Crystal R. Watson

Crystal R. Watson is an Associate Professor in the Department of Environmental Health and Engineering at Johns Hopkins University, with a joint role as Senior Associate at the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security. She specializes in public health preparedness, risk assessment during emergencies, and biodefense policy. She holds a DrPH and MPH from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and a BA from the University of Colorado.

Her research focuses on federal funding and management of biodefense programs, crisis decision-making, and global health security. Notable projects include assessments of Taiwan’s IHR compliance and analysis of Hurricane Katrina’s medical response. She serves as Associate Editor of Health Security and has authored over 30 peer-reviewed articles.

Key contributions include publications on biological threat characterization, pandemic event management, and Ebola risk perception. She advises on policies to address catastrophic biological risks and has led projects funded by federal agencies.