Hi - I’m Dr. Becky Dawson


I am an epidemiologist (aka a disease detective), TV news correspondent, clinical research director, blogger, (beginner) yogi, mom of two (a ballerina and a Lego enthusiast), and the wife of an ultramarathoner.

My passion and calling in life is to create healthy communities. I am committed to preventive healthcare; love research; advocate for vaccines; and have dedicated my career to educating the next generation of public health professionals.

What is epidemiology?


Epidemiology is the science of public health. Epidemiologists, better known as disease detectives, study diseases in populations or groups of people. We are interested in determining what causes a disease to occur, who is at risk, who gets sick & why, how do we treat people who are already sick, and (most importantly) how do we prevent people from getting sick in the first place.

In the midst of a pandemic, epidemiology matters. And epidemiological education should be accessible to everyone so that we can work together to create health communities.

This is why I have created and made Introduction to Epidemiology online and free for everyone.

Want weekly updates?

I write about all things public health, the pandemic, and epidemiology on my blog, Epi(demiology) Matters. All of my posts are data-driven and backed by the most recent scientific evidence. Additionally, they include real talk about parenting, working, and navigating life in the midst of a pandemic.

My goal is to bring the epidemiological news that matters most to you - in a form that you can both understand and apply to create healthy communities.