On this episode of Skipper, I speak with Dr. Claire Sterk. Before stepping down just last year, Sterk served as the 20th president of Emory University, a prestigious private research university located in Atlanta, Georgia. Sterk is also the Charles Candler professor of Public Health at Emory. For the past two decades, Sterk has served as a social scientist, academic leader, and administrator at Emory. Prior to becoming president in 2016, Sterk served as the university's Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs. A globally-renowned thought leader, her work has deepened understanding of social and health disparities, infectious diseases, specifically HIV/AIDS, community engagement, and the importance of mentoring and empowering woman leaders. Among many other research accomplishments, Sterk is recognized as the first person to identify the risk of HIV infection due to unprotected sex among crack addicts. Her academic publications include three books and over 125 peer-reviewed articles. Born and raised in the Netherlands, Sterk received her PhD in Sociology from Erasmus University in Rotterdam, and her undergraduate degree from the Free University in Amsterdam.
On this episode Dr. Sterk and I discuss her journey, setbacks along the way, and advice to those of us looking for that inspirational spark!
Enjoy