Robin Puett to serve as Associate Dean for Research

The College of Public Health at The Ohio State University has named Robin Puett as its next Associate Dean for Research, effective Aug. 2.

Puett joins the college from the University of Maryland School of Public Health, where she serves as Associate Dean for Research and Faculty Affairs. In that role, she has led efforts to strengthen research infrastructure, support faculty advancement and foster collaboration across disciplines.

In her new role at Ohio State, Puett will lead efforts to grow the college’s research enterprise, support faculty success and strengthen partnerships that improve public health locally and globally.

“Dr. Puett brings extensive experience in advancing research excellence, faculty success and strategic growth,” said Dean Paula Song. “Her vision and experience will play a critical role in elevating our research mission and fostering innovation across the university and in the communities we serve.”

An environmental epidemiologist and professor in the Department of Global Environmental and Occupational Health, Puett’s research focuses on the connections between environmental stressors and chronic disease. Her work examines air pollution exposures in relation to cardiovascular disease, diabetes and mortality, while also exploring underlying biological pathways, vulnerable populations and factors that influence risk. She is also advancing research on integrative health approaches and stress resilience.

Puett holds dual doctoral degrees in environmental health sciences and epidemiology from the University of South Carolina Arnold School of Public Health and completed postdoctoral training at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.

“As we welcome Dr. Puett, I’d also like to thank Interim Associate Dean for Research Mark Weir for his leadership, as well as Search Committee Chair Aram Dobalian, committee members and the university’s Executive Search Team for their contributions to the search process,” Song said.