Kurt M. Ribisl

Kurt M. Ribisl, PhD, is the Jo Anne Earp Distinguished Professor and Chair of the Department of Health Behavior at the UNC Gillings School of Global Public Health, and Program Leader for Cancer Prevention and Control at the Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center. His research focuses on evaluating population-level tobacco control policies, point-of-sale marketing, and the role of technology in public health.

Education:

• PhD in Community Psychology, Michigan State University (1995)
• MA in Community Psychology, Michigan State University (1992)
• BA in Psychology, Wake Forest University (1989)

Research Interests: Dr. Ribisl’s work emphasizes policy interventions, tobacco retail environments, and digital health strategies. He has pioneered studies on geographic information systems (GIS) in tobacco control and menthol cigarette policy. His research bridges public health, policy, and technology to address disparities in tobacco use.

Awards:

• Joseph W. Cullen Award (2017)
• UNC Gillings Teaching Innovation Awards (2013, 2015)
• Health Behavior Teacher of the Year (2012)

Labs/Teams: Leads the Counter Tobacco initiative and collaborates with the Cancer Prevention and Control Research Network. His work is funded by NIH, CDC, and FDA grants focused on reducing tobacco-related disparities.