November 8, 2026

Experts convene at WashU on November 17 to discuss the recent election’s impact on health policy and public health.

Thirty-one primary and secondary faculty members at Bursky Public Health have been named to the 2026 Stanford/Elsevier World’s Top 2% Scientists List for their lifetime scientific achievements. Another 21 were recognized as among the top 2% of scientists in 2025. 

McQueen aims to understand what drives people’s health decisions and how to encourage healthier behaviors.

Liz Yanik, PhD, ScM, an associate professor of orthopedic surgery at WashU Medicine, gave a talk titled, “Leveraging Biobank Data to Investigate Genetic and Non-Genetic Determinants of Musculoskeletal Disease" on November 4.

Anaise Williams, PhD, the Mary M. McKay Postdoctoral Fellow at Bursky Public Health, spoke on, “Use of Violence in Sexual and Romantic Relations: Interdisciplinary Solutions” on November 5.

Erika Garcia, PhD, MPH, an associate professor at the University of Southern California, presented on “Climate Change and Health Research: Informing Adaptation and Mitigation Efforts” on November 6. 

This week, we will have three Talking Public Health seminars.

On Monday, November 9, Julia Wolfson, PhD, MPP, an associate professor in the Department of International Health and the Department of Health Policy and Management at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, will speak on “Multilevel Strategies to Promote Healthy and Sustainable Diets.” The presentation will be at noon CT in the Havana Room at 4240 Duncan. Register to attend Wolfson's talk in person or to get the Zoom link.

On Tuesday, November 10, Alex Broadbent, PhD, a professor of philosophy of science at Durham University, will give a presentation titled, “Power, Knowledge, and Covid-19: The Making of a Scientific Orthodoxy.” The seminar will be at noon CT in Room 234 of the Danforth University Center (DUC). Register to attend Broadbent's presentation in person or to get the Zoom link.

On Wednesday, November 11, Ross Brownson, PhD, the Steven H. and Susan U. Lipstein Distinguished Professor at Bursky Public Health, will give a talk on “Charting a Future for Implementation Science” at noon CT in Room 234 of the Danforth University Center (DUC). Register to attend Brownson's seminar in person or to get the Zoom link.

Bursky Public Health’s Joseph Steensma traveled to Malaysia in October to advance international partnerships to translate environmental research into practical solutions that benefit public health. His trip was part of a United Nations-sponsored academic initiative.

Dean Sandro Galea gave the 4th annual Nancy Adler Endowed Lecture in San Francisco on October 16. The lecture is sponsored by the University of California, San Francisco Center for Health and Community and honors center founder and pioneering social scientist Nancy Adler. His talk was titled, "What We Need to Think About When We Think About Health." 

Cites Bursky Public Health's David Spielman, an agricultural economist who studies how to develop technological solutions to make farming more stable and profitable. Watch the video here. (Source: Nine PBS)

An old-time remedy for colicky babies was recently recalled for safety reasons. Over 18% of St. Louis adults surveyed heard about the recall this week, up from 9% one week prior.

iHeard is a listening project of the Health Communication Research Laboratory at Bursky Public Health. iHeard surveys about 200 people who live or work in St. Louis weekly to find out what they know, believe and care about in regard to health.

Dean Galea's latest Healthiest Goldfish blogpost is titled, "Ideas about ideas: The persistence of bad ideas." The post examines how and why bad ideas stick around, and why it matters.