Botswana Blackburn has been named associate chair of the Department of Health Sciences effective Jan. 1. An associate teaching professor, Dr. Blackburn has served as the Health Sciences program director since July of 2018.

“Dr. Blackburn has demonstrated outstanding performance and made important contributions to helping the Department of Health Sciences accomplish its educational mission,” said Li-Wu Chen, department chair. “She is well respected by our faculty, staff and students.”

As the associate chair, Dr. Blackburn will assist Dr. Chen with issues related to DHS’s educational program, student affairs and teaching-related faculty affairs. She will also assist with strategic initiatives to advance the department.

Dr. Blackburn joined the health sciences department in 2011 as an adjunct professor and moved to a full-time teaching position in 2012. She’s taught classes such as Health Care Organization & Leadership and Public Health Principles & Practice.

In 2018, Dr. Blackburn was awarded the prestigious Kemper fellowship. The fellowship, which included a $10,000 stipend, is awarded to five outstanding teachers at the University of Missouri each year.