John Elder

John Elder is a Distinguished Professor (emeritus since 2013) at San Diego State University’s School of Public Health, holding a joint appointment as Adjunct Co-Leader of the Cancer Prevention and Control Medicine at the University of California-San Diego. He earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of Nebraska, a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from West Virginia University, and an MPH from Boston University. His roles include serving as Principal Investigator for an Alzheimer’s research training grant with UCSD and as Co-Investigator on a Covid-19 prevention grant with Dr. Crespo.

His research focuses on health promotion, disease prevention, behavioral epidemiology, and global health interventions. Notable areas include dengue/Zika transmission dynamics, obesity prevention in Latino communities, and faith-based physical activity promotion programs. He has authored 4 books and over 400 publications, led international projects in 34 countries, and collaborated with institutions in Germany, Spain, Mexico, and Indonesia.

Recent articles highlight his work on mask efficacy in pandemic settings, binational health partnerships, and dengue transmission patterns. Awards and recognitions include his Distinguished Professor title and grants from USAID, DoD, and the Rockefeller Foundation. He has co-developed interventions such as Faith en Acción/Fe en Acción for cancer screening and physical activity promotion among Latinas.