New investigator: Jocelyn Herstein, PhD

This profile is part of a series to highlight the researchers who will be honored at a ceremony on Nov. 14 for UNMC’s Scientist Laureate, Research Leadership, Distinguished Scientist and New Investigator Award recipients.

• Name: Jocelyn Herstein, PhD
• Title: Assistant professor, Department of Environmental, Agricultural and Occupational Health, UNMC College of Public Health
• Joined UNMC: 2014
• Hometown: Lincoln

Describe your research focus in three words or less:

High-consequence infectious diseases

Why is research important in the world today?

Research provides an evidence base to inform sound decision-making and drives innovation and new and improved ways of doing things.

My research will make a difference because:

The world is increasingly vulnerable to emerging infectious diseases. I have the opportunity to work with interdisciplinary teams to improve outbreak preparedness, enhance the protection of workers at higher risk of exposure to special pathogens and use research to advocate for funding and resourcing of specialized capabilities for outbreak response.

The best advice I’ve ever received is:

You can’t pour from an empty cup; take care of yourself.

Three things you may not know about me:

• My husband and I got married in a courthouse in Zug, Switzerland, in October 2020. Border closures meant no family or friends, so we had to pay for a witness (an employee from the city hall).
• I changed my major six times my first semester of college. I was interested in everything.
• If I have a second career, it will be as an archaeologist. (And yes, history and anthropology were two of my one-time majors, neither of which I ended up majoring in.)