Monaco named assistant dean of undergraduate degree programs
August 29, 2022
Dr. Jane Monaco
Jane Monaco, DrPH, associate professor of biostatistics at the UNC Gillings School of Global Public Health, has accepted the position of assistant dean of undergraduate degree programs effective September 1. In this administrative role, she will provide important leadership for undergraduate degree programs schoolwide while maintaining her teaching, service and research responsibilities as a faculty member and director of undergraduate studies in the Department of Biostatistics.
She succeeds Melanie Studer, PhD, from the Department of Health Policy and Management, who served as inaugural assistant dean of undergraduate degree programs.
Monaco earned her Bachelor of Science degree in mathematics from N.C. State University (summa cum laude) and two Master of Science degrees (mathematics and biostatistics) from UNC-Chapel Hill. She joined the UNC-Chapel Hill faculty soon after completing her Doctor of Public Health degree in biostatistics (2003) from the Gillings School, where her doctoral dissertation involved the analysis of correlated survival data. She previously worked in epidemiologic research at the American Cancer Society and Bowman Gray Medical School.
At Gillings, Monaco has been a long-standing member of the Academic Program Committee and was an essential contributor to the schoolwide integrated Master of Public Health (MPH) Core planning, implementation and instructor teams. As program director in biostatistics for the Bachelor of Science in Public Health (BSPH) program since 2006, she has mentored more than 300 graduates, including three finalists for the Rhodes Scholarship. Under her direction, the number of graduates has more than quadrupled while still attracting some of the most talented students in the University.
With more than two decades of educational experience, she has been recognized for teaching excellence with the 2013 Edward G. McGavran Award for Excellence in Teaching (which is awarded to one Gillings faculty member for career contributions to teaching) and two Teaching Innovation Awards in 2015 and 2017. Monaco has also been the Gillings School’s nominee for the Association of Schools and Programs of Public Health (ASPPH) Undergraduate Public Health Education Award.
She has taught a range of audiences, including undergraduate honors students, biostatistics majors and adult non-major graduate students. She often mentors new faculty and teaching assistants in the biostatistics department with respect to their teaching responsibilities. Monaco’s teaching evaluations are exemplary, with one recent student noting, “her positive attitude, genuine interest in her students and enthusiasm about teaching are what make this class so great.”
“Here at the Gillings School of Global Public Health, I have been fortunate to connect with some of the most amazing public health students in the world. Being selected for this position is an opportunity to continue to ensure that our BSPH programs remain exceptional,” said Monaco. “I plan to bring the experience, energy, excellence and engagement needed to lead these already strong programs.”
“Dr. Monaco has had a long, amazing career as an excellent teacher, mentor and advocate for undergraduate students here at Gillings, at UNC and more broadly,” said Laura Linnan, ScD, senior associate dean for academic and student affairs. “Her enthusiasm for working with undergraduate students is unparalleled. When combined with her knowledge of important academic policies and practices, she is the perfect choice to serve as assistant dean of undergraduate degree programs at Gillings. We are thrilled she has stepped up to serve in this critical role at a time when the growth of undergraduate training in public health is at its highest point.”
Contact the UNC Gillings School of Global Public Health communications team at sphcomm@unc.edu.
