CCS Presentation: 'Towards Better Health Security' to Be Held on April 3, 2025

The Center for Community Studies (CCS) at Jefferson Community College (JCC) will host a presentation titled, “Towards Better Health Security: Investments in Infectious Disease Surveillance Systems After the Covid-19 Pandemic” on Thursday, April 3, 2025, at 7:00 p.m. The presentation is free and open to the public, with three viewing options: in-person at the Nest (124-136 Franklin Street, Watertown), livestream via Zoom, or on-demand via the Center for Community Studies YouTube channel after the live event.  

The presentation will explore the challenges in U.S. infectious disease surveillance systems highlighted by the COVID-19 pandemic and the efforts underway to strengthen and improve these systems. Dr. David Larsen (left), Ph.D., MPH, an expert in public health, will be presenting. He is an assistant professor of public health, food studies, and nutrition at Syracuse University, where he has served for 12 years. Prior to joining Syracuse University, Dr. Larsen was the Director of Public Health at Akros in Lusaka, Zambia.

“Public health and disease surveillance impact every community, and understanding how these systems work is crucial for improving health security,” says Joel LaLone, Director of the Center for Community Studies at Jefferson. “We are honored to host Dr. David Larsen, whose expertise in infectious disease surveillance will provide valuable insights into how we can better track and respond to health threats.”

Dr. Larsen’s research has been widely published in journals including Health Promotion International, Malaria Journal, American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene, and the Journal of Water, Sanitation and Hygiene for Development. His public health work in Zambia focused on strengthening health information systems in urban areas, developing sanitation surveillance systems for government schools, piloting an education management information system, and supporting trachoma elimination efforts in the Southern Province. Dr. Larsen has been a guest speaker at SUNY Upstate Medical University and has served as a principal investigator and co-investigator on multiple public health grants, including a USAID President’s Malaria Initiative grant exceeding $500,000. He has extensive knowledge in global health, specializing in mosquito-borne illnesses, mHealth (mobile health), and sanitation. Dr. Larsen holds a bachelor’s degree from Brigham Young University and a master’s degree and doctorate degree from Tulane University. 

For more information about the CCS presentation, call (315) 786-2264.