The College of Public Health has welcomed five new faculty this fall who we want to introduce to the wider CPH community. This week, meet Dr. Danielle Lambert, who has joined the Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics as an assistant professor.

What brought you to the field of public health?

I’ve always been really interested in the intersection of health and social justice, especially in the South. Initially, I planned on pursuing a more clinical career path as a provider in a rural or low resource setting working to improve access, quality care, and patient outcomes. However, working in a research lab my last two years of undergrad ultimately led me to realize that I loved collaborating on research with interdisciplinary teams and identifying approaches to promote health equity at the population level, where we could likely make a broader impact. I’m grateful to have found a field where I can combine a passion for research and mentoring, work alongside so many talented people and communities, and work to create positive change in the lives of many.

What excites you or motivates you about your research?

Creating impactful change, especially for minoritized and marginalized communities, is what I’m passionate about. My research aims to identify innovative strategies and recommendations to address public health problems and move us towards a more just and equitable future. I’m excited about bridging barriers to care with technological solutions, incorporating novel digital tools into research methodologies, and meeting people where they are by capitalizing on the pervasiveness of modern communication channels. I’m also constantly inspired by working with students and other colleagues; their insightfulness and originality in tackling ever evolving public health issues is remarkable.

How have you partnered with communities to improve health? Do you have any thoughts on what outreach work you’d like to do in Athens or Georgia?

Centering the communities most impacted, ensuring their voices are elevated, and actively involving them as key contributors throughout the process is key to any public health initiatives – including research. I’ve been fortunate to learn from and work alongside many southern communities through my research to date. This has included iterative feedback from community advisory boards, formative qualitative work and listening sessions with those who might use newly developed tools or are likely impacted by research recommendations, and collaborating with providers, clinics, and community organizations to implement strategies and advocate for policy change. I look forward to continuing to partner with numerous reproductive justice organizations in Georgia and across the Southeast and I’m also involved with the North Georgia Sex Trafficking & Awareness Response (STAR) Task Force.

What are you looking forward to this Fall semester?

I’m really looking forward to continuing to collaborate with colleagues and students on several research projects. It’s always such a joy to bring together a team from different institutions, departments, and communities, including undergraduate and graduate students, to work towards new public health approaches and recommendations. We are starting to analyze data this Fall from a CDC-funded study I lead with other UGA CPH, Emory, and UK colleagues about adolescent health, technology use, and digital violence prevention in the Deep South. We are also releasing new data this Fall from our ongoing CPC Map (www.crisispregnancycentermap.com) project, which I co-developed with Dr. Andrea Swartzendruber, who is also in the Epidemiology & Biostatistics Department at UGA.

Last one – what do you do for fun?

I love to travel (when not in a pandemic), go hiking and explore new trails with my Border Collie, spend time with family and friends, try out new baking recipes, and attend performing arts shows.

Learn more about Dr. Lambert’s background, areas of expertise, and research interests in her faculty profile.

Posted on September 16, 2021.