DAVID STEPHENS, the Stephen W. Schwarzmann Distinguished Professor of Medicine and director of the Division of Infectious Diseases at the medical school, has been named the school’s new executive associate dean for research.
The appointment follows a national search to fill the position vacated by Robert Rich, who left to become dean of the medical school at the University of Alabama, Birmingham.
“Dr. Stephens’ scientific accomplishments, including his own research discoveries and international leadership in infectious diseases, are numerous and distinguished,” said Thomas Lawley, dean of the medical school, when announcing the appointment. “In addition, he has many years of experience in patient care and health administration, including collaborations with local and regional institutions and mentoring and training numerous junior faculty members in research. Dr. Stephens has a sound knowledge of the requirements for success in an academic health care setting and a clear understanding of the clinical, educational, and research arenas in which our faculty and students contribute.”
Along with his faculty appointments in the Department of Medicine, Stephens is also a professor of microbiology and immunology and a professor of epidemiology in the Rollins School of Public Health.
He serves as principal investigator for the NIH-sponsored Southeastern Regional Center of Excellence for Emerging Infections and Biodefense housed at Emory, the CDC-supported Southeastern Center for Emerging Biological Threats, and the Exploratory Center for Interdisciplinary Research in Vaccinology at the Emory Vaccine Center.
Stephens’ immediate focus will be on the medical school’s strategic plan for research and the increasing opportunities and challenges for collaborative and interdisciplinary research within Emory, Atlanta, and in the region.