Member Insights – Kerry Keyes

What sparked your decision to become an epidemiologist?
I moved to New York from Minnesota after college with no clear career plans – my friend had a brother who was moving out of his two-bedroom apartment and she needed a roommate. I got a job working in a clinical setting with individuals seeking recovery from drug and alcohol dependence. My work was in the detoxification unit, assisting patients with safe medical withdrawal. While at the center I was first exposed to the medical literature on addiction, as well as theories underlying the addiction process. I realized that I wanted to become a part of the research community tasked with prevention – both of addiction and its comorbidities and common consequences (especially injury, which was an outcome we unfortunately saw a lot in the center). My boss at the time recommended a career in public health, and I remember going to an informational session at Columbia on the MPH program – I really did not know anything about public health at the time, even what this word “Epidemiology” meant.  I applied to the program in a different department, but once I took Epi 1 I was hooked, switched departments, and never looked back! Now my research agenda focuses on a much broader range of issues, but the core of prevention in the context of population health remains a central focus that drives my interests.         

Where is your favorite place to vacation?
For the last few years I have taught part of the epidemiology core at the École des hautes études en santé publique in Paris. I have also built some collaborations with epidemiologists at the school, which allows me to get to Paris even more frequently.  Two of my duel loves in life are food and art, so it’s a perfect fit for me!  While it’s not technically a ‘vacation’ because there is always some teaching and working when I go, I somehow manage to fit in a lot of vacationing (and eating) while I am there.

What do you see as the biggest obstacle facing epidemiologists in the next five years?
Defining our goals as a discipline, and acting on those goals.  We are the science of population health, and as such, should be at the forefront of providing the cutting edge answers to questions of demonstrable public health consequence. In the past decade we have seen a movement, not just in epidemiology but more broadly in science, to questions that are of core scientific relevance without a clear agenda for how these endeavors will shift the curve of population health overall towards a healthier society. I have always tried (with, admittedly, some forays into the very esoteric) to focus on health outcomes that have major population burdens, including but certainly not limited to substance use disorders which affect almost a third of the US population during some point in their lives, even more if we include nicotine dependence. Preventing such disorders would have truly transformative effect on public health, and yet these disorders remain among the most stigmatized worldwide, both in communities and among medical professionals. I think the next generation of epidemiologic scholars is poised to provide the voice that will bring science to the table in policy and political agendas, and remembering our critical role in such endeavors is key to elevating our discipline to be the community health practitioners envisioned by our epidemiologic forerunners.

Do you have any pets?
I have a four year old son, isn’t that enough?

Why did you join SER? What keeps you coming back?
I first attended SER in my second year of graduate school at Columbia. I remember the pages and pages of notes that I took at that first meeting and the insights that occurred for me as I listened to both junior and senior faculty debate the essential questions of our methods and our results. I knew that SER would be a home for me and I have come back every year since then.  Each year my talks at SER are the ones that I fret the most over, work the hardest to craft, and am most excited to share, because I know the level of rigor with which they will be evaluated by our exceptional society members. I keep coming back for the lively debate and arguments, as well as seeing old and new friends, some of whom I have met just by hearing their talks at SER and then speaking with them over coffee at the breaks.  SER is always my busiest conference because every hour there are multiple talks I want to see and people to catch up with, so it’s an exhausting few days but exciting as well.

What advice do you give students who want to become epidemiologists?
Mentorship is of course critical, and I have been incredibly fortunate in my career to have exceptional mentors at every stage.  Also I would suggest having several different mentors, because you can gain a wealth of advice and experience that is different in each mentor you work with. I also was very fortunate to have wonderful colleagues in the doctoral program who probably taught me as much as my classes, as we debated Epi principles over drinks and coffee.  So, rely on your fellow classmates to challenge your thinking in ways that you did not think possible. Also I would suggest working hard to establish yourself and your research agenda early – though don’t feel the need to ‘pigeon hole’ yourself in one kind of research.  My interests have taken me all over the map and I wouldn’t have it any other way.  So, mentors, colleagues, and hard work that is creative and fun, these I think are the best ways to become not just an epidemiologist, but a happy epidemiologist.

Outside of epidemiology what do you enjoy doing?
I try as best I can to take advantage of all New York City has to offer, with great parks and beaches as well as good food, art, and music. I spend most weekends with my four year old, usually playing the role of a superhero villain on a mission to destroy the world.

What is something that not many people know about you?
In recent years I’ve been doing more work with my mom. My mother is a research psychologist (but I would say psychiatric epidemiologist) and has worked with the Minnesota Twin Family Study at the University of Minnesota for more than 25 years, understanding genetic and environmental contributions to adolescent and young adult health outcomes.  She was the first person who told me about the Dutch Famine Study as it was very influential in her training, and very much supported and sparked my decision to pursue psychiatric epidemiology at Columbia.  We have presented on symposia together at a few conferences, and we had a great time co-authoring our first study together a few years ago, along with Ezra Susser and some other colleagues at Columbia – expect more Keyes & Keyes to follow in the years to come!