Steeb Named Founding Dean of the College of Global Population Health

On March 1, 2022, University of Health Sciences and Pharmacy in St. Louis welcomed David Steeb, Pharm.D., MPH, as the founding dean of the University’s new College of Global Population Health. The addition of Steeb as dean marked another significant milestone for the University as it works toward its vision of becoming a transformational leader in health education and research.

As the first college of population health in the U.S. with a global focus, the College of Global Population Health works collaboratively with St. Louis College of Pharmacy, the College of Arts and Sciences and the College of Graduate Studies to enhance student educational opportunities and experiences.

“It’s an honor to have been selected as the founding dean of the College of Global Population Health during such a historic and transformational time for the University,” Steeb said. “In learning about UHSP and its mission to create and advance communities of discoveries to foster a healthier society, I could tell this was an institution that was strong, ambitious, and ready to learn, serve and grow, and that resonated with me from an ideological and personal perspective. I’m ready to work with the members of this incredible University community to build this new college that I hope will transform health outcomes and make a tangible difference on society.”

The college serves as a primary home for the University’s global and population health-related academic and research programs, while also helping to grow University engagement with the St. Louis community to promote health equity and positively impact health outcomes. In addition, the college will help St. Louis College of Pharmacy equip pharmacy students with the population health competencies necessary to practice effectively in a rapidly evolving health care environment.

Background and experience

Steeb came to UHSP from the University of North Carolina (UNC) at Chapel Hill Eshelman School of Pharmacy, where he served as an associate professor and director of global engagement. He holds a Master of Public Health from the Gillings School of Global Public Health at UNC, a Doctor of Pharmacy from the UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy and a Bachelor of Science in Chemistry and Biology from the University of Miami.

During his time at UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy, Steeb worked to develop and oversee international partnerships and programs, and conduct global health training and research.

His major accomplishments during his time at UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy included helping to raise nearly $1 million for more than 220 global student exchanges. He also played an instrumental role in managing $1.5 million in research seed funding with a 3:1 return on investment for PharmAlliance, an international partnership between three leading pharmacy schools established to improve global health care through innovation in pharmacy education, professional practice, research and student collaboration.

“Drawing on experience I gained during my time with the UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy, I will be working to build a college that is focused on developing and training a contemporary workforce and a new generation of health leaders who will be able to make a transformational difference in health outcomes in the years to come,” Steeb explained. “And given that we will be the first College of Global Population Health in the U.S., my goal is to make sure every student that comes through our college gets a global education experience – whether it be locally, nationally, internationally or through virtual or simulated experiences.”

“In addition, I will be working to maximize the college’s research efforts in data and implementation science, with the goal of eventually moving towards conducting health equity-based research with the potential to shape policies,” Steeb noted.

Looking Forward

During his first 100 days, Steeb says establishing partnerships will be key to getting the new College of Global Population Health off the ground.

“My initial goal as dean will be to meet with 100 different people in 100 different organizations, both locally and globally, in order to begin establishing a diverse partnership ecosystem for the college,” Steeb noted. “We will need stakeholders on the ground who will help us determine the needs and opportunities that exist in their geographic areas and how this college can accomplish work that is relevant and impactful to meeting those needs.”

“In my first days on campus, I will also be focused on ensuring that we are creating a welcoming, diverse and inclusive environment for all students, faculty and staff who will be part of the College of Global Population Health,” Steeb added. “There is amazing potential that exists for this new college and I am excited to have the opportunity to work with our campus community to build this program from the ground up.”

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