Background
Professor Katz is a professor jointly appointed by the Georgetown Medical Center and the School of Foreign Service. She also directs the Center of Global Health Science and Security. Professor Katz earned her undergraduate degree from Swarthmore College, as well as an MPH from Yale University and a PhD from Princeton University.
Involvement in Research
One of Dr. Katz’s ongoing projects is called Analysis and Mapping for Emerging Infectious Diseases (AMP EID). As part of this, her team works to create the foundational knowledge for policies related to outbreak response for emerging infectious diseases and the capacity to target them. She is also doing work regarding global health security financing, as well as analyzing the WHO Disease Outbreak News (DONs), for which her team is compiling outbreak data through the end of 2023 to assess how the international system captures outbreaks around the world.
Inspiration
Dr. Katz initially became interested in health economics after her undergraduate education. While working in maternal and child health clinics in Southern India, she was diagnosed with an unknown disease that was later found to be the first agent ever weaponized by the US as part of the (now defunct) offensive Biological Weapons program. Upon discovering it was a disease endemic to India, Dr. Katz delved into literature research and found an interest in bioterrorism and its link to public health and health security.
Reflection
Dr. Katz worked on infectious disease and quarantine for a long time before the pandemic, mentioning how it was underfunded greatly due to lack of interest. During the pandemic, her research became increasingly relevant, but in the post-pandemic environment, many of her research aspirations have fallen short due to the lack of a robust funding environment. However, she continues to highlight the importance of global health infectious disease research.
Advice for Students
Professor Katz recommends the Global Health Institute for students interested in research, which has a paid program in which student fellows are paired with faculty doing a research project of their interest in global health.