Yerby Fellowship Program
Yerby Fellows work under the guidance of senior faculty at Harvard Chan School to develop research agendas, receive grant support, and pursue publication. They can also gain teaching experience and other professional development as they work toward entry-level positions in academia.
Applying to the Program
The Harvard Chan Yerby Fellowship Program draws on the rich research environment and intellectual resources of one of the world’s premier public health training institutions. Named for Dr. Alonzo Smythe Yerby, an African-American pioneer in public health, this program aims to expand the diversity of those entering the academic public health field. The program creates a bridge between academic training in public health-related fields and entry-level faculty positions at institutions throughout the United States.
The goal of the program is to advance the intellectual and professional development of each Yerby Fellow. Under the guidance of a senior Harvard Chan School faculty member with compatible interests, Yerby Fellows develop research agendas, receive grant support, and actively pursue publication in peer-reviewed journals. Additionally, Yerby Fellows can gain teaching experience and participate in a wide variety of professional development activities.
How to Apply
The application cycle for the 2025 Yerby Fellowship is now closed. We will be opening our next application cycle in August 2025.
Learn More
Each fellow will be based within one of the School’s nine academic departments:
- Biostatistics
- Environmental Health
- Epidemiology
- Global Health and Population
- Health Policy and Management
- Immunology and Infectious Diseases
- Molecular Metabolism
- Nutrition
- Social and Behavioral Sciences
Upcoming Information Sessions
Join us for one of our 2026 Yerby Fellowship Program information sessions! Sessions will be posted in August 2025.
Selection Committee Membership
Issa J. Dahabreh, MD
Associate Professor of Epidemiology, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health
Christy A. Denckla, PhD
Assistant Professor of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health
Cindy Leung, ScD, MPH
Assistant Professor of Public Health Nutrition, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health
John Quackenbush, PhD
Henry Pickering Walcott Professor of Computational Biology and Bioinformatics, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health
Jessalyn M. Ubellacker, PhD, MPH
Assistant Professor of Molecular Metabolism, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health
Aisha K. Yousafzai, PhD
Professor of Child Development and Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health
Ex Officio Membership
Jennifer M. Ivers, PhD
Associate Dean for Faculty Affairs
Office of Faculty Affairs
Kimberly Salas Harris
Director of Pathway Programs and Faculty Pipeline Initiatives
Office of Diversity and Inclusion
Program Administration
Mollie-Anne F. Maxfield
Faculty Affairs Program Manager