human Side of Public Health," followed by a fireside chat and Q&A with Anna Maria Siega-Riz, dean of the School of Public Health and Health Sciences at UMass Amherst, for the inaugural event in the 2026-2027 SPHHS Dean's Seminar Series.
Drawing on themes from his new book, Humanizing Public Health: How Disease-Centered Approaches Have Failed Us, Dean Halkitis' talk will examine how public health's historical emphasis on disease and risk has too often obscured the lived experiences of individuals and communities. Through examples spanning infectious disease, chronic illness, and health inequities, he will argue for a more human-centered public health that places dignity, connection, and belonging at the heart of efforts to improve population health.
Beginning at 11 am prior to his talk, Dean Halkitis will hold a book signing. Humanizing Public Health: How Disease-Centered Approaches Have Failed Us can be purchased at Johns Hopkins University Press. Use code HTWN at checkout for 30% off (valid only at press.jhu.edu).
For more information and to register for the seminar, visit the SPHHS events page.