C. Suzanne Lea, PhD, MPH
Professor
office: ECHI 2229
phone: 252-744-4036
email: leac@ecu.edu
Dr. Suzanne Lea’s professional experience spans over 25 years of teaching, research and service in the field of applied epidemiology and public health practice. She has designed and implemented cancer and infectious disease studies in urban and rural areas in English and Spanish. Her research interests include the influence of environmental factors on cancer risk, health disparities, and the use of technology to improve public health. While working for state and local health departments, Dr. Lea managed the field epidemiology components of outbreak investigations involving anthrax, influenza, SARS, and food borne disease. During the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, she contributed to surveillance studies conducted among Pitt County residents. Her current research focuses on the potential health impacts of PFAS exposure in the Cape Fear River Basin of North Carolina. She is 2015-2016 Past President of the North Carolina Public Health Association and currently serves as an Epidemiology Section Governing Council Representative to the American Public Health Association.
Education
- BA, Rhodes College (Memphis, TN)
- MPH, Yale University, School of Public Health (New Haven, CT)
- PhD, University of California, Berkeley, School of Public Health (Berkeley, CA)
Areas of Interest
- Cancer
- Public Health Practice
- Disparities
Courses Taught
- MPH 6011 Introduction to Epidemiology
- MPH 6023 Epidemiology of Cancer
- MPH 6991 Professional Paper I
- MPH 6992 Professional Paper II