When Germaine Louis became Dean of the College听of听Health and Human Services, she never envisioned serving听during听a pandemic听like听COVID-19.听鈥淐ertainly,听when I accepted the听position in 2017, a pandemic听was not on my horizon鈥攚hat was on my horizon was bringing together听the College鈥檚听faculty, staff, and students to听become听a college of public health.鈥澨
When asked about听leading听the future college of public health during听COVID-19, Louis is quick to point out that听the听COVID-19听is not听the听first pandemic听in her lifetime or her听30+ year听career as an epidemiologist, referencing听the AIDS pandemic which peaked in the U.S. while Louis was completing her听graduate studies.听鈥淏ecoming an epidemiologist听during the AIDS pandemic was听impactful听for听me听on so many levels,听as听this听new infectious agent disproportionately took the lives of young men and women. I sadly recall听the听stereotyping and other shaming actions on the part of some towards affected individuals.听 As听a reproductive epidemiologist,听I understood why听individuals with听risky behaviors听were听often听being听blamed听for their disease,听and I recall with听great听pride听the many scientific advances that led to successful treatment and a more compassionate understanding of AIDS."听
鈥淥f course,听COVID-19听is very different听from AIDS听in many regards听with听a听larger susceptible population听and听its airborne transmission,鈥澨齭ays Louis.听 Still,听COVID-19听is听an important听reminder why public health听is听essential for contemporary life.听鈥淐OVID-19听has taught us that it鈥檚 almost听impossible听to imagine a world without a strong public health infrastructure听to protect the health and safety of all people.鈥澨
Louis credits the College's faculty, staff, students, and alumni for their听many听contributions听in听fighting COVID-19听and protecting communities, saying听鈥淚鈥檝e been incredibly impressed with everyone in the听College听each of whom听has听stepped up to听make sure we deliver on our听academic听mission听and one that includes practice and community service.鈥澨
Leading by example, the Dean has also been active听in the 麻豆国产鈥檚 response to COVID-19听鈥 from helping develop Mason鈥檚 randomized surveillance听testing听plans to administering vaccines听for听the听community听at听the听 Mason and Partner听Clinics. Louis听can clearly see how听her early career as a nurse and then as an epidemiologist led to听this moment.听
鈥淚 used to tell my nursing colleagues that being a nurse made me a better epidemiologist.听What I鈥檇 learned in a hospital setting听really听helped me design better study protocols when focusing on clinical populations. I could think about what it听meant听to implement听a research听protocol in a hospital setting for busy nurses and physicians or patients under varying stages of duress. And I really do think that听my听experience as a nurse was听formidable听in the success that I听experienced听with clinical听studies (e.g., Buffalo Women鈥檚 Health Study, ENDO Study, and NICHD Fetal Growth Study).听听What I didn鈥檛 expect at the time was that听I would be using some nurse听skills听as an epidemiologist in responding to a pandemic,鈥 says Louis.听
She reports that prior to volunteering at the MAP Clinic vaccination events, after years of not administering an听intramuscular听(IM)听injection, she was required to refresh her injection听skills听and have her competency checked. 鈥淎ll听of a听sudden,听I was听very听anxious听about听vaccinating听after years of听not doing so听as some听technical听guidance had changed.听 Mason鈥檚 student nurses were a great source听of reassurance,听and they shared tips with me.听 I have found that听early听training听really never leaves you,听and it听kicked in听when听I听needed听it听most.听 It does remind me of听the importance of lifelong learning.听听
Louis shares a story about an opportunity to also bring her training in reproductive epidemiology to bear while vaccinating a group of early childhood听workers.听A young female听worker听asked if听Louis听had a few moments to talk with her听after her vaccination.听She听wanted advice on听when to safely begin trying for pregnancy following her vaccination. 鈥淎nd I thought,听'Now that is something I know about,鈥欌 said Louis.听
After听30听years as a reproductive epidemiologist听and working with couples trying for pregnancy,听she听was reminded how听desperate听people are for reliable听information听about pregnancy-related听exposures听and听lingering听data gaps.听听鈥淢y advice听to her was that听healthy听pregnancies and babies听start with healthy听women and听mothers. And,听first and foremost,听unless听there is a contraindication from听her physician,听the woman听was听doing the right thing to ensure听her own听health by听being听vaccinated.听I could see听the woman鈥檚听smile behind听her听mask听and knew听there was a good chance she听would take that message back to sisters, friends,听and coworkers听who may have similar questions about the vaccine.鈥澨
鈥淚t is rewarding to think about taking nursing skills to epi and now epi skills back to nursing,鈥澨齭ays Louis.
When asked听for听advice听she would share with听future generations of听men and women听about empowering women who wish to make history in science, health, and leadership听- Louis鈥櫶齬esponse is simple and clear: mentorship.听
鈥淚 know what made a difference听it made听in my life 鈥 and that was having a mentor听(who听happened to be听a man)听who听believed in me. When I was worried about finishing my dissertation, he was already talking about my听first听faculty appointment鈥攂efore I was even thinking about a听position. When I was听in my first faculty position听and听worried about tenure, he was听already talking about my next career听move. Having someone believe in you or to see something in you that you may not see听in yourself听is impactful听- you need to pay attention to that.鈥澨
Louis believes that academicians have听an obligation to听seek out听students听who may have natural leadership abilities or听who听otherwise have听a skillset or narrative that sets them apart听and听to talk with them听...听encourage them for听even more. 鈥淲e听should support everyone, but听we听will听always need leaders,鈥 she says. 鈥淲e also need to do a better job of cultivating hunger in our graduates.听By that,听I mean听helping students听really think about听and become excited about听pursuing听a career听beyond听having听a job.听听听
Louis closed the conversation by sharing a story about听听(former director of the听National Institute of General Medical Sciences,听deputy director of National Institutes of Health听(NIH)听in the 1990s,听and acting director of the听NIH听in 1993 and 2000-2002) who听during a presentation to听female leaders at NIH听once said听that听women听sometimes听need听to听鈥榬emind people to think of听you.鈥櫶淗er advice听has听always听resonated听with me,鈥 said Louis.听鈥淚t鈥檚 ok to self-nominate or to apply for positions even if not invited to do so,听as long as you have the qualifications.鈥澨齃ouis听also says听that women听can help others听by nominating them for听awards and special recognitions.听鈥淢ost听nominations听take time and effort to do well," cautions Louis,听鈥淏ut, if we don't create听a culture of recognition听for women and for future women leaders then we will never have the same recognition as others.鈥澨
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