In May I was informed that the Board of Trustees at The Ohio State University approved my recommendation for promotion to Associate Professor with Tenure. All those in academia know the significance of this milestone and the feeling of validation that comes with it. I am immensely grateful and proud of this accomplishment and somehow even more motivated for the next ‘big win.’ Because in my line of work, the kind that focuses on teaching, outreach, knowledge generation, and service, my wins are anything but my own.

With this new title of Associate Professor comes another new title – one that encapsulates my work’s mission and what I hope to continue to build upon now that the foundation is firmly placed: my “lab” name. As an epidemiologist, I don’t have a formal laboratory with cutting-edge diagnostics. However, the definition of ‘laboratory’ is a room or building equipped for scientific experiments, research, or teaching. As such, I feel the term is fitting…and with that, I introduce the INTERFACE Lab (Interdisciplinary Training and Epidemiologic Research For Animals, Communities, and Environment).

INTERFACE Lab

Working at the interface of humans, animals, and the environment through capacity building, applied research, and community engagement