Public health, a constant in daily life, saves lives through science, compassion and action, as championed by the Gillings School's commitment to future leaders.
Every day, in ways seen and unseen, public health shapes the world around us. It’s in the air we breathe, the water we drink and the systems that protect us when we are most vulnerable. Whether it’s reducing the spread of infectious diseases, designing safer cities or creating health education programs that empower communities to make informed choices, public health saves lives – quietly and consistently.
You may not always notice it, but public health is a constant presence in your daily life. It’s the seatbelt you buckle, the green space where you walk to clear your mind, the vaccines that protect your parents from the flu and the healthy lunch your children eat at school. It’s the policies that prevent our exposure to toxic chemicals and the research that improves our odds against chronic disease.
Public health can look like free mental health services for veterans or a mobile dental clinic that travels to rural areas. It ranges from training police officers to administer a drug that reduces overdose deaths to implementing a standard check-up that can save a new mother’s life.
And yes, public health is there in emergencies, too. It’s in the rapid response to hurricane destruction, the sanitation plans made for refugee camps and the clear communication shared with parents about a virus outbreak at school.
At the UNC Gillings School of Global Public Health, we believe that now, more than ever, public health matters. In a world marked by complex challenges, public health is the force that brings science, compassion and action together to protect and improve the well-being of all people.
We are committed to training the public health leaders of tomorrow to be savvy innovators, bold leaders and thoughtful collaborators. Our programs cultivate problem-solvers who know how to navigate uncertainty and meet the needs of many different populations, wherever they may be.
We train students to embrace both flexibility and dedication because public health is not just a field – it is a promise. A promise that, no matter how the world changes, there will always be people working to keep others safe, healthy and empowered. It is this promise that motivates us to study, to teach and to serve with unwavering purpose.
In this issue of Carolina Public Health, you will read about the countless ways public health saves lives every day, and how it will safeguard our future. From innovative research and community-driven programs to groundbreaking policies and transformative partnerships, these stories capture the heart of our mission.
Public health is here for you, for your family, for your community and for the world. And it will be here tomorrow, too.
Dr. Nancy Messonnier
Dean and Bryson Distinguished Professor in Public Health
UNC Gillings School of Global Public Health
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