Dr. Ashish Jha, the new dean of Brown University’s School of Public Health, arrived this month from Harvard with an international reputation – and plans already to help move Brown and the state of Rhode Island into the forefront of domestic and global efforts to improve the health of all people.

In this interview with The Journal, Jha said he also hopes he and Brown can contribute to moving the state toward a better healthcare system. As step in that direction came in June, when the leaders of Lifespan and Care New England, Rhode Island’s largest and second-largest systems, agreed to new talks that could lead to a merger that would include Brown.

Jha also spoke at length about the #coronavirus #pandemic – what the state might expect this fall and winter, the status of vaccines and more. As faculty director of Harvard’s Global Health Institute, Jha long before COVID-19 led ground-breaking research about preparations for pandemics, which have plagued humanity throughout recorded history.

@gwaynemiller #podcast for @projo - #video and story at providencejournal.com