Department SummaryThe Epidemiology department in the Fielding School of Public Health is a national leader in preparing a new generation of epidemiologists. Through specialized methodologies, epidemiologists identify, track, and analyze how diseases and other conditions are caused, transmitted, and prevented, as well as how they are distributed throughout the population. Such information plays a critical role in guiding policies and other evidence-based strategies to promote health and work toward health equity. The vital importance of epidemiologic research was highlighted by the COVID-19 pandemic, in which epidemiologists have helped to track outbreaks and provide guidance on how the virus spreads in community settings.