Rohan Jeremiah appointed head of college global health
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Rohan Jeremiah, PhD, MPH, was appointed UIC College of Nursing’s associate dean for global health.
Word of his official appointment came as he was in Thailand earlier this month, touring nursing schools, visiting alumni and attending a conference on behalf of UIC Nursing, where he has been interim associate dean since September 2021. Prior to joining UIC Nursing, he was a faculty member with the UIC School of Public Health.
Jeremiah brings with him more than 20 years of global health experiences, including serving as a Peace Corps volunteer in Cameroon and South Africa and developing and managing projects throughout sub-Saharan Africa, South Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean. He has served as a technical advisor to the United Nations, the U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief and the U.S. Agency for International Development.
“Having had these varied experiences – which were very rewarding opportunities – I wanted to help facilitate and offer a chance for members of the UIC Nursing community to consider global health careers,” Jeremiah says.
The UIC College of Nursing has been a World Health Organization Collaborating Centre for International Nursing Development in Primary Health Care since 1986, establishing itself as a resource for nurses around the world. The college has a robust visiting scholars program, interdisciplinary research collaborations across the globe, prominent alumni leaders in Thailand, Egypt and Chile (among other places) and growing study abroad opportunities for students.
“After being in this role for more than a year, it’s extremely gratifying to know that we have one of the most robust global health portfolios on campus and that’s due to the long history of our program,” Jeremiah says. “I’m very honored to continue that work in this role.”
Jeremiah’s research is focused on substance use, violence and HIV/AIDS. His current projects are targeted both domestically and abroad, including serving as a co-investigator on “Centering” pregnancy research in Malawi and leading a study on refugee men’s health in the Quad Cities of Iowa and Illinois.
Jeremiah says that the college’s emphasis on global health is beneficial for all students, even those who don’t intend to work internationally.
“Everything is global now,” Jeremiah says. “We have to be thinking beyond the physical boundaries within which we have previously defined ourselves. Whether students decide to either stay within the U.S. or go elsewhere, I think they’re better positioned to be able work within any group dynamic, especially ones that include international colleagues.”