Curt Harris, PhD
Professor and Associate Dean of Community and Behavioral Health Sciences Augusta University
- Augusta GA
Dr. Harris is a disaster health scientist with internationally recognized expertise in public health preparedness and disaster management.
Social
Areas of Expertise
Education
The University of Georgia
Ph.D.
Toxicology
2008
Georgia College & State University
B.S.
Chemistry
2003
Media Appearances
School of Public Health names new associate dean for faculty affairs
Augusta University News online
2026-01-15
“As the only university in Georgia with public health, medical, dental, nursing and allied health schools, Augusta University offers a unique environment to advance disaster health sciences through interdisciplinary collaboration,” said Harris, acknowledging that he’s looking forward to the opportunities Augusta University presents.
Articles
Modification of the UNDRR Scorecard for Assessment of Nuclear Disaster Preparedness, A Case for the Modifiability of the UNDRR Disaster Resilience Scorecard to Study Specific Disasters
Prehospital and Disaster Medicine2026
The UNDRR Disaster Resilience Scorecard for Cities is a known tool that was developed for local governments to evaluate their resilience to disasters. In this review, we examine the case where a modified version of the scorecard was used to assess resiliency to nuclear disasters, and the potential for further modification of the scorecard to better assess specific stressors on a healthcare system.
A Proposal for a Nationally Standardized Curriculum for Operational Canine Emergency Medical Training for Canine Handlers and EMS Personnel
Disaster Medicine and Public Health Preparedness2026
Operational Canines are highly trained and valuable animals that support emergency and disaster response efforts, such as Search and Rescue, scene security, and recovery operations. While working, Operational Canines often encounter dangerous operational and environmental situations.DiscussionTo maintain their health and operational readiness, it is critical that Operational Canines receive regular wellness care before entering the field and emergency treatment when necessary in the field.
A looming disaster: The certified nursing assistant staffing shortage
The Gerontologist2025
The certified nursing assistant (CNA) staffing crisis in American long-term care facilities (LTCFs) has reached critical levels, jeopardizing the quality of care for residents and the well-being of staff. This article examines the multifaceted causes of the CNA shortage, including inadequate compensation, recruitment challenges, and high turnover rates exacerbated by the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. It also explores the impact of new federal staffing regulations, which risk further straining already limited resources.
Health System Preparedness for Nuclear and Radiological Disasters: A Review
Disaster Medicine and Public Health Preparedness2025
To provide an up-to-date review of existing and current literature in the field of radiological and nuclear disasters to support the needs of research applications for health care and public health preparedness and response.MethodsA systematic literature search using 4 databases to identify articles which included a multitude of topics relevant to preparedness for nuclear and radiological disasters. One hundred articles that met inclusion criteria were summarized into 7 themes addressing medical and health care preparedness for nuclear and radiological events.
Enhancing resilience: a framework for increasing health care workforce knowledge about novel infectious diseases using Ebola Virus Disease as a case study
International Journal of Disaster Risk Reduction2025
The increasing globalization of travel and commerce has heightened the threat of emerging infectious diseases, exposing critical gaps in health care workforce preparedness and education. The 2014–2016 Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) outbreak highlighted these vulnerabilities, particularly in non-endemic regions, where health care providers were often ill-equipped to recognize and respond to EVD. This lack of preparedness underscored the urgent need for comprehensive and scalable educational interventions tailored to high-consequence pathogens
