Richard Shaffer

Richard Shaffer is Professor of Public Health at San Diego State University and Co-Director of the Joint Doctoral Program in Epidemiology with UC San Diego. He earned his Ph.D. in Epidemiology from the University of South Carolina.

Research focuses on military health, including combat-related injuries, PTSD epidemiology, stress fracture prediction, and HIV prevention in military populations. His work informs force health protection policies.

Publications demonstrate extensive work on musculoskeletal injury prediction models, psychological sequelae of combat, and disease surveillance systems. Recent studies examine longitudinal health outcomes of veterans.

Shaffer directs the U.S. Department of Defense HIV/AIDS Prevention Program and has received the Golden Apple Teaching Award. He maintains collaborative partnerships with Naval Health Research Center.