Carolyn Orbann

Dr. Carolyn Orbann is a Teaching Professor and Faculty Fellow for Undergraduate Research at the University of Missouri's College of Health Sciences. She serves as Coordinator of International and Intercultural Initiatives and is actively involved in undergraduate research mentoring. Her work bridges anthropology, public health, and epidemiology with a focus on how cultural behaviors influence disease spread.

Dr. Orbann earned her educational credentials in anthropology, completing her PhD at the University of Missouri in 2014, MA at California State University in 2006, and BA at The George Washington University in 1999.

Her research interests center on the intersection of culture and infectious disease epidemiology, particularly examining how cultural behaviors influence the spread of infectious diseases in human populations. She employs agent-based computer simulation models and historical epidemiology using primary source records to investigate population contact and cultural change during epidemic disease events. Her work primarily focuses on two historical periods: the 1918 influenza pandemic and the colonization of Alta California by the Spanish in the 18th and 19th centuries. Her methodological approach combines anthropological insights with computational modeling to understand disease transmission patterns in historical contexts.

Analysis of Dr. Orbann's recent publications reveals a consistent research trajectory examining pandemic dynamics across historical and contemporary contexts. Her work demonstrates a sophisticated comparative approach between the 1918 influenza pandemic and the recent COVID-19 pandemic, with particular attention to rural-urban disparities in Missouri. She has developed expertise in using historical records, particularly parish records from California missions, to reconstruct disease outbreaks among indigenous populations. Her methodological contributions include refining agent-based modeling techniques by incorporating cultural and historical data to improve simulation accuracy.

• 2014 Writing Intensive Excellence Award
• DHS Faculty of Year Award for 2020

Dr. Orbann has been actively mentoring undergraduate researchers, as evidenced by her appointment as Faculty Fellow for Undergraduate Research in February 2024. She has guided students like Devanshi Patel in research projects examining connections between historical and contemporary pandemics. Her teaching portfolio includes honors sections of Health Care in the United States and specialized tutorials on the 1918 influenza pandemic in Missouri. She serves on the Honors College Council and has contributed to the Honors Curriculum Committee, demonstrating commitment to undergraduate education and research development. Her work with international programs is reflected in her coordination of international and intercultural initiatives.

While specific laboratory facilities aren't mentioned in the provided materials, Dr. Orbann's research appears to involve computational modeling work, historical archive analysis, and interdisciplinary collaboration across anthropology, public health, and epidemiology. Her recent work connecting the 1918 influenza pandemic with the COVID-19 pandemic suggests ongoing research examining pandemic responses across time, with particular focus on Missouri communities and institutions.