The coronavirus pandemic has not only affected our health care systems, the global economy and our sense of security, it has changed our everyday lives, including the way we work, learn and interact with each other. UCLA faculty are experts on these subjects and more. Click on the topic links below for a list of experts.
Also see Newsroom's COVID-19–related news coverage.
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Rimoin is a professor of epidemiology at the UCLA Fielding School of Public Health and director of UCLA’s Center for Global and Immigrant Health. She is an expert on emerging infectious diseases, ebolavirus, zoonoses and immunization. Rimoin is also leading UCLA’s study of COVID-19 asymptomatic infection and immunity in health care workers and first responders in Los Angeles and is a leading voice on the pandemic in the media.
Kuhn, a demographer and sociologist with the UCLA Fielding School of Public Health, is an expert on the demography of vulnerable populations (including the aging and homeless), global health, immigrant health and health surveillance programs. He has written about COVID-19 and the homeless population in the U.S.
Kim-Farley is a professor of epidemiology at the UCLA Fielding School of Public Health and former director of Communicable Disease Control and Prevention at the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health. His expertise includes public health preparedness and the reduction and eradication of communicable diseases.
Fielding is a distinguished professor of health policy and management at the UCLA Fielding School of Public Health and an expert in disease trends, emerging public health threats and disease control measures. He is the former director of the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health.
Zhang, associate dean for research and a professor of epidemiology at the UCLA Fielding School of Public Health, has worked as a World Health Organization consultant in China and has studied the relation of air pollution to SARS virus infection.
Eisenman is a professor at the UCLA Fielding School of Public Health and the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA. He directs UCLA’s Center for Public Health and Disasters, which promotes efforts to reduce the health impacts of natural and human-induced disasters and public health emergencies.
Ponce is director of the UCLA Center for Health Policy Research and a professor of health policy and management at the UCLA Fielding School of Public Health. Her research focuses on racial and ethnic health disparities, health care access, and immigrant health. She has recently spoken about the need for more detailed demographic data on the COVID-19 pandemic.
Mays, a professor of psychology and director of the UCLA Center for Research, Education, Training and Strategic Communication on Minority Health Disparities, is an authority on the mental and physical health disparities that affect minority populations, particularly African Americans. She has expertise in a number of COVID-19–related areas, including health disparities, mental health and well-being, and suicides and substance abuse in the wake of the pandemic.
Carpenter, an associate professor of medicine, nursing and public health at UCLA’s Center for Human Nutrition, is an expert on food safety and the role of nutrition in prevention and recovery from infectious diseases. She recently spoke about takeout, shopping and food hygiene during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Hunnes teaches in the department of community health sciences at the UCLA Fielding School of Public Health and has commented on the importance of nutrition and a healthy diet while sheltering at home or in quarantine.
Gee is a professor of community health sciences at the UCLA Fielding School of Public Health whose research focuses on racial discrimination and health inequities, and on how discrimination may be related to illness.
Jerrett is a professor of environmental health sciences at the UCLA Fielding School of Public Health who studies the health effects of environmental exposures, including the impact of disease in areas with poor air quality.
Kominski, a senior fellow at the UCLA Center for Health Policy Research and a professor of health policy and management at the UCLA Fielding School of Public Health, is an expert on evaluating the costs and cost-effectiveness of medical programs, treatments and technologies.
Brookmeyer is dean of the UCLA Fielding School of Public Health and a professor of biostatistics with expertise in the modeling of epidemics, the design of vaccine and therapeutic trials, and the quality of data related to disease surveillance.
Heymann is a distinguished professor at the UCLA Fielding School of Public Health and founding director of the WORLD Policy Analysis Center. She is an expert on laws and policies that affect human health, development, well-being, and equity.
Ramirez, a professor of biostatistics at the UCLA Fielding School of Public Health, is an expert on epidemics and pandemics involving infectious diseases, with a particular focus on HIV and COVID-19. Her COVID-19 research has included studies on SARS-CoV-2 mutations, identifying high-risk populations and the effectiveness of preventive measures like mask-wearing.
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Lehman is a professor of clinical pediatrics at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA and an expert in infectious diseases, including the flu and other viral outbreaks, as well as vaccines.
Brewer is a professor in the division of infectious diseases at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA and a professor of epidemiology at the UCLA Fielding School of Public Health. He is an expert on the population-based control of infectious diseases, particularly tuberculosis and HIV/AIDS.
Reuben, professor and chief of geriatrics at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, is an expert on health care for the elderly.
Silverman is a clinical professor of obstetrics and gynecology at David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA and an expert on pregnancy and obstetric infectious diseases.
Cherry is a distinguished research professor of pediatrics at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA with an expertise in pediatric infectious diseases.
