Curt Harris, PhD, has been appointed as the associate dean for Faculty Affairs at Augusta University’s School of Public Health. He will begin his new role on March 1, following nearly two decades at the University of Georgia (UGA), where he most recently directed UGA’s Institute for Disaster Management.
Teresa Waters, PhD, dean of the AU School of Public Health, expressed enthusiasm about Harris joining the team. “I’m thrilled to welcome Dr. Harris to the School of Public Health at Augusta University. I’m excited about the dedicated support that Curt can provide to SPH faculty to ensure their long-term success,” said Waters. “We went looking for someone with a passion for mentoring faculty and found someone who is so much more. His wide-ranging experience in science, training and practice of disaster management is a wonderful fit for us, and his extensive relationships throughout Georgia will be a tremendous asset to our faculty, staff and students as we continue to grow our new school.”
Harris holds a PhD in toxicology from UGA and a Bachelor of Science in Chemistry from Georgia College and State University. He started at UGA in 2008 as an emergency preparedness manager before becoming director and associate professor with tenure in 2019. During his time there, he secured close to $50 million in external funding aimed at strengthening health care and community resilience both nationally and internationally. He also established one of the country’s first Master’s programs in disaster and emergency management and led the institute through significant growth.
Harris has contributed to drafting emergency operations plans across Georgia, played a part in developing the state’s health care coalition system, and co-created international training programs for emergency physicians managing large-scale crises.
In discussing his new position at Augusta University, Harris said: “As the only university in Georgia with public health, medical, dental, nursing and allied health schools, Augusta University offers a unique environment to advance disaster health sciences through interdisciplinary collaboration.” He added: “Throughout my career, I’ve had the responsibility of developing educational, research and practice-based programs in public health preparedness. What excites me most about this new role at Augusta University is the opportunity to broaden my leadership and work directly with the faculty, staff and students in the School of Public Health to strengthen and elevate our reputation and impact throughout Georgia, the nation and the world.”
At Augusta University, Harris plans to use his background to help recruit faculty talent, grow research initiatives, educate future public health professionals, and boost community-focused efforts by collaborating with leaders such as Joe Webber (director of AU’s Office of Critical Event Preparedness and Response), Richard Schwartz (chair of Emergency Medicine), and Phillip Coule (vice president at Wellstar MCG Health).
With experience spanning academia and practical disaster management work, Harris aims to further initiatives that support Augusta University’s broader mission.
