By Jackson Clark
After serving as interim dean of Samford’s School of Public Health for over a year, professor Suresh Mathews was appointed to the full position earlier this month. Since joining Samford’s faculty 11 years ago, Dr. Mathews has risen to the top as one of the most committed and experienced scholars in the department.
In Samford’s press release, Provost and Vice President of Academic Affairs Dr. Dave Cimbora praised the incoming dean.
“Dr. Mathews stood out as a candidate with tremendous experience, wisdom gained from that experience and a robust skill set to lead the School of Public Health into the future. These qualities were consistently recognized by faculty, staff and students throughout the search process.”
Mathews earned his PhD in biochemistry from the University of Madras in India. He spent 10 years at Wayne State School of Medicine conducting research on obesity and nutrition. One of his key contributions involved research on the health risks of pesticides used to combat malaria-ridden mosquitoes.
After serving as the graduate program director for the Department of Nutrition, Dietetics and Hospitality Management at Auburn University, Mathews set his sights on Samford. He has not looked back since.
“I think that coming to Samford has been the best aspect of my life,” said Mathews. “I think the Christ-centered institution that Samford is, is just an unbelievable aspect of who I today proclaim to be in this field. Combining public call with teaching our students to have a servant heart and go out into the community, to serve, it just means a lot.”
After the previous dean’s departure, the college approached Mathews about serving as dean during the transition process. As a member of the selection committee for the previous dean, he was an obvious choice.
“I felt honored to be asked,” said Matthews.
Looking forward, Mathews hopes he can equip his students to function well in a world that has shown increasing scrutiny towards health professionals.
“What is a real food, really? All these dyes and artificial ingredients that are added, does that constitute food? There are a lot of questions that the public wants to know,” Mathews said. “I think it’s important that we train our students to be able to be fully prepared for the challenges that they have ahead of them. Building up a high quality of education, that’s our prime purpose here.”
Looking towards the future, Mathews is excited about the college of health science’s prospects.
“The school is now 10 years old, and I hope that it can grow to greater heights,” Mathews said. “We’re looking forward to collaborative ventures from other schools to help collectively advance the mission of public health.”
For Mathews, the most important part of that mission is its foundation in the teachings of Christ.
“Faith is the crux of everything that we stand for,” Mathews said. “Being at Samford, whether you’re a student staff or a faculty member, provides us that opportunity to practice our faith on a day-to-day basis, to acknowledge him, and to glorify him in everything that we do.”