Yang is a professor of medicine in the infectious diseases division at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA whose research focuses on developing immune therapies and vaccines for HIV and other viral infections. He is currently overseeing trials of new drugs aimed at fighting COVID-19.
Garner is a professor of health sciences and associate director of clinical microbiology for the UCLA Health System. His research focuses on novel point-of-care devices for infectious disease diagnosis in the developing world.
Lloyd-Smith, a UCLA professor of ecology and evolutionary biology, is an expert on infectious disease dynamics. He recently co-authored a study on how long the virus that causes COVID-19 remains infectious on cardboard, metal and plastic, as well as a report evaluating the efficacy of screening travelers for the virus.
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Maidenberg is a clinical professor of psychiatry and biobehavioral sciences at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA and an expert on the stress and anxiety caused by man-made and natural disasters, including earthquakes, wildfires, pandemics, terrorism, shootings and job loss.
Lee is a clinical instructor of psychiatry at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA who has spoken frequently on how individuals can maintain their mental well-being while at home due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Mays, a professor of psychology and director of the UCLA Center for Research, Education, Training and Strategic Communication on Minority Health Disparities, is an authority on the mental and physical health disparities that affect minority populations, particularly African Americans. She has expertise in a number of COVID-19–related areas, including health disparities, mental health and well-being, and suicides and substance abuse in the wake of the pandemic.
Young, a professor of psychiatry at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA is a mental health professional whose work focuses on evaluating and improving health care through technology, with a particular emphasis on mental health care. He has written on the use of telehealth approaches to helping people at home due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Karney, a UCLA professor of social psychology, studies change and stability in intimate relationships, especially in the early years of marriage. His research has focused on maintaining relationships in the face of external stress.
Fong, an associate clinical professor of psychiatry at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA and co-director of the UCLA Impulse Control Disorders Clinic, regularly comments on issues related to addiction, gambling, compulsive behavior and depression.
Jeste, an assistant professor of psychiatry at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA and a member of UCLA's Brain Research Institute, is a behavioral neurologist who focuses on autism and intellectual disabilities in children.
Winston, director of education at the UCLA Mindful Awareness Research Center, teaches and develops curricula around mindfulness for health and well-being.
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Wachter, a professor of economics and faculty director of the California Policy Lab at UCLA, studies unemployment insurance, employment transitions and the impact of job losses on workers. He has recently addressed COVID-19 and unemployment.
Lewin is an emeritus professor at the UCLA Anderson School of Management and an expert on human resource strategy and human resource management practices, public-sector unionism, collective bargaining and pension issues.
Nickelsburg, adjunct professor of economics at the UCLA Anderson School of Management and a senior economist with the UCLA Anderson Forecast, is an expert on the U.S. and California economies.
Leamer is the Chauncey J. Medberry Professor of Management at the UCLA Anderson School of Management and director of the UCLA Anderson Forecast. He is an authority on a wide range of economic issues, including economic forecasting, labor relations, international trade, energy and product reliability.
Gabriel is a professor of finance at the UCLA Anderson School of Management and director of the UCLA Ziman Center for Real Estate. Gabriel's research focuses on real estate finance and economics, housing and mortgage markets, urban and regional economics, and macroeconomics.
Farmer, a distinguished professor of economics, is an expert in how market psychology affects economic activity. Farmer has written extensively on how the beliefs of market participants independently influence the economy, including stock prices, the value of the dollar and unemployment.
Srinivasan is a professor at the UCLA Graduate School of Education and Information Studies who studies the relationship between technology, politics and societies. He has recently focused on how working remotely due to the COVID-19 pandemic may reshape the way we live and work in the future.
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Howard is a professor of education at the UCLA Graduate School of Education and Information Studies. He is an expert on the influence of racial and cultural differences on teaching and learning, particularly in urban schools, and how these differences affect the way teachers and students interact.
Rogers is a professor at the UCLA Graduate School of Education and Information Studies and director of the Institute for Democracy, Education and Access (IDEA) at UCLA. He specializes in issues related to equal access to education, particularly in Los Angeles; parental and community involvement in schools; urban education; and the role of race in education.
Francois is director of Center X at the UCLA Graduate School of Education and Information Studies, which designs and conducts programs that support K–12 teachers committed to social justice, instructional excellence and caring in low-income urban schools. A former teacher and principal, she can address the challenges teachers and students face during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Quartz, director of the Center for Community Schooling at the UCLA Graduate School of Education and Information Studies, leads efforts to research and develop community schools. She can comment on how teachers, students and families are coping with the pandemic at UCLA’s community schools in South Los Angeles and Koreatown — both of which also serve as grab-and-go food distribution sites for LAUSD students.
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Volokh, the Gary T. Schwartz Professor of Law at the UCLA Law School, is an expert on First and Second Amendment law and civil liberties. He has commented recently on stay-at-home orders and the rise in gun purchases during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Michaels is a professor at the UCLA School of Law and an expert on how government works, national security law and constitutional law. He is an authority on bureaucracy and the regulatory state, presidential powers, and government ethics.
Crenshaw, a distinguished professor at the UCLA School of Law, is an expert on race and the law, structural racism and discrimination based on race, gender and class. She has spoken about how the COVID-19 pandemic has affected marginalized groups and highlighted racial societal inequalities.
Horwitz, a professor at the UCLA School of Law, is an expert on health policy. Her scholarship has focused on the legal regulation of health care organizations and the impact of hospital ownership on the delivery of medical services.
Motomura, the Susan Westerberg Prager Professor of Law at the UCLA School of Law, is an expert on immigration and citizenship law who can comment on COVID-19 issues related to immigrants, immigrant communities and immigrants’ rights.
Eagly, a professor at the UCLA School of Law, is an expert in immigration law whose research focuses on the intersection between immigration law and criminal justice.
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Jerrett is a professor of environmental health sciences at the UCLA Fielding School of Public Health who studies the health effects of environmental exposures, including the impact of disease in areas with poor air quality.
Zhang, associate dean for research and a professor of epidemiology at the UCLA Fielding School of Public Health, has worked as a World Health Organization consultant in China and has studied the relation of air pollution to SARS virus infection.
Paulson, a professor of atmospheric and oceanic sciences and a member of the UCLA Institute of the Environment and Sustainability, is an expert on smog, ozone and air pollution. She has monitored field stations throughout Southern California and developed models that inform the public policy debate about pollution control.
Zhu is a professor of environmental health sciences who studies air pollution, environmental exposures, and aerosol science and technology. Her research focuses on measuring and modeling ultrafine particle emissions from transportation on and near roadways. She has studied the ways in which we may be able to maintain the air-quality improvements seen in the wake of the COVID-19 shutdown.
Carlson, UCLA’s Shirley Shapiro Professor of Environmental Law and faculty co-director of the UCLA Emmett Center on Climate Change and the Environment, is one of the country’s leading scholars of climate change law and policy. Her research focuses on constitutional questions of environmental law, including the division of authority between states and the federal government on greenhouse gas emissions.
Sean Hecht, co-executive director of the UCLA Emmett Center on Climate Change and the Environment, is an expert on environmental law and policy, including the regulation of greenhouse gas emissions and climate change.
Horowitz is the Andrew Sabin Family Foundation executive director of the UCLA Emmett Center on Climate Change and the Environment. An expert on California and federal climate policy and local sustainability, she works on legal and policy solutions to climate change and related environmental issues.
Matute is the deputy director of the UCLA Institute of Transportation Studies and an expert on sustainable transportation, electric vehicles and local government climate planning, specifically how governments measure and manage greenhouse gas emissions.
Taylor is a professor of urban planning and public policy at the UCLA Luskin School of Public Affairs and director of the UCLA Institute of Transportation Studies. His work explores financing of transportation systems and how these systems serve the needs of people in lower-income neighborhoods, people with disabilities and the elderly.
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Dolovich, a professor at the UCLA School of Law and faculty director of the UCLA Prison Law and Policy Program, is an expert on criminal punishment, legal ethics and prison conditions. Dolovich recently developed a new online tool to track how the COVID-19 is impacting incarcerated people, correctional officers and other personnel.
Littman, a clinical teaching fellow at the UCLA School of Law, recently created an online state-by-state survey of the sources of legal authority that allow officials, including sheriffs, judges and governors, to release people from custody in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Lytle Hernández is a professor of history and director of the UCLA Bunche Center for African American Studies whose research has focused on race, police and prison systems in Los Angeles and throuhgout the American West and U.S.–Mexico borderlands. She is the author of “City of Inmates: Conquest, Rebellion, and the Rise of Human Caging in Los Angeles 1771–1965.”
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Blasi, an emeritus professor at the UCLA School of Law, is an expert on public interest policy and law, with an emphasis on the homeless and the poor.
Kuhn, a demographer and sociologist with the UCLA Fielding School of Public Health, is an expert on the demography of vulnerable populations (including the aging and homeless), global health, immigrant health and health surveillance programs. He has written about COVID-19 and the homeless population in the U.S.
Roy is a professor of urban planning and social welfare at the UCLA Luskin School of Public Affairs and an expert on urban development, poverty, inequality, homelessness and social justice.
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The UCLA Health Ethics Center, led by Dr. Neil Wenger, seeks to promote dialogue, inquiry and values clarification to address the many complex and compelling ethical concerns in health care. Wenger recently wrote about the difficult choices hospitals with overtaxed resources must make about who receives care for COVID-19.
