Faculty Highlight – Leslie Elliott, MPH, PhD, Assistant Professor, Department of Epidemiology, Acting Assistant Dean for Student Affairs
Dr. Elliott received her bachelor’s degree in zoology from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where she also was awarded a master of public health (MPH) degree in occupational health and a PhD degree in epidemiology. After obtaining her PhD in epidemiology, Dr. Elliott worked as a research fellow at the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, where she held a joint appointment in the Epidemiology and Pulmonary Biology branches.
Dr. Elliott’s research interests are focused on the health effects of environmental exposures. In particular, she is concerned with children’s health issues related to the environment. Her current research includes the respiratory effects of indoor and outdoor air pollution, lung cancer, and asbestos, and local risk factors for elevated blood lead levels in children in the greater Omaha area. She is excited about the global emphasis of research at the College of Public Health and looks forward to expanding environmental health research beyond the borders of the United States to other countries.
Dr. Elliott has taught epidemiology at both the undergraduate and the advanced graduate level. At UNMC, she is teaching Principles of Epidemiology, the core course for all MPH students, in the spring. With the expectation that the Department of Epidemiology will be approved to offer a PhD degree, she plans to teach advanced-level courses.
As acting assistant dean for student affairs in the College of Public Health, Dr. Elliott has become actively involved in student life in her role as student advocate. From providing administrative oversight of new student orientation and other activities, to meeting with students one-on-one, Dr. Elliott is excited about working with students, faculty, and other campus administrators to enrich the quality of students’ experiences during their time at UNMC.
Outside the campus community, Dr. Elliott belongs to several organizations, including the American Public Health Association, the Society for Epidemiologic Research, the International Society for Environmental Epidemiology, and the International Council for Occupational Health. She has served as a reviewer for a number of high-impact peer-reviewed journals, and for grant proposals for the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences.