Health Behavior and Health Equity Results

Bill Lopez, left, and Paul Fleming looking at each other, each holding a copy of their own books

Collaborators shaping public health through advocacy, storytelling

University of Michigan School of Public Health faculty Paul Fleming and Bill Lopez discuss two new books on policy, prevention and social justice during “Libros at Lunchtime.” Fleming’s Imagine “Doing Better” explores why policies backfire and how prevention thinking can reshape society; Lopez’s “Raiding the Heartland” documents deportation trauma and community resistance.

Two photos of Melissa Creary, one with her looking to the left and one straight with graphic elements of red sickle cells

The weight of knowledge

How living with sickle cell shapes Melissa Creary’s mission for health justice

Melissa Creary, associate professor of Health Behavior & Health Equity and Global Public Health, turns a delayed childhood sickle cell diagnosis into two decades of science, policy and advocacy. From building CDC surveillance to researching racism and “bounded justice” in Brazil, she centers lived experience and community voices—insisting innovation like gene editing must deliver equity, not stigma.

Interim Dean Lynda Lisabeth

Why we choose public health

How witnessing hardship guides purpose, and how students and faculty turn resolve into action: Why people choose public health often highlights community, equity, and the drive to improve systems that fail people—encouraging prospective students to remember their “why” and keep building change.

Undergraduate student Robert Lee, left, talks with Emily Youatt outside of the School of Public Health building.

Building tomorrow's public health leaders

Undergraduate program transforms from groundbreaking initiative to thriving academic program

Michigan Public Health’s undergraduate program, launched in 2017, prepares students for diverse careers through interdisciplinary training and hands-on research. Now expanding to 500 students, the program offers faculty mentorship, mandatory health equity coursework, and new study abroad opportunities, with 95% of graduates employed or pursuing advanced degrees within six months.

Jasmina Cunmulaj posing in Venice

Alumni Spotlight: Leading on a global stage

From Michigan to Brussels: Jasmina Cunmulaj’s inspiring public health journey

Ever since her time at the University of Michigan School of Public Health, Jasmina Cunmulaj, MPH ’22, envisioned being able to influence policy decisions and promote better global public health practices at an impactful level. Now, as the strategic partnerships and leadership manager at the European Public Health Alliance (EPHA), she is positioned to make those dreams a reality.