Susan Anne Bell

Susan Anne Bell is an Associate Professor in the Department of Systems, Populations and Leadership at the University of Michigan School of Nursing. She is affiliated with the African Studies Center and serves as an NIH Visiting Scholar (2024–2025) and voting member on the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ National Advisory Council on Seniors and Disasters. Her work bridges disaster preparedness, emergency care, and aging populations, with a focus on health equity and policy.

Education:

• Ph.D., Nursing, University of Michigan (2014)
• MSN, Emory University (1999)
• BSN, Florida State University (1997)

Research Interests: Dr. Bell examines long-term health impacts of disasters on aging populations, climate change effects on health, and policy development to mitigate health disparities during disasters. Her work emphasizes healthcare resilience, community resilience, and global disaster response strategies. She has conducted research in Ghana, Ethiopia, India, Cambodia, and the Caribbean.

Awards:

• Policy Impact Award (2023)
• Civilian Covid Response Medal (2022)
• Public Policy Advocate Award (2021)

Grants & Service: Active in federal advisory roles (e.g., FEMA National Advisory Council) and clinical disaster response via the National Disaster Medical System. Her NIH fellowship supports climate health research.

Labs/Teams: Collaborates with multidisciplinary teams on disaster policy and global health projects.