Meifang Chen
Assistant Professor of Health Policy at Duke Kunshan University

I am a researcher and public health specialist with rich work experience in a wide range of public health context, including as an RN in a top-rank hospital in China, as a Health Educator II in the state health department, and as researcher/program evaluator/consultant for local and statewide health programs in the U.S. I am also a Mater Certified Health Education Specialist. 

My research aims to respond to the global health challenges posed by chronic diseases and to promote holistic wellbeing through community-based lifestyle interventions, especially among underrepresented and underserved populations. I have supported and led a number of health research programs on various topics, including smoking cessation, obesity prevention, reproductive and sexual health, maternal and child health, and juvenile delinquency prevention. My research has been published in top academic journals, such as American Journal of Health Promotion, Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health, the European Journal of Obesity, American Journal of Preventive Medicine, Journal of Public Health Nutrition, American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, and Chinese Journal of Modern Nursing. 

I am the initiator of the Community Health Service Lab in the Social Science Division, and a faculty member of the Health Humanities Lab in the Arts and Humanities Division and the Global Health Research Center at DKU. Before joining DKU, I was an Assistant Professor in the Department of Public Health at California State University, Los Angeles. I serve as a research mentor to both undergraduate and graduate students, and as committee member for graduate thesis projects. I am also an active member of the American Public Health Association, the Obesity Society, Society of Public Health Education, and National Association of Chronic Disease Directors. I serve as editorial board member and peer reviewer for health journals.

Current Research Interests

My current research focus on (1) using mixed methods to investigate lifespan risk factors of chronic diseases (e.g., obesity, diabetes, heart diseases), and (2) applying Geographic Information System and AI modeling and  in public health to inform program and policy decision making and develop tailored health behavior change strategies, in order to prevent chronic diseases and reduce health disparities among populations.

Current Appointments & Affiliations

Contact Information

Some information on this profile has been compiled automatically from Duke databases and external sources. (Our About page explains how this works.) If you see a problem with the information, please write to Scholars@Duke and let us know. We will reply promptly.