Lexington, Kentucky (March 18, 2024) — Dr. Heather Bush has been appointed permanent dean of the University of Kentucky School of Public Health.
Ms. Bush has served as acting dean of the College of Public Health since June 15, 2022. Under her leadership, the university has grown in research, teaching, and service. The university is also expanding its efforts to recognize and teach how different perspectives evolve in public health. The University promotes “You Belong Here'' through opportunities for engagement and admiration with the University's people. Last year, the university focused on spotlighting first-generation students, alumni, faculty and staff.
Bush received a bachelor's degree in mathematics from Mount Vernon Nazarene University and both a master's degree and a Ph.D. He completed his PhD in Statistics from the British College of Arts and Sciences.
Prior to his academic appointment in the UK in 2006, Bush worked as a senior biostatistician in industry, developing protocols and designing observational studies. She brings this experience to work in the UK through leadership roles in the Clinical and Translational Sciences Biostatistics, Epidemiology and Research Design Center (BERD) Core, Predictive Analytics and Data Science (PADS) Hub (formerly Applied Statistics). We have transformed the statistical support available. She will help launch the Biostatistics Research Institute) and the Biostatistics CIRCL (Consulting and Interdisciplinary Research Collaboration Lab).
Mr. Bush is a full professor in the Department of Biostatistics in Public Health and teaches courses at the undergraduate, graduate, and professional levels. Her courses focus on statistical consulting and applications of biostatistics.
Throughout her time at UK, she has been recognized for her leadership and service to students and the entire campus community. She prioritizes collaboration and interdisciplinary efforts and partners with multiple organizations to improve public health in the state, including the Kentucky Injury Prevention Research Center (KIPRC) and Healing Her Community Research. Ms. Bush's research focuses on vulnerable populations and examines issues of women's health and sexual violence prevention.
“I would like to thank Dr. Bush for his service as acting dean over the past two years,” said UK Chancellor Robert S. DiPaola, MD. Mr. Bush has continued to provide exemplary leadership for the College of Public Health, leading efforts to revolutionize the way our research improves the health and lives of Kentuckians. I look forward to her continued leadership as we work to innovate the way we care for our state. ”
In 2015, Ms. Bush was named an endowed professor at the Kate Spade & Company Foundation's Center for the Study of Violence Against Women. She has been named a University Research Professor and has received the Chancellor's Award for Excellence in Teaching, the College of Public Health's Golden Apple Award, and the Dean's Outstanding Teaching Achievement Award.
“This appointment is not about me, it’s about what we accomplish next as a university,” Bush said. “Together, we will continue to push boundaries, pursue research into practical solutions, and prepare our students to tackle public health challenges head-on. Our purpose is It's clear: It's about bringing together diverse voices and empowering communities in the pursuit of health for all. The greatest successes in public health are not the feats of individuals, but the strength of partnerships and what we do together. It depends on what can be achieved.”
Mr. Bush will become dean on April 1, 2024.
