Strategic Plan

Goal 1

Prepare the next generation of public health leaders through rigorous educational programs including emphasis on systems biology.

  • Modify existing courses to include major emphasis on bioinformatics and computational analysis of infectious diseases within three years.
  • Interface IDM systems biology with other Pitt Public Health informatics systems via scientific collaborations.
  • Aggressively recruit minority students and faculty into IDM to establish an annual 1:5 minority to non-minority ratio.

Goal 2

Expand knowledge in the field of public health through scientific inquiry and innovation.

  • Recruit three faculty members by 2015 into the IDM infectious disease education/prevention program with high potential to obtain extramural research grant funding.
  • Recruit three faculty member with expertise in HIV and other viral immunopathogenesis by 2015 into the IDM Bioscience program with high potential to obtain extramural research grant funding.
  • Obtain NIH T32 training grants in HIV and global infectious diseases.
  • Publish major new scientific discoveries in top-tier journals (e.g., Science, Nature, Cell, NEJM, AJPH) annually.

Goal 3

Advance the health of populations through service and partnerships with regional, national, and global organizations.

  • Increase one new faculty per year serving on local/state/national health advisory committees.
  • Increase partnerships with the Allegheny County Health Department through student practica and new public health policies.
  • Develop a new course in Infectious Disease Global Policy.

Goal 4

Secure adequate resources and promote operational effectiveness, so as to enhance the school’s capacity to fulfill its mission.

  • Initiate occupation of IDM offices in newly renovated Public Health building in 2016-2017.
  • Maintain the newly expanded IDM MPH and MS student populations at the current levels.