Paul Duberstein Appointed Senior Associate Dean for Research at Rutgers School of Public Health
Paul Duberstein, PhD, has been appointed Senior Associate Dean for Research at the Rutgers School of Public Health, effective September 1, 2026.
Duberstein has served as chair of the Department of Health Behavior, Society and Policy for the past seven years. During that time, he guided the successful merger of the former Department of Social and Behavioral Health Sciences and the Department of Health Systems and Policy, helping shape a stronger, more integrated department. Under his leadership, the department expanded its research portfolio, strengthened its academic profile, broadened faculty expertise, and positioned itself for continued growth and innovation.
In his new role as Senior Associate Dean for Research, Duberstein will continue serving on the Dean's leadership team and provide strategic oversight of the school’s research enterprise and research training activities. Reporting to Rutgers School of Public Health Vice Dean Deanna Kerrigan, and working closely with Amanda Allen and Wendy Davis, the Office for Research co-directors, he will oversee the school’s research portfolio.
“Dr. Duberstein is an internationally recognized scholar, an outstanding mentor, and a thoughtful academic leader,” said Perry N. Halkitis, dean of the Rutgers School of Public Health. “His longstanding commitment to scientific excellence, faculty development, and student success makes him exceptionally well-suited for this new role. We are confident that under his leadership, our research enterprise will continue to grow in impact, visibility, and innovation.”
Duberstein will lead efforts to strengthen and expand the school’s research enterprise by supporting faculty research development, mentoring early-career investigators, fostering interdisciplinary collaboration, enhancing research administration processes, and helping recruit and onboard outstanding new research faculty. This work will include grants and contracts, research compliance, strategic planning, financial stewardship of research activities, and research administration infrastructure. He will also work closely with school leadership to strategically invest in and grow our research programs, ensuring the continued excellence and impact of our scholarly activities. Another key component of his role will be providing support for the school’s research centers and institutes. He will work closely with center leadership to support strategic planning, organizational stability, and continued growth while serving as the school’s liaison to these important units and representing the school on university-wide and national research initiatives.
Duberstein will also provide leadership for our research training mission. He will serve as the primary point of contact for postdoctoral education and development, helping to build a vibrant community of postdoctoral scholars through mentorship, programming, and professional development opportunities. In addition, he will oversee key aspects of doctoral education, including PhD admissions, curriculum development, student progression, dissertation training, and research grant development for doctoral trainees.
Alongside these responsibilities, Duberstein will continue to serve as the concentration director for Population Mental Health and Population Aging, helping advance innovative educational programming and strengthen student engagement in these important areas.
Duberstein will begin his role effective September 1, 2026.
