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Shawn G. Gibbs, PhD, MBA, CIH

Shawn Gibbs
Shawn Gibbs, PhD, MBA, CIH

Dean and Professor

Contact

School of Public Health
212 Adriance Lab Rd.
1266 TAMU
College Station, TX 77843-1266
sgibbs@tamu.edu
Phone: 979.436.9322
Fax: 979.458.1878

Biography

Dr. Gibbs is Dean of the Texas A&M University School of Public Health. He has over 100 articles in industrial hygiene and environmental exposure assessment, focusing on disrupting transmission of highly infectious diseases. He is a Member of USEPA Board of Scientific Counselors for Homeland Security. He was a U.S. Faculty Fulbright Scholar to Egypt and has been PI of three Fulbright Junior Faculty Development Programs (Egypt and Libya). His research helped to determine national policies, procedure and best practices for response to Ebola virus disease, COVID-19 and other highly infectious diseases. Gibbs has held roles in organizations such as the National Ebola Training and Education Center, Hispanic Health Disparities Research Center, NIOSH-funded Central States Center for Agricultural Safety and Health, and Director of Research for the CDC/DHHS-funded Nebraska Biocontainment Unit. He is heavily involved in national worker training programs in Hazardous Materials Disaster Preparedness Training and Hazardous Waste Worker Training. He is a national leader in the research, training and policy related to national and international responses to highly infectious disease outbreaks, including developing procedures for aeromedical evacuation isolation.

He received both a PhD in Environmental Science and MS in Environmental Engineering from the University of Cincinnati and an MBA from the University of Nebraska.

Education and Training

  • University of Cincinnati, PhD
  • University of Nebraska, MBA
  • University of Cincinnati, MS

Professional Certifications

  • American Board of Industrial Hygiene (ABIH)
  • Certified Industrial Hygienist (CIH)

Research Interests

  • Disrupting the Transmission of Highly Infectious Diseases, such as Ebola Virus Disease and COVID-19
  • Aeromedical Evacuation and Isolation
  • Worker Training Programs in Infectious Diseases and Disaster Preparedness
  • Industrial Hygiene and Exposure Assessment
  • Personal Protective Equipment
  • Healthcare Associated Infections
  • Agricultural Associated Transmission of Infectious Diseases
  • Global Public Health Education

Teaching Interests

  • Public Health Curriculum Development

Awards, Recognition and Service

  • 2018 American Industrial Hygiene Association’s Edward J. Baier Technical Achievement Award
  • 2017 Biomedical Research Exemplar Award
  • 2015 Admiral in the Great Navy of the State of Nebraska for service to the State
  • 2006-2007 U.S. Fulbright Faculty Scholar to Egypt

Representative Publications

  • Beam, E.L., Herstein, J.J., Kupzyk, K.A., Gibbs, S.G. 2020. A Simulation Approach to Measure Critical Safety Behaviors when Evaluating Training Methods for Respirator Education in Healthcare Workers. American Journal of Infection Control.  48:  869-874.  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ajic.2020.05.005
  • +Herstein, J.J., Le, A.B., +McNulty, L.A., +Buehler, S.A., Biddinger, P.D., Hewlett, A.L. Lowe, J.J., Gibbs, S.G. 2020.  Update on Ebola Treatment Center Costs and Sustainability, United States, 2019. Emerging Infectious Diseases.  26(5): 1007- 1009. https://doi.org/10.3201/eid2605.191245 
  • Herstein, J.J., Le, A.B., +McNulty, L.A., +Buehler, S.A., Biddinger, P.D., Hewlett, A.L. Lowe, J.J., Gibbs, S.G. 2020.  An Update on US Ebola Treatment Center Personnel Management and Training. American Journal of Infection Control.  48(4): 375-379.  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ajic.2019.12.005 
  • Gibbs, S.G., +Herstein, J.J., Le, A.B., Beam, E.L., Cieslak, T.J., Lawler, J.V., Santarpia, J.L., Stentz, T.L., Kopocis-Herstein, K.R., Achutan, C., Carter, G.W., Lowe, J.J.  2019. Review of Literature for Air Medical Evacuation High-Level Containment Transport.  Air Medical Journal.  38:359-365.  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.amj.2019.06.006
  • +Herstein, J.J., +Buehler, S.A., Le, A.B., Lowe, J.J., Iwen, P.C., Gibbs, S.G.  2019. Identifying clinical laboratory equipment manufacturer policies on highly hazardous communicable diseases.  Public Health Reports.  134(4):332-337.   https://doi.org/10.1177/0033354919856936
  • Gibbs, S.G., +Herstein, J.J., Le, A.B., Beam, E.L., Cieslak, T.J., Lawler, J.V., Santarpia, J.L., Stentz, T.L., Kopocis-Herstein, K.R., Achutan, C., Carter, G.W., Lowe, J.J.  2019. Need for Aeromedical Evacuation High-Level Containment Transport Guidelines.  Emerging Infectious Diseases.  25(5):1033-1034.  https://doi.org/10.3201/eid2505.181948
  • Le, A.B., Brooks, E.G., +McNulty, L.A., Gill, J.R., +Herstein, J.J., Rios, J., Patlovich, S.J., Jelden, K.C., Schmid, K.K., Lowe, J.J., Gibbs, S.G.  2019. U.S. Medical Examiner/Coroner Capability to Handle Highly Infectious Decedents.  Forensic Science, Medicine and Pathology. 15(1):31-40. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12024-018-0043-2
  • Le, A.B., Herron, R., +Herstein, J.J., Jelden, K.C., Beam, E.L., Gibbs, S.G., Lowe, J.J., Smith, T.D.  2018.  A Gap Analysis of United States Aircraft Rescue and Fire Fighting (ARFF) Members to Determine Training and Education Needs Pertaining to Highly Infectious Disease Management and Mitigation.  Disaster Medicine and Public Health Preparedness.  12(6):675-679.  https://doi.org/10.1017/dmp.2017.142
  • Gibbs, S.G., Lowe, J.J., Le, A.B., +Herstein, J.J., Biddinger, P.D.  2018.  Ebola Virus Disease Preparations Do Not Protect the United States Against Other Infectious Outbreaks.  American Journal of Public Health.  108(10):1327-1329.  doi: 10.2105/AJPH.2018.304667
  • Kulkarni, P., Olson, N.D., Paulson, J.N., Pop, N., Maddox, C., Claye, E., Rosenberg-Goldstein, R.E., Sharma, M., Gibbs, S.G., Mongodin, E.F., Sapkota, A.R.  2018. Conventional wastewater treatment and reuse site practices modify bacterial community structure but do not eliminate some opportunistic pathogens in reclaimed water.  Science of the Total Environment.  639:1126-1137.  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2018.05.178