Mayur M. Desai
Biography
Research & Publications
News
Locations
Appointments
Biography
Mayur M. Desai (he/him/his), PhD, MPH, is a Professor of Epidemiology and the inaugural Associate Dean for Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging (DEIB) at the Yale School of Public Health. Professor Desai received both his MPH in health policy and his PhD in epidemiology from Yale. He then served for two years as an Epidemic Intelligence Service (EIS) Officer at CDC’s National Center for Health Statistics, before returning to New Haven to join the Yale faculty.
Professor Desai’s expertise is in the application of epidemiologic methods to clinical and health services research. The overarching goal of his work – across various content areas – is to improve health equity in access, quality, and outcomes of care in a broad range of populations and settings. Professor Desai has extensive experience (1) conducting studies at the interface of mental health and primary care; (2) developing risk-adjusted quality-of-care measures for the Medicare program; (3) determining the incidence, trends, and outcomes of surgical procedures; (4) examining the health, health beliefs, and healthcare utilization of marginalized and stigmatized populations, including immigrants, refugees, and incarcerated individuals; (5) contributing to numerous projects in low- and middle-income settings on a range of topics, including child health, prisoner health, diagnosis and treatment of both non-communicable and infectious diseases, and health systems strengthening; and (6) examining DEIB-related issues in the biomedical workforce.
Professor Desai directs the accelerated, 11-month Advanced Professional MPH Program and is a core faculty member in Yale’s National Clinician Scholars Program and Global Health Leadership Initiative. He has a long and sustained history of global public health capacity-strengthening, having developed and taught innovative short courses and workshops on a range of topics – including epidemiology, biostatistics, monitoring and evaluation, strategic problem solving, and research mentorship and leadership – in over a dozen countries. He received the 2022 Drs. Anvar and Pari Velji Global Health Award for Teaching Excellence from the international Consortium of Universities for Global Health and is a 4-time recipient of YSPH’s Distinguished Teaching Award.
Education & Training
- Epidemic Intelligence Service (EIS) OfficerCenters for Disease Control and Prevention (1999)
- PhDYale University, Epidemiology (1997)
- MPHYale School of Public Health (1994)
- BSUniversity of California San Diego (1992)
Honors & Recognition
Award | Awarding Organization | Date |
---|---|---|
Drs. Anvar and Pari Velji Global Health Award for Teaching Excellence | Consortium of Universities for Global Health | 2022 |
Guest Professorship | Central South University, Changsha, China | 2018 |
Teacher of the Year Award | Master of Hospital and Healthcare Administration Program, Addis Ababa University, Ethiopia | 2012 |
Fellow | American College of Epidemiology | 2012 |
Distinguished Teaching Award | Yale School of Public Health | 2009, 2013, 2015, 2019 |
HHS Secretary's Award for Distinguished Service | U.S. Department of Health & Human Services | 2000 |
Professional Service
Organization | Role | Date |
---|---|---|
Diversity and Inclusion Advisory Committee, Association of Schools and Programs of Public Health | Committee Member | 2021 - Present |
Provost Advisory Committee on Accessibility Resources, Yale University | Committee Member | 2020 - Present |
Diversity and Inclusion Subcommittee, Yale New Haven Health System's Wellness, Engagement, and Leadership Development (WELD) Council | Committee Member | 2020 - Present |
Health Committee, Yale-China Association | Committee Member | 2020 - Present |
Steering Committee, HAVEN Free Clinic | Committee Member | 2007 - Present |
Program Evaluation Committee, Yale Occupational and Environmental Medicine Program | Committee Member | 2007 - Present |
Residency Advisory Committee, Griffin Hospital Combined Internal Medicine/Preventive Medicine Residency Program | Committee Member | 2007 - Present |
South Asian Studies Council, The Whitney and Betty MacMillan Center for International and Area Studies at Yale | Committee Member | 2004 - Present |
Departments & Organizations
- Center for Outcomes Research & Evaluation (CORE)
- Chronic Disease Epidemiology
- Global Health Leadership Initiative
- MORE
- South Asian Studies
- Yale Institute for Global Health
- Yale School of Public Health
- YSPH Global Health Concentration