Meet Jack Tsai, PhD, professor and regional dean at the San Antonio location of the UTHealth Houston School of Public Health

A little bit about Me: I’ve lived in many places in my life, which has afforded me the opportunity to interact with many different kinds of people. I was born in Taiwan, spent my childhood in California, then attended an international high school in Taiwan with students from around the world. I went to college in Los Angeles, graduate school in Indiana, and then served as a professor at Yale University in Connecticut for 10 years before moving to Texas. I really enjoy intense physical activities and doing challenging things. For example, I’ve climbed several of the tallest mountains, I was a state-certified firefighter for a few years, and regularly spend time playing basketball and jiu jitsu. My favorite book is “Meditations” by Marcus Aurelius and I use it as a philosophy for life.

Why I chose to work at UTHealth Houston SPH: I came to this university for several different reasons—for  professional adventures, for love, and for more diverse social circles. I was doing well at Yale, but I was too comfortable and wanted new challenges. My now-wife lived in Texas and I wanted to be closer to her. Lastly, I lived in an small Ivy League university town and wanted to move to a place with greater diversity.   

Why I love working in public health: Public health touches every aspect of our lives. It is also very interdisciplinary and involves diverse stakeholders and expertise, which continually keeps things interesting. Some of the major problems that America faces are related to public health and so in that way, the well-being and future standing of the country globally will depend on public health. 

Why I love living in San Antonio: I spent my time in both San Antonio and Houston, which makes me appreciate San Antonio even more. I love the small town, down-to-earth culture of San Antonio and the large presence of the military. I relate to the blue-collar work ethic. I am almost afraid the growth of San Antonio will change its charm.

Current and long-term research plans: I’m focused on building up the research infrastructure at the San Antonio campus. I believe our collective mission is to help solve society’s pressing problems (e.g., homelessness, violence, suicide, sexual assaults, cancer) and many faculty tackle these issues from a behavioral health lens. I want to support our San Antonio faculty to developed applied interventions that can be implemented and used to improve society. In my own work, I’m focused on helping individuals and communities, particularly those with low-income and mental illness, flourish and become resilient.