College of Behavioral, Social and Health Sciences expands leadership team, appoints associate dean for health sciences

Lior Rennert, Ph.D., has been appointed associate dean for health sciences in the College of Behavioral, Social and Health Sciences (CBSHS).

The role of associate dean for health sciences is a new position designed to focus on two of Clemson University’s core priorities – double research expenditures by 2035 and transform lives throughout South Carolina and beyond – as the College continues to prioritize the goals of Clemson Elevate, the University’s 12-year strategic plan.

Rennert, associate professor in the Department of Public Health Sciences and director of the Center for Public Health Modeling and Response, has received over $26 million in funding for his work in outbreak detection and response for opioids and infectious diseases. His research uses data-driven approaches to inform clinical and public health decision-making and assist health organizations in their ability to mitigate public health threats nationwide.

In this role, Rennert will facilitate and support health science research, collaboration and innovation. He will expand the College’s health research infrastructure, identify opportunities for internal and external health science partnerships and provide leadership for health-related centers, institutes, programs and initiatives.

“Over the last five years, CBSHS has experienced significant growth in its health-related research grants and expenditures and has positioned itself as a critical resource for health organizations and agencies across the state and nation,” said Rennert. “I am honored to serve the College in this new capacity as we elevate our overall research outputs and expand our reach and influence through innovative, collaborative health-related research initiatives.”

Additionally, Rennert will work alongside the CBSHS associate dean of research and graduate studies, Bryan Miller, Ph.D., to equip faculty members with the resources they need to develop and submit competitive grant proposals and increase health-related research expenditures.

He holds a Ph.D. in biostatistics from the University of Pennsylvania, a master’s degree in statistics from the University of Chicago and a bachelor’s degree in mathematics from Pennsylvania State University.

According to Leslie Hossfeld, dean of the College of Behavioral, Social and Health Sciences, Rennert is a nationally recognized public health scholar who brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to the new associate dean position.

“Dr. Rennert’s unique skillset as a highly productive researcher and biostatistician makes him a natural fit to lead health science research initiatives for CBSHS,” said Hossfeld. “I am delighted he will join us in this leadership role and look forward to how he will elevate the College’s incredible work in new ways. With over 70 percent of our current research projects funded by health-related sponsors, Dr. Rennert’s leadership as associate dean for health sciences is critical to our continued success in building people and communities statewide and beyond.”

Rennert has worked extensively with the National Institutes for Health (NIH) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)) and published 69 peer-reviewed articles throughout his career. He received the Clemson University Junior Researcher of the Year Award and CBSHS Emerging Scholar Award of Excellence in Research in 2021 and CBSHS Award of Excellence in Graduate Student Advising and Mentoring in 2020. 

The College of Behavioral, Social and Health Sciences (CBSHS) was established in July 2016. CBSHS is a 21st-century, land-grant college that combines work in seven disciplines – communication; nursing; parks, recreation and tourism management; political science; psychology; public health sciences; sociology, anthropology and criminal justice – to further its mission of “building people and communities” in South Carolina and beyond.