Anne Edith Becker

Anne Edith Becker is the Maude and Lillian Presley Professor of Global Health and Social Medicine at Harvard Medical School (HMS) and Dean for Clinical and Academic Affairs at HMS. She holds affiliate status in Harvard’s Department of Anthropology and is a psychiatrist at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH). Her research focuses on the sociocultural determinants of eating disorders, mental health barriers, and school-based interventions in low-resource settings like Fiji, Haiti, and Lebanon. Dr. Becker has authored over 150 publications and co-edited influential works such as Body, Self, and Society: The View from Fiji. She has led global health initiatives addressing eating disorders’ cultural mediation and mental health system strengthening. Awards include the 2013 Price Family Award for Research Excellence and the 2018 Leadership Award in Research from the Academy for Eating Disorders.

• Awards: 2013 Price Family Award, 2018 Leadership Award, 2014 Exceptional Mentorship Award, 2014 Barbara J. McNeil Faculty Award
• Leadership Roles: Past Director of MGH’s Eating Disorders Program, former Vice Chair of HMS Global Health Department

Her work bridges anthropology and psychiatry, emphasizing culturally responsive mental health frameworks. She has pioneered school-based interventions and contributed to DSM-5 eating disorders criteria development. Current projects include global mental health training frameworks and climate change’s impact on eating disorders.