This profile is part of a series to highlight the researchers who will be honored at a ceremony on Oct. 29 for UNMC’s 2026 Scientist Laureate, Research Leadership, Distinguished Scientist and New Investigator recipients.
Shaun Cross, PhD, will receive a New Investigator Award. New Investigator Awards go to outstanding UNMC scientists who in the past year have secured their first independent funding from a national source. New investigators also must demonstrate scholarly activity such as publishing their research and/or presenting their findings at national conventions.
- Name: Shaun Cross
- Title: Assistant professor, UNMC Department of Environmental, Agricultural, and Occupational Health, UNMC College of Public Health
- Joined UNMC: July 2022
- Hometown: Fort Collins, Colorado
Please describe your research focus in three words or less:
- Ticks
- Surveillance
- Agriculture
Why is research important in the world today?
As a father of three young kids, I am bombarded with questions about how the world works, making me realize there is much left to learn. Research is important as it fosters our ability to explore the intricacies of these questions.
However, doing research isn’t enough; communicating it matters just as much. Groundbreaking research means little if we don’t excite and educate the public along the way as their trust lets us keep doing this work.
My research will make a difference because:
Tick-borne diseases, and other vector-borne diseases, are continually increasing their burden on human health. However, these burdens are not equally shared. Rural communities and outdoor workers, such as farmers and ranchers, are at a heightened risk. Emerging tick-borne conditions like the tick-bite derived allergy Alpha-gal Syndrome, not only impact individual well-being but have major impacts on occupational safety and work. My research combines mixed methods assessments alongside molecular surveillance (deployed domestically and internationally) for developing new approaches to identify and predict risk. Together, these shape appropriate outreach, education and public health intervention for at-risk communities against tick-borne and other vector-borne diseases.
The best advice I’ve ever received is:
You can’t control the people or situations around you, but you can always control yourself.
Three things you may not know about me are:
- I’ve gone whitewater rafting on the Nile River.
- I am a Type 1 diabetic.
- I speak Romanian.