Joseph Braun, RN, MSPH, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Epidemiology, has been appointed the Director of the Center for Environmental Health and Technology (CEHT) in the School of Public Health effective January 1, 2020. Dr. Braun succeeds Gregory Wellenius, Ph.D. who has served in this role since 2018.

As director, Dr. Braun will organize efforts of the Center faculty and trainees, provide leadership, enhance the reputation for excellence of the research portfolio, and guide CEHT to a position of even greater prominence for its research achievements and performance. Under Dr. Braun's leadership and in tandem with the School of Public Health's strategic plan, Advancing Well-Being for All, the Center will also build its capacity in the area of children's environmental health.

A graduate of the Universities of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and Madison, Dr. Braun continued his studies at the University of North Caroline-Chapel Hill where he received both Master's and doctoral degrees in epidemiology. Following his graduate studies, Dr. Braun completed post-graduate training at Harvard University before joining The Brown University School of Public Health in 2012.

Since joining the faculty at Brown he has taught courses including Topics of Environmental and Occupational Epidemiology and Introduction to Methods in Epidemiologic Research. Dr. Braun has mentored over 20 graduate students and postdoctoral trainees and from 2016-2019, assumed leadership of the Epidemiology ScM degree program.

Dr. Braun serves on the editorial board of Environmental Epidemiology and Environmental Health and is Associate Editor of Environmental Health Perspectives. Author of over 120 peer-reviewed articles, his research investigates the patterns, determinants, health effects, and biological pathways of environmental chemical exposures. Specifically, he examines whether exposure to environmental chemicals before conception, during pregnancy, or in infancy and childhood affects the risk of disease across the lifespan. His research foci include endocrine disrupting chemicals, toxic metals, obesity, cardiometabolic health, and pediatric neurodevelopmental disorders.

This story originally appeared at the School of Public Health.