Jocelyn Herstein, PhD, MPH
Global Center for Health Security Scholar
Assistant Professor
Department of Agriculture, Occupational, and Environmental Health
UNMC College of Public Health
Dr. Jocelyn Herstein is an Assistant Professor in the College of Public Health at the University of Nebraska Medical Center (UNMC) and a Scholar of the UNMC Global Center for Health Security. She also serves as Director of International Partnerships and Programs for the US National Emerging Special Pathogens Training and Education Center.
Dr. Herstein has extensive experience in high-consequence infectious disease preparedness and management. Her research includes environmental exposure assessment, health systems strengthening for emerging special pathogens, training program evaluation, and validating operational and containment protocols for occupational health and safety in high-consequence infectious disease environments, with a focus on transportation, waste management, and personal protective equipment. She has authored over 40 publications in the fields of biopreparedness, high-level isolation, and infection prevention and control.
She has conducted and led national assessments on US preparedness infrastructure for high- consequence infectious diseases, has coordinated and led national training programs for federal first responders and non-healthcare worker teams, and has led the management and coordination of multiple national and international health security projects. Dr. Herstein also serves as a UNMC focal point for their partnership with the World Health Organization’s Global Outbreak Alert and Response Network.
Dr. Herstein has provided technical expertise and conducted biopreparedness trainings on Ebola virus disease, Lassa fever, and Covid-19 for healthcare workers, public health officials, and non- healthcare worker occupational groups at high risk of infection in the US, Europe, Africa, and Southeast Asia. During the COVID-19 response, Dr. Herstein co-led the development of a national online just-in-time training program for federal first responders from the National Disaster Medical System and US Public Health Service. She also provided technical assistance and co-led industry-specific guideline development for meat processing facilities, K-12 schools, and other higher-risk industries/sectors.