Sandro Galea, MD, DrPH, the Margaret C. Ryan Dean of the School of Public Health and the Eugene S. and Constance Kahn Distinguished Professor in Public Health at Washington University in St. Louis, has been appointed as WashU’s vice provost for interdisciplinary ventures.

In this capacity, Galea will spearhead initiatives to promote interdisciplinary research and scholarship at WashU. This role and its objectives emerged from the university’s “Here and Next” strategic framework, with Executive Vice Provost Mary McKay being the initial holder of this position.

As vice provost, Galea will establish frameworks to bolster interdisciplinary research at WashU. His initiatives will involve encouraging collaboration, assisting faculty recruitment at the junctions of conventional disciplines, creating avenues for students and emerging scholars to partake in interdisciplinary activities, and cultivating a culture that appreciates and rewards these pursuits.

This initiative builds upon efforts to create a new School of Public Health, where interdisciplinary studies and scholarship are paramount. A vital aspect of the school will be interdisciplinary research networks, co-guided by faculty, propelling scholarship in line with the “Here and Next” strategy.

“Our ambition is to embrace interdisciplinarity to produce science and scholarship that can address some of the most significant societal challenges of our era,” Galea remarked. “Complex problems do not fit neatly into disciplinary boundaries, and our aim is to promote work that confronts intricate issues transcending traditional academic divisions.”

“The prospect of igniting impactful collaborations and, as a result, comprehensive research initiatives is thrilling, and WashU possesses exceptional potential to continue advancing in this domain,” he further stated.

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