The Indiana University School of Public Health-Bloomington (SPH-B) pursues a singular mission: “To promote health among individuals and communities through integrated multidisciplinary approaches to research and creative activities, teaching, and community engagement.”
How is this mission accomplished in a school with faculty from diverse disciplines? At SPH-B, health-promotion specialists teach and conduct research in collaboration with attorneys and underwater archaeologists. Together, SPH-B faculty and students explore a variety of topics including cancer recovery, soil contamination, the opioid crisis and every other issue that influences health and environmental outcomes.
A decorated roster of experts
With more than 200 academic appointees across five departments, SPH-B offers an unmatched wealth of knowledge to shape both healthcare and the pursuit of overall wellness. Award-winning, research-intensive, and teaching-focused faculty are thought leaders and innovators in aging, mental health, obesity, water safety, family systems, addiction, injury prevention and rehabilitation, sexual health, and more.
Health from every angle
Five SPH-B departments approach wellness through distinct lenses.
The Department of Applied Health Science includes multiple facilities dedicated to applied behavior research, industrial hygiene, and nutrition science — while centers and institutes investigate health disparities, sexual health promotion, addictive behavior, and behavioral wellness. Graduates of this department serve as health educators, policy advocates, safety directors, nutritionists, and more.
The Department of Environmental and Occupational Health seeks to identify, understand, and prevent environmentally related diseases. Exceptional laboratories enable rigorous research of environmental health challenges locally and worldwide. Graduates of this department ensure the safety of working conditions, water, food, and air quality. Some work to promote sustainable societies and the benefits of green space. Shawn Miya is one of them.
Shawn Miya
Assistant Director of Sustainability, City of Bloomington, Indiana
“SPH-B gave me the opportunity to combine life-long passions for the environment and people’s health to create a fulfilling career pathway,” Miya said. “My M.P.H. allows me to understand the intersection between social and behavioral determinants of health, and how climate change can exacerbate health disparities by disproportionately impacting vulnerable populations. I can gather a team of experts and volunteers to collect data; raise awareness about health; develop a plan, and gain support for adaptation strategies across all sectors of our community.”
The Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics studies the distribution and patterns of health events, providing statistical methodology on topics in human health. It offers the Big Ten’s only accredited undergraduate degree in epidemiology. Graduates of this department develop the intellectual and practical foundation for a variety of promising careers in academia, industry, and government. Kellee Harper-Hanigan, D.P.T., Ph.D. earned her doctorate in epidemiology and is a program director and associate professor of physical therapy at Lincoln Memorial University.
Kellee Harper-Hanigan, D.P.T., Ph.D.
Program Director and Associate Professor of Physical Therapy, Lincoln Memorial University
“SPH-B allowed me to use my knowledge as a physical therapy clinician and educator,” Harper-Hanigan said, “and apply what I was learning in epidemiology to biomechanics through an interdisciplinary approach. Epidemiology and biostatistics are applicable to so many different areas; studying it truly trained me to think about problems and solutions in new ways.”
The Department of Health & Wellness Design focuses on purposeful design of medical, social, recreational, and therapeutic infrastructure to help people live healthier, happier lives. Courses and research examine behavioral health economics, policy, human-centered design, hospitality, tourism, systems management, lifestyle technology, and social entrepreneurship. Graduates of this department serve in a variety of careers, including business, healthcare management, recreation therapy, government public health services, nonprofit organizations, universities, and research centers.
The Department of Kinesiology: From undergraduate programs in exercise science and sport marketing and management to a doctoral degree in human behavior (and everything in between), this department is one of the most comprehensive of its kind. It hosts nine laboratories for investigating exercise science, clinical neurotrauma, biomechanics, neuromuscular control, and physical activity promotion in both healthy and special populations. Graduates of this department are healthcare professionals, athletic administrators, exercise physiologists, and human performance professionals.
Healthier people everywhere
From Indiana to Africa to Instagram, SPH-B offers person-centered approaches, hands-on learning, and expert guidance for improved health outcomes. Alumni work in cities, villages, and homes worldwide to shape the health of all people, families, and communities everywhere. And students find the passionate colleagues and mentors who guide them to life and career success.
To learn more about the Indiana University SPH-B, visit publichealth.indiana.edu
