معرفی
Neng Wan is a Professor of Geography and Director of the Utah Geo-Health Lab at the University of Utah's School of Environment, Society & Sustainability. His work bridges geography, public health, and spatial analysis to address critical healthcare access and environmental health issues. Previously, he served as an Assistant Professor of Geography at the University of Utah from 2014-2019.
Dr. Wan earned his BS in Geodesy from Wuhan University in 2003, followed by an MS in Cartography and GIS from the same institution in 2006. He completed his PhD in Geography from Texas State University-San Marcos in 2011.
His research focuses on applying GIS and spatial methods to understand public health and environmental health problems. Current research projects include mHealth-supported health behavior research, access to healthcare, health disparities, and health consequences of pesticide exposure. His work demonstrates how spatial patterns influence health outcomes, particularly in emergency surgical care, telemedicine utilization, and pandemic responses. Dr. Wan's approach integrates advanced geospatial techniques with public health questions to reveal patterns that might otherwise remain hidden in traditional analyses.
Analysis of his recent publications shows a consistent focus on healthcare access disparities, with particular attention to how social vulnerability, geography, and infrastructure impact health outcomes. His work increasingly incorporates network analysis and advanced spatial statistics to model complex healthcare systems. Recent studies examine telemedicine adoption patterns, emergency surgical care networks, and spatial patterns of discrimination during the pandemic.
- Presidential Scholar Award (2023, University of Utah)
Dr. Wan has secured multiple grants from the National Institutes of Health (NIH), American Cancer Society, and other organizations to support his research on healthcare access disparities, mobile health interventions, and spatial epidemiology. His teaching includes advanced GIS methods, GIS & Public Health, and Health-Global Pandemics courses, where he trains students in applying spatial methods to health problems.
As Director of the Utah Geo-Health Lab, Dr. Wan leads a research team that develops and applies innovative geospatial methods to address pressing public health challenges, particularly those related to health disparities and access to care. The lab's work has direct implications for healthcare system design, resource allocation, and policy interventions aimed at reducing geographic health disparities.
