“Pandemics and Peace,” the most recently published book of William J. Long, the newly appointed dean of Georgia State University’s College of Arts and Sciences, emphasizes opportunities for the U.S. to assume a leadership role in global public health.

The book focuses on the Mekong Basin, the Middle East and East Africa as examples of areas that have experienced interstate cooperation to combat diseases despite regional histories of conflict.

He also explores how public-private networks deliver public health services in violence prone locations.

The World Affairs Council of Atlanta and the Jimmy