School of Public Health professor Barbara Quiram to retire after more than three decades at Texas A&M

Barbara J. Quiram, PhD, was hired as the first faculty member of the Texas A&M University School of Public Health and helped lay the foundation for what is now the fifth largest school of public health in the nation. The Professor Emerita is set to retire at the end of the month.

Quiram, who is professor in the Department of Health Policy and Management, serves as director of the USA Center for Rural Public Health Preparedness and director of the Office of Special Programs & Global Health. She has overseen more than fifty projects totaling in excess of $20 million including serving as the principal investigator for two Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Public Health Preparedness Centers and the Texas Public Health Training Center funded by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA).

Quiram is recognized for her ability to build partnerships with both traditional and nontraditional public health practitioners, as well as public and private partners, to bridge the gap between the academic and public health practice communities throughout Texas and the nation.

Dean Craig Blakely of the University of Louisville School of Public Health & Information Sciences, who worked with Quiram at Texas A&M for many years,  says that she is the best non-tenure track faculty member he has ever known.

“She chose not to live the publish or perish game and brought in as much grant money as all but a few colleagues, supported a contingent of students and impacted the community daily,” he said.

Chief Strategy Officer for the National Rural Health Association Amy Elizondo is still inspired by Quiram 20 years after completing her first graduate assistantship under her leadership.

“She afforded me the opportunity to see public health practice in real time as I was able to work directly with rural communities while learning applications during the program. More than 20 years later, I am still inspired and motivated by her strong work ethic, her incredible passion for developing public health leaders, and her success for building and sustaining programs that have improved public health for so many communities in need. She has been a force in this field and her contributions will be felt for generations to come,” Elizondo said.

Quiram has also been instrumental in the career of Jennifer Griffith, DrPH, who currently serves as associate dean of academic affairs at the School of Public Health.

“Her mentorship and guidance on how to approach, engage and sustain relationships with communities and academic practice partners resulted in a career path that allowed me to blend my love of practice and academics,” Griffith said.

Regents Professor Jay Maddock, also of the School of Public Health, said, “Barbara was an invaluable resource for me during my time as dean. Her long history and wisdom always provided important insights into our school. I’ll miss the hours she spent regaling us with tales of the founding of the school.”

Senior Associate Dean of Research Tiffany Radcliff, PhD, will serve as interim director of the USA Center for Rural Public Health Preparedness starting April 1.  Following completion of a recent nationwide search, Jason Moats, PhD, has been named the new director of the USA Center effective Aug. 1, 2023.