Alexandra Phelan

Dr. Alexandra Phelan is an Associate Professor in the Department of Environmental Health and Engineering at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. She serves as a Senior Scholar at the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security and Faculty Director (Policy) at the Johns Hopkins Institute for Planetary Health. An international lawyer with expertise in global health law and international environmental law, Dr. Phelan focuses on epidemic and pandemic preparedness and response, advising international organizations, institutions, and governments including the World Health Organization and US National Academies.

Dr. Phelan's educational background includes:

• Doctor of Juridical Science (SJD) in international law and infectious disease from Georgetown University Law Center (2019)
• Master of Laws (LLM) from Australian National University specializing in international law (2013)
• Dual Bachelor of Biomedical Science/Bachelor of Laws from Monash University (2010, 2007)

Dr. Phelan's research spans international law, emerging infectious diseases, human rights, equity, planetary health, climate change, and global health security. Her work examines the legal and policy dimensions of pandemic preparedness with attention to equity and justice considerations. She has published extensively on international health regulations, pandemic treaties, and the intersection of climate change with health security.

Dr. Phelan's recent publications demonstrate a strong focus on pandemic governance frameworks, global health law, and the intersection of climate change with health security. Her scholarship emphasizes equity, justice, and international cooperation in addressing global health challenges, particularly in the context of emerging infectious diseases. She has been instrumental in developing legal frameworks for pandemic preparedness and response, including significant contributions to the WHO Pandemic Agreement negotiation process.

Dr. Phelan has received several prestigious awards:

• Australian Financial Review 100 Women of Influence (2019)
• Associate Fellow of the Royal Commonwealth Society (2015)
• General Sir John Monash Scholar (2013)

As an advisor, Dr. Phelan works with numerous international organizations and governments to strengthen global health security frameworks. Her research has been supported by various grants focusing on pandemic preparedness, global health law, and the intersection of climate change with health security. She frequently provides expert commentary on global health policy developments and has been featured in major media outlets including NPR.

Dr. Phelan is actively involved with the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security and the Johns Hopkins Institute for Planetary Health, where she leads policy initiatives examining the legal and governance dimensions of global health challenges. Her work bridges law, public health, and environmental science to develop more equitable and effective approaches to global health security in the context of climate change and emerging infectious diseases.