UC Berkeley Online Master of Public Health

05/27/2026

In a Q&A, UC Berkeley Public Health infectious disease expert Charlie Whittaker discusses the current Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda.

Said Whittaker: "The first thing worth saying about this outbreak is that it’s already the third largest Ebola outbreak ever recorded.

And it started that way, which is the worrying part. For an outbreak to be that big the moment we notice it means the virus had been spreading quietly for some time before anyone recognised what was happening."

He warns that the specific Bundibugyo strain lacks the advanced vaccines and treatments available for other variants. However, the risk to the American public remains very low due to the virus's non-airborne transmission and the effectiveness of established containment protocols.

Read more: https://publichealth.berkeley.edu/articles/news/commentary/how-worried-should-you-be-about-ebola

Infectious disease expert Dr. Charles Whittaker on how public health can stop a pandemic.

05/26/2026

Congratulations to the 2026 UC Berkeley Public Health Alum of the Year, Joseph O'Neill MD, MPH ’83! 🌟 Dr. O'Neill was selected based on his outstanding contributions to the field of public health. He was the first director of the Ryan White Program and the architect of the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), a White House initiative credited with saving over 25 million lives. Under President George W. Bush, Dr. O’Neill also served as director of the White House Office of National AIDS Policy; and was one of the first openly gay men on the White House Domestic Policy Council, a post which put him in the crosshairs of advocacy groups on all sides.

Dr. O'Neill was awarded by Dean Michael Lu and Public Health Alumni Association President Tia Gangopadhyay at the May 19 commencement ceremony.

Read more about our alumni: https://ow.ly/JTnP50Z3qpQ

05/23/2026

Big congratulations 🎉 to this year's winners of the Zak Sabry Mentorship Award at UC Berkeley Public Health: Clinical Professor of Community Health Sciences Colette (Coco) ​Auerswald and Senior Project Data Analyst and lecturer Andrew Mertens! 🎖️

The Zak Sabry Mentorship Award was established in 2004 on the occasion of the retirement of Professor Zak Sabry (1933-2025) in tribute to his outstanding commitment to mentoring. The award is given to faculty members who have a distinguished record of mentorship and have been nominated by a graduating student.

Professor Auerswald received two nominations; here's one quote from her nominator: “She leads with empathy, respect, and a genuine commitment to uplifting others, which creates a powerful model for students pursuing careers in public health and social impact. She does not just teach content; she mentors students to think critically, act compassionately, and become leaders in their fields.”

Dr. Mertens's heartfelt nomination included this statement: “What truly sets Dr. Mertens apart is the humanity he brings into his mentorship. He connects with students in a way that makes them feel seen, supported, confident, welcomed, and capable. His openness, including sharing his own academic journey and challenges, transforms the way students understand their own experiences. “

Both received their awards from Dean Michael C. Lu during our May 19 commencement ceremony. We are incredibly honored to have these two bright stars in our constellation of world-class faculty! 🌟

05/22/2026

Hi everyone! I’m Laura Dean, a Registered Dietitian and Online Master of Public Health student at UC Berkeley with an interdisciplinary concentration. 🐻

I came to this program because working as a primary care dietitian in farmworker clinics, I kept bumping up against the limits of what a clinical lens could offer. Choice can be an illusion shaped by dominant health care market decisions and medical culture. I wanted to engage with those bigger systems.

The Rural Health Innovation scholarship brought me here and I haven’t looked back. Right now I’m doing qualitative analysis on interviews with rural residents across the country about their experiences with health care access and trust. It’s layered, dynamic, and using both parts of my brain. That feels really good.

Outside of school and work I’m grounding myself by walking, cooking, and getting off screens whenever I can. 😄

05/21/2026

A new study led by UC Berkeley Public Health PhD student Emily Liu reveals that rates of violence against women in California have remained largely unchanged for nearly two decades, with marginalized groups facing the highest risks.

Analyzing hospital and mortality data from 2005 to 2022, the research highlights how deep-seated structural racism disproportionately impacts Black women, who experience assault injuries at a rate 3.8 times higher than white women.

While these disparities remain heavily entrenched, the authors emphasize that community-based programs and systemic solutions targeting historic underinvestment offer vital hope for driving down violence at the local level.

https://publichealth.berkeley.edu/articles/spotlight/research/violence-against-women-remains-high

A UC Berkeley study of California hospital data reveals persistent racial disparities and the higher risks faced by Black, multiracial and Indigenous women.

05/20/2026

Congratulations to the Class of 2026! 🎉 The UC Berkeley School of Public Health celebrated its 81st commencement at the Greek Theatre on May 19, 2026, honoring a new class of 500+ graduates whom Dean Michael C. Lu dubbed “the changemakers.”

Keynote speaker Dr. Sue Desmond-Hellmann shared the theme that "public health is not a luxury," inspiring graduates to challenge the status quo and focus on population-level well-being.

Looking toward the future, Dean Lu urged the class to maintain their passion for systemic progress, advising them, “Be the last to accept the world as it is [and] be the first to ask, ‘How can we make it better?’”

We can't wait to see the change our grads will make in the world of public health, and we couldn't be prouder. 🐻 🎓

UCBPH celebrated the class of 2026 before an exuberant crowd at the Greek Theatre.

05/16/2026

A recent study published in Nature Communications reveals that asymptomatic mpox infections are more prevalent than previously thought and likely act as a major driver of disease transmission. Lead author Dr. Joseph A. Lewnard and his colleagues at Kaiser Permanente Research and elsewhere found that only a small fraction of infections are diagnosed, highlighting the critical need to renew vaccination efforts to better control the spread.

Read more. https://ow.ly/27to50YZQGI

Symptomless mpox infections may fuel transmission of disease among men who have s*x with men.

05/15/2026

Hi everyone! I'm Heather Foley, a Registered Nurse and Online Master of Public Health student concentrating in Food, Nutrition and Population Health at UC Berkeley. 🐻

I'm the first woman in my family to earn a degree and the first nurse. Growing up in Massachusetts, UC Berkeley was always a dream. When I got in I knew I had to bring everything Berkeley stands for in research, health policy, and clinical excellence back to the nursing profession.

Less than 13% of registered nurses hold a master's degree. I wanted to be one of them.
What I didn't expect was the community. My classmates from around the globe are equally intelligent as they are hilarious. I even follow Oski the Cal mascot on Instagram. 😄 That sense of connection makes this program feel very close-knit even online, I even brought my dog Coco to visit!

Photo 1: Heather smiling in a professional headshot wearing a white coat.

Photo 2: Heather's dog Coco, a brindle dog wearing a pink harness, sitting outside in front of the UC Berkeley signage.

Photo 3: Heather smiling in a casual outdoor photo wearing a pink top with vibrant red autumn leaves in the background.

05/14/2026

Congratulations! 🌟 🎓 Graduating senior Shrida Pandey has achieved a rare triple honor, receiving prestigious awards from the Chancellor’s Office, the School of Public Health, and UC Berkeley for her exceptional commitment to health equity. These accolades recognize her extensive service to underrepresented communities and will support her upcoming project, Khāna & Care, which focuses on culturally responsive nutrition for Nepali communities.

Read more: https://ow.ly/EZbV50YZeIS

In an unusual triple honor, Pandey has won a Chancellor’s Award for Public Service, the UCBPH Margen Award, and the Stronach Baccalaureate Prize.

05/13/2026

Congrats 🎉 to UC Berkeley graduating senior Destiny Brijettney Ceja, who has been honored with the Henrik L. Blum Award for Distinguished Social Action for her commitment to social justice and healthcare equity.

A dual major in neurobiology and public health, Ceja balanced her rigorous studies with extensive volunteer work, providing bilingual translation and medical assistance to immigrant and low-income communities. Following a gap year coaching speech and debate, she plans to apply to medical school with the goal of opening a community-focused clinic grounded in public health values.

Read more: https://ow.ly/YU6850YZ5hO

The award is given annually to a graduating student whose public health activities symbolize a spirit of social justice and democratic action.

05/09/2026

2026 UC Berkeley Public Health Undergraduate Commencement Speaker Misha Afnani is turning her personal experiences with healthcare inequity into a career of advocacy. After witnessing systemic barriers first-hand at an urgent care clinic and in her own family, the UC Berkeley transfer student shifted her focus to research and policy to ensure every patient—regardless of background—receives quality care.

Currently an undergraduate researcher at the Institute for Global Health Sciences, Misha is headed to UCLA this fall for an MPH in epidemiology. Catch her sharing her inspiring journey the 2026 UC Berkeley School of Public Health Commencement on May 19! 🎓✨

https://ow.ly/VUYZ50YWlWS

How working in the healthcare system led an undergraduate away from medical school and towards the field of public health.