Dear DBEI Community,
We are delighted to announce that, effective October 1, and following the recommendation of the search committee, Sunni Mumford, PhD, has accepted the position of Director of the Division of Epidemiology within the DBEI. Dr. Mumford has been serving as Deputy Director of the Division since 2023.
As she steps into this role, Dr. Mumford follows Dr. Sean Hennessy, who has led the Division with distinction since 2021. We are grateful to Dr. Hennessy for his leadership and the many ways he has strengthened the Division during his tenure.
Dr. Mumford is a Professor of Epidemiology, Co-Director of the Women’s Health Clinical Research Center, Director of Enrichment for the Penn Center for Nutritional Science and Medicine, Chair of the Epidemiology Division Recruitment Committee, and Thematic Area Leader for the Center of Excellence in Environmental Toxicology. In 2024, she received the STAR Award from the American Society for Reproductive Medicine, recognizing her sustained contributions to the field.
An internationally recognized scholar, Dr. Mumford has published extensively on reproductive and nutritional epidemiology, fertility, and women’s health. Her work includes landmark studies on vitamin D and pregnancy outcomes (Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology), the effects of folic acid and zinc supplementation on fertility (JAMA), preconception caffeine and fecundability (American Journal of Clinical Nutrition), and cannabis use and conception outcomes (Human Reproduction). Her recent research also addresses critical questions on social determinants of health and racial disparities in polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), as well as novel methodological approaches to bias and causal inference in reproductive epidemiology.
In addition to her research, Dr. Mumford has served enthusiastically as a mentor and advocate for many PhD and Master of Science in Clinical Epidemiology students, postdoctoral researchers, and junior and mid-career faculty members. As Division Director, Dr. Mumford will provide energetic leadership to 77 faculty members, 11 postdoctoral fellows, and 19 students pursuing the Graduate Group in Epidemiology and Biostatistics (GGEB) PhD in Epidemiology and will host more than 50 research staff members in Division offices.
We extend our thanks to Dr. Eric Tchetgen Tchetgen for his excellent work chairing the search committee and committee members, Aimin Chen, Jinbo Chen, Michael Harhay, and Jim Guevara for their contributions to the search for this important role.
We are excited by the opportunity to continue to work with Dr. Mumford as she leads our thriving Division of Epidemiology and serves as a valued member of the DBEI leadership group. Please join us in congratulating Dr. Mumford on this well-deserved appointment and in supporting her as she leads the Division of Epidemiology into its next chapter of growth and excellence!