BIO
An interdisciplinary scholar, Thomas Griffin, Ph.D holds an undergraduate degree in Geography and his PhD in Educational Leadership and Policy Studies, both from the University of Vermont. During his doctoral studies, Dr. Griffin specialized in global public health, training in biostatistics, public health policy, and complex humanitarian emergencies.
His interest in online learning emerged during his master’s degree program in International Relations and Conflict Resolution at American Military University. This interest grew into a passion for distance education while working for eight years in various roles at Professional and Continuing Education (PACE) at UVM. Highlights from his career in PACE include project managing the UVM MPH program’s Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH) accreditation application, developing three graduate certificates in public health specializations, and serving most recently as the organization’s interim chief officer. He is deeply committed to providing quality online learning experiences and creating access to higher education for diverse learners at all stages of life.
Dr. Griffin is a veteran of Operation Enduring Freedom, having served in Afghanistan as an Army Infantry Officer early in his career. In Kandahar, he saw the devastating consequences of armed conflict on civilians – a theme that defines his research interests today. During his second overseas tour as an Army Civil Affairs Officer in Cameroon, Dr. Griffin was struck by the confluence of events creating disastrous conditions in the Lake Chad Basin. There, climate change, food insecurity, human displacement, weak governance, and terrorism made for a scenario far too ignored in the West. He aims to illuminate these factors through interdisciplinary research spanning the social sciences. Dr. Griffin believes in the pragmatic and applied nature of mixed methods research and looks to employ his experience in quantitative, qualitative, and spatial techniques to solve real-world problems.
Area(s) of expertise
Environmental Public Health; Climate Change; Humanitarian Crises; Spatial Analysis; Global Leadership
Bio
An interdisciplinary scholar, Thomas Griffin, Ph.D holds an undergraduate degree in Geography and his PhD in Educational Leadership and Policy Studies, both from the University of Vermont. During his doctoral studies, Dr. Griffin specialized in global public health, training in biostatistics, public health policy, and complex humanitarian emergencies.
His interest in online learning emerged during his master’s degree program in International Relations and Conflict Resolution at American Military University. This interest grew into a passion for distance education while working for eight years in various roles at Professional and Continuing Education (PACE) at UVM. Highlights from his career in PACE include project managing the UVM MPH program’s Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH) accreditation application, developing three graduate certificates in public health specializations, and serving most recently as the organization’s interim chief officer. He is deeply committed to providing quality online learning experiences and creating access to higher education for diverse learners at all stages of life.
Dr. Griffin is a veteran of Operation Enduring Freedom, having served in Afghanistan as an Army Infantry Officer early in his career. In Kandahar, he saw the devastating consequences of armed conflict on civilians – a theme that defines his research interests today. During his second overseas tour as an Army Civil Affairs Officer in Cameroon, Dr. Griffin was struck by the confluence of events creating disastrous conditions in the Lake Chad Basin. There, climate change, food insecurity, human displacement, weak governance, and terrorism made for a scenario far too ignored in the West. He aims to illuminate these factors through interdisciplinary research spanning the social sciences. Dr. Griffin believes in the pragmatic and applied nature of mixed methods research and looks to employ his experience in quantitative, qualitative, and spatial techniques to solve real-world problems.
Areas of Expertise
Environmental Public Health; Climate Change; Humanitarian Crises; Spatial Analysis; Global Leadership