Profile

Melissa Begg

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Bio

I have had the honor of serving as Dean of the Columbia School of Social Work since 2019. I am a population health scientist and have devoted most of my 30+ year career to developing the strongest possible evidence base for human health and well-being. I previously served as Columbia’s Vice Provost for Academic Programs; I was also co-director of the Irving Institute for Clinical and Translational Research. My early research focused on methods for evaluating associations from sibling studies, especially as applied to early life determinants of adult health. I have  directed a number of NIH-funded training programs, including two career development programs to promote diversity in the health sciences. I received my BA from Fairfield University, and my doctorate from the Harvard School of Public Health. As an academic administrator, my main areas of interest  have included convening interdisciplinary scientific teams, developing innovative curricula, creating academic mentorship programs, and advancing diversity in the research workforce.