Join us in welcoming our new faculty member, Sarah C. Haight, to the University of Georgia College of Public Health. Haight is an assistant professor in the Department of Epidemiology & Biostatistics and teaches Fundamentals of Epidemiology (EPID 4070).

• Can you tell us about your background?
  • I specialize in social, reproductive, and mental health epidemiology, as well as health services research. Before joining UGA, I focused on these areas during my PhD in Epidemiology at UNC Chapel Hill, my MPH in Epidemiology at Emory University, and my role as an epidemiologist in the CDC’s Division of Reproductive Health. I am originally from Minnesota but have been living in the Southern US for 10 years now so I’m officially a “y’all” convert!
• What brought you to UGA and the College of Public Health?
  • I was drawn to the College of Public Health at UGA because of its commitment to the health of the state of Georgia, its opportunities for collaboration, and its dedication to advancing health equity through research and practice.
• What do you love about teaching?
  • I love introducing students to the field of epidemiology. Since it is not typically offered as an undergraduate major, I feel lucky to be the one who gets to expose undergraduate and graduate students to this wonderful discipline. For those further along in their studies, I enjoy experimenting with active learning techniques to help students expand their methodological toolkit.
• What is your research focus and why are you passionate about it?
  • My research quantifies how social and socio-spatial determinants relate to perinatal mental health and access to care. My agenda is inspired by the fact that postpartum people with marginalized identities experience a higher burden of mental health challenges but reduced access to care. Ultimately, I aim to inform solutions that promote equitable perinatal mental wellbeing for all families.
• How have you partnered with communities to improve public health? Is there service or outreach work you’d like to do in Athens or Georgia?
  • I am excited to embark on community-informed and community-engaged work at UGA. Specifically, I plan to leverage UGA’s connections across urban and rural counties in Georgia to collaborate with perinatal people and their providers. Through this work, we can contribute to improvements in access to and quality of perinatal mental health care across the state.
• What are you looking forward to this fall semester?
  • Continuing to meet people all around the school!
• A few extra questions:
  • Favorite spot to grab lunch in Athens? The sandwiches at Birdies are amazing!
  • What’s a hobby or activity you love to do outside of work? Thrifting for clothes, furniture, and housewares
  • One book, TV show or podcast you can’t stop talking about? Too many shows to count. Currently obsessed with The Pitt