John A. Staley, PhD

Dr. Staley’s research and teaching program focuses on occupational safety and health hazards, particularly among vulnerable workers. His work also includes disaster preparedness and response program development, infectious disease and environmental health/safety, and program/curriculum design for undergraduate and graduate programs. He has a strong background in outreach with front-line workers, particularly the first responder community, e.g., fire/EMS, law enforcement, the military, and underrepresented populations. He works with regional partners across the southeastern United States to foster regional cross-collaboration to improve the health of the US workforce, particularly with a Total Worker Health® approach. This includes the critical intersection of community engagement and workforce development with the public, health care, business, and practice sector stakeholders in occupational safety and health research, practice, and policy.

Honors and Awards

University Teaching Council Teaching Development Grant Awardee

2018, Kent State University

Blackboard Exemplary Course Winner

2017

Center for Teaching and Learning Faculty Fellow

2016-2017, Kent State University

Teaching Scholars for Early Career Faculty

2010, Kent State University

Graduate Education Advancement Board (GEAB) Impact Award

2008, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Representative Courses

Public Health Systems and Solutions, SPHG 352

Fundamentals of Industrial Hygiene, ENVR 797

Teaching Interests

I have extensive experience in course development having served as a founding faculty member of a fully CEPH accredited College of Public Health in Kent, Ohio. As such I developed and taught both undergraduate and graduate level public health courses in health policy and management and environmental health, covering a wide variety of topics, including public health policy and decision making, U.S. healthcare system, public health leadership, public health administration, legal aspects of public health, environmental health, and disaster preparedness and response. I have a strong passion for best pedagogical practices, and having developed award winning traditional, synchronous and asynchronous courses.

Research Activities

Public health practice and collaboration

Workforce development

Disaster preparedness and response

Public health policy making

Health care repeal and reform efforts

Environmental health 

Occupational health and safety

Service Activities

CDC/NIOSH COVID Intergovernmental Personnel Act (IPA) Program Technical Adviser (2020-Present)

Practice Activities

I have a strong interest in public health practice and outreach, having conducted these activities while associate director of the Office of Public Health Practice and Partnerships in the College of Public Health at Kent State University. I have facilitated academic health department growth and collaboration with northeastern Ohio health departments and community stakeholders, and enjoy fostering collaboration among academic institutions and community and practice partners on public health issues.

Key Publications

Safety and Health Implications of COVID-19 on the United States Construction Industry. Choi, S and Staley JA (2021). Industrial and Systems Engineering Review, 9(1).

Senior Adult Preparedness: What does it really mean? Staley JA, Alemagno S, Shaffer-King P (2011). Journal of Emergency Management., 9(6), 47-55.

Firefighter Fitness, Coronary Heart Disease, and Sudden Cardiac Death Risk. Staley JA, Alemagno S, Shaffer-King P. (2011). Journal of Emergency Management., 35(5), 603-617.

Preparedness Roles for Health Policy and Management Departments. Staley JA, Zelman WZ, Porto JE, Paul JE, Havala Hobbs S (2009). Journal of Health Administration Education.

“Get Firefighters Moving”: Marketing a Physical Fitness Intervention to Reduce Sudden Cardiac Death Risk in Full-Time Firefighters. Staley JA (2009). Social Marketing Quarterly, 15(3), 85-99.

Staff/Administrative Duties

As Deputy Director and Director of Outreach and Continuing Education in the Occupational Safety and Health Education and Research Center, Dr. Staley develops learning/certification opportunities for a variety of occupational sector needs, such as fire/EMS, law enforcement, military, industrial hygienists, and safety professionals. Additionally, he fosters educational opportunities for students across the following academic programs affiliated with the center- occupational exposure science, occupational epidemiology, safety and ergonomics, and occupational medicine. He also co-coordinates the center’s pilot projects program and the Targeted Research Training Program for Postdoctoral Fellows. 

Education

PhD, Health policy and administration, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 2008

MS, Environmental health, East Carolina University, 1997