Heidi Brown

Heidi E. Brown, PhD, MPH, has a research focus on the epidemiology and control of vector-borne and zoonotic diseases. Her goal is to identify human disease risk by modeling vector, host and pathogen distributions. The complex nature of the systems she works on diseases requires her to blend field collecting, ecological assessment, laboratory experiments, epidemiological analysis, spatial statistics, remote sensing, geographic information systems, and computer-based modeling in order to develop a more comprehensive view of disease dynamics. Current research areas include: West Nile virus, dengue, canine heartworm, valley fever, spatial epidemiology, and climate change.

Teaching areas include undergraduate Epidemiology and Biostatistics and a graduate level spatial epidemiology course.

Current projects involve researchers in the UA Department of Geography and Engineering to investigate spatial uncertainty and methods to optimally visualize risk. Through collaborations at the CDC, she is working to develop a model to test trapping effectiveness for Aedes aegypti, the primary dengue vector. This latter project involves both experiments to test vector flight ranges as we as mathematical models of vector abundance and involves experts in the UA Math and Entomology departments. Finally, she is continuing to quantify the association between climate change and health.