Welcome to the "cyber home" of The University of Arizona Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health.

Situated in the temperate climate of Tucson, Arizona, the UA Zuckerman College of Public Health is the only school of public health accredited by the Council on Education for Public Health in the twelve-state Mountain/Pacific region that stretches between Mexico and Canada.

Since its founding in January of 2000 by the Arizona Board of Regents, our College has enjoyed remarkable growth in the number of students, faculty, and staff, as well as in the expansion of our academic programs, community service and research.

We offer a robust academic program that includes undergraduate degrees in health education and graduate degrees in public health and epidemiology. In the Fall Semester of 2007, we began accepting students into two new doctoral programs: a PhD in Biostatistics and a Doctorate of Public Health Degree (DrPH) that offers the option of focusing in Maternal and Child Health or in Public Health Policy and Management. These two new doctoral programs supplement our long-standing PhD program in epidemiology.

In our short history we have gained national and international recognition for our research productivity and integration into communities across Arizona, the Southwest, Mexico and the globe. We lead with both cutting-edge science and deep community commitments. Our faculty, alumni and students are finding new approaches to chronic disease prevention, community public health preparedness, family wellness and advocacy for public health policy. We insist on a dynamic interchange between public health research and community outreach, translating research findings into community programs and transforming community needs into basic and applied public health research. We also are known nationally for expanding the definition of public health service in the academic setting.

Among the areas addressed by our public health research and community-based programs are cancer, diabetes, heart disease, nutrition, exercise, violence prevention, environmental hazards, media literacy, bioterrorism and public health preparedness. Through collaborative efforts with county and state health departments, community residents and leaders, and other health professionals, our College has become a premier leader in eradicating health disparities in Arizona and the Southwest.

I have been blessed to experience first-hand the growth of the UA Zuckerman College of Public Health made possible through the accomplishments, personal commitment and passion of its faculty, students, alumna,  friends, community allies, appointed professionals and staff.

To this effect, I would like to call attention to two of our largest benefactors and the namesakes for our College: Mel and Enid Zuckerman, the founders of Canyon Ranch and staunch advocates for healthy living. Their unfailing support has been critical in the realization of the:

• Construction of our new facility, Roy P. Drachman Hall
• Funding of an endowed deanship, the Mel and Enid Zuckerman Endowed Chair in Public Health (one of only three endowed chairs for dean positions at the UA), and
• The naming of our prevention center — a recognized center of excellence — the Canyon Ranch Center for Prevention and Health Promotion.

I invite you to navigate our web site to learn more about the UA Zuckerman College of Public Health, our mission and the strengths in our academic programs, research and community service. We hope, too, that you consider joining us as a student, benefactor, faculty or staff member in our endeavors to promote and support healthy communities across the globe.

Iman A. Hakim, MBBCh, PhD, MPH
Interim Dean and Professor