Meet Michael Lemke, PhD, new faculty member in San Antonio and researcher of occupational health hazards

Published: March 7, 2025

Michael Lemke, PhD, became one of the newest faculty members at the San Antonio location of the school this past year and his research contributes to the work of the Southwest Center for Environmental and Occupational Health. His research areas focus on occupational health hazards for truck drivers who tend to have exceptionally poor health and safety outcomes. Lemke served as a faculty member at Texas A&M University for nine years before coming to the UTHealth Houston School of Public Health.

A little bit about me: I'm originally from the Chicago area (Go Cubs, Bears, Bulls, and Blackhawks!), but I have lived in several different places in the U.S.  After high school, I became a long-haul truck driver for almost five years.  I then went to Georgia State University for my Bachelors and Wichita State University for my Masters and Doctorate.  I moved to Texas in 2015 for a position at Texas A&M University in College Station, and I have lived in Texas ever since.  I have two younger sisters, and my parents and both my siblings live in the Seattle area.  I have been married for just over a year to my lovely wife Ximena.  Some of my hobbies include traveling (especially road trips), trying new foods, video games, concerts, movies, and comedy shows.

Why I chose to work at UTHealth Houston SPH: I have several ideas that I believe will have positive impacts on public health, and I am confident that I can pursue those ideas here.  Also, I had positive impressions of everyone I had met here prior to my arrival - which continue to be affirmed!

Why I love working in public health: It's an ever-evolving field with many opportunities for me to make new contributions, and these contributions will (hopefully!) have direct positive impacts on the health and well-being of many people.

Why I love San Antonio: I had the unique chance to see the entire lower 48 states during my trucking days, so I knew a long time ago the places I would (and wouldn't) want to live.  I have always loved San Antonio because it is a large city with many amenities, but it feels more like a small town.  I also like the climate and cost of living.

Current and long-term research plans: My current research plans are focused on my ongoing truck driver safety and health projects, along with my ongoing work in racial disparities in maternal health.  Both of these plans are centered on complex systems approaches (e.g., community-based system dynamics; agent-based modeling).  My long-term research plans include the expansion of complex systems approaches into novel areas where they may provide fresh insights (e.g., gun violence), as well as expanding these approaches into other domains of occupational safety and health.  Because complex systems approaches are inherently interdisciplinary, I plan on continually exploring collaborations with other SPH faculty for new research initiatives.