Lyndie Forthofer, a veteran public health researcher, was named recently as the new chair of the Department of Public Health Sciences in the College of Health and Human Services.
Most recently, Forthofer was director of the Division of Epidemiology at the Arnold School of Public Health at the University of South Carolina. In a 10-year career at USC, Forthofer also directed an interdisciplinary research unit, the Institute for Families in Society, and was a co-investigator in USC’s CDC-funded Prevention Research Center.
Forthofer’s research track record includes approximately $29 million in funding from state health departments, local and national nonprofit organizations, several federal agencies and private sector organizations.
CHHS Dean Nancy Fey-Yensan said Forthofer’s background and experience align well with college priorities. “Dr. Forthofer brings to the position of chair a unique and essential portfolio of experience and training that meshes extremely well with the aspirations of the department and the ethos of the College of Health and Human Services.”
Forthofer has been recognized for her work in the classroom, too. While on faculty at the University of South Florida from 1996 to 2005, she was twice selected for the Outstanding Teacher Award by the Public Health Student Association. She has mentored more than 30 graduate students on master’s theses and doctoral dissertations.
“I believe that quality teaching is a cornerstone of any academic institution,” Forthofer said. “My experiences as a teacher, both in terms of formal classroom teaching and mentoring of graduate students, have been among the very most satisfying aspects of my career.”
She will begin her tenure as chair of the Department of Public Health Sciences in August.