Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health

Welcome Dean Michelle Williams

On July 1, 2016, Dr. Michelle Williams stepped into the role of Dean of Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.

Committed to interdisciplinary approaches to promote public health, Dr. Williams recognizes the value of supporting basic and translational research, and acknowledges the tremendous burden on public welfare created by chronic metabolic diseases. Professor Michelle A. Williams is Dean of the Faculty, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. She is an internationally renowned epidemiologist and public health scientist, an award-winning educator, and a widely recognized academic leader. Prior to becoming Dean, she was Professor and Chair of the Department of Epidemiology at the Harvard Chan School and Program Leader of Harvard’s Clinical and Translational Sciences Center Population Health and Health Disparities Research Programs. Professor Williams previously had a distinguished career at the University of Washington School of Public Health. She has published over 450 scientific articles and has received numerous research and teaching awards, including the American Public Health Association’s Abraham Lilienfeld Award. In 2011, President Barack Obama presented Dr. Williams with the Presidential Award for Excellence in Science, Mathematics, and Engineering Mentoring. Dean Williams’ scientific work focuses on integrating genomic sciences and epidemiological research methods to identify risk factors, diagnostic markers, treatments, and prevention targets for disorders that contribute to maternal and infant mortality. She has master’s and doctoral degrees in epidemiology from the Harvard Chan School and Harvard University.