Michael Wirth, PhD

Why do you want to serve as a leader of the College?

Although I am still an Assistant Professor, I graduated 12 years ago and took a somewhat non-traditional path prior to joining the tenure-track in 2020. I am at the point in my career where I am ready to take on more leadership and administrative responsibilities at both the university and national level; this position in ACE is an excellent opportunity in that direction. I think one of my greatest strengths that would make me a great fit for this position is my ability to think outside of the box and from multiple perspectives for problem solving. I love reviewing and critiquing and, in turn, finding solutions or areas for improvement. I am very passionate about mentoring and providing opportunities for students and trainees to advance professional. I want to see ACE be in the position where we are overwhelmed with the number of applications and mentoring requests we get from students and postdocs.

What are your qualifications and experiences that will help you in service as a leader?

I am currently an Assistant Professor in the College of Nursing, University of South Carolina (USC) and the Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics in the Arnold School of Public Health at USC. Additionally, I held an appointment with Connection Health Innovations, LLC (CHI), a company that produces and commercializes public health technologies. USC has been my home since I was a graduate student. I earned by MSPH and PhD from the Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Arnold School of Public Health (ASPH). After I graduated, I spent a little over a year as a Post-doctoral Fellow at the Cancer Prevention and Control Program within the ASPH. I then worked part-time at USC as a Research Assistant Professor, while also working part-time at CHI. I then transitioned to a fulltime Research Assistant Professor for about a year and a half at the College of Nursing. Starting in January of 2020, I joined the tenure-track with a joint appointment between the College of Nursing (my primary home department) and ASPH. I have been in a number or roles at the University and private business level which has provided me with unique experiences that have fostered my ability to lead. I have sat on the Mentoring committee which has recently become the Professional Development Committee at ACE. I also recently received the Norman J. Arnold Alumni Award from the ASPH. This the most prestigious award offered by the ASPH. I received this award, in part, for my mentorship to students and contributions to the ASPH and USC. With my joint appointment in the College of Nursing, I have led the PhD Council and am Chair of the Nominations and Bylaws committee. At the College of Nursing, faculty governance is paramount to their structure, and I have been leading the committee responsible for the upkeep and development of the bylaws. Even though I am not a nurse, I have taken on leadership positions within the College of Nursing for which people look towards me for direction.