Jocelyn J. Herstein, PhD, MPH

• 2018, PhD Environmental and Occupational Health, University of Nebraska Medical Center
• 2017, Certificate in Emergency Preparedness, University of Nebraska Medical Center
• 2016, MPH Environmental, Agricultural and Occupational Health, University of Nebraska Medical Center
• 2013, BA Global Studies, University of Nebraska-Lincoln

Jocelyn Herstein, PhD, MPH is an Assistant Professor in the College of Public Health and a Scholar of the 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 specializes in high-consequence infectious disease preparedness and management, with focus on infection prevention and control, high-level isolation, training and education, and U.S. national preparedness infrastructure. Dr. Herstein’s research includes exposure assessment, health systems preparedness for emerging special pathogens, training program evaluation, and validation of 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.

Dr. Herstein has provided technical expertise and conducted biopreparedness trainings on Ebola virus disease, Lassa fever, and Covid-19 for healthcare workers and public health officials in the US, Europe, Africa, and Southeast Asia. She has coordinated and led national training programs on high-consequence infectious diseases and multiple national and international health security projects. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Dr. Herstein co-led the development of a national online just-in-time training program for federal first responders, was part of a team that provided technical assistance to meat processing facilities, schools, and other sectors, and led the development of guidelines and Playbooks for a number of these industries. Dr. Herstein also serves as a UNMC focal point for their partnership with the World Health Organization’s Global Outbreak Alert and Response Network.

• Herstein JJ, Degarege A, Stover D, Austin C, Schwedhelm MM, Lawler JV, Lowe JJ, Ramos AK, Donahue M. Characteristics of SARS-CoV-2 Transmission among Meat Processing Workers in Nebraska, USA, and Effectiveness of Risk Mitigation Measures. Emerg Infect Dis. 2021 Feb 16;27(4). doi: 10.3201/eid2704.204800.  

• Herstein JJ, Biddinger PD, Gibbs SG, Le AL, Le AB, Schwedhelm MM, Lowe JJ. The Utility and Sustainability of US Ebola Treatment Centers during the COVID-19 Pandemic. Infection Control and Hosp Epidemiol 2022;1-33. doi:10.1017/ice.2022.43. 

• Herstein JJ, Lowe JJ, Wolf T, Leo YS, Vasoo S, Shen Y, Chin BS, Hewlett AL, Lawler JV. Leveraging a pre-existing global infectious disease network for local decision-making during a pandemic. Clin Infect Dis. 2022;74(4):729-733. doi: 10.1093/cid/ciab660.  

• Lukowski J, Vasa A, Arguinchona C, ElRayes W, Frank M, Galdys AL, Garcia MC, Garland JA, Kline S, Persson C, Ruby D, Sauer LM, Vasistha S, Carasco SV, Herstein JJ. A Narrative Review of High-level isolation unit infrastructural and operational features. BMJ Glob Health. 2023;8(7):e012037. doi:10.1136/bmjgh-2023-012037 

• Herstein JJ, Dunning J, Lim PL, Herzog C, Sauer LM. Global Clinical Networking to Optimize the Clinical Management of High-Consequence Infectious Diseases. Health Secur. 2024;22(S1):S1-S3. doi:10.1089/hs.2024.0067.  

• MEDLINE-indexed literature

• American Public Health Association
• American Industrial Hygiene Association