Les Roberts

Les Roberts, PhD, has led more than 50 surveys in 17 countries. In recent years he has taken part in studies to measure mortality during war in Democratic Republic of Congo, Iraq, Zimbabwe and Central African Republic. He served as Director of Health Policy at the International Rescue Committee for three years. Les teaches Public Health and Humanitarian Action, Water and Sanitation in Complex Emergencies, Investigative Methods in Complex Emergencies, and Epidemiological Methods for Measuring Human Rights Abuses. From 2012-2014 Les served as the interim Director of the Program on Forced Migration and Health. Les Roberts was born and raised in Central New York and now lives with his wife, Mary Grace, in Chenango County in New York’s 24th District. After graduating from St. Lawrence University, Les taught high school physics at Fayetteville-Manlius, where he was an active member of the teachers’ union. He went on to earn a Master’s degree in public health from Tulane University and Ph.D. in environmental engineering from Johns Hopkins University. For the past 11 years, in addition to teaching at Johns Hopkins and Columbia Universities, Les has trained federal employees in disaster response. Les has served as a Lieutenant Commander and remains a reservist in the U.S. Public Health Service. He has served in five war zones for the first Bush administration and the Clinton Administration.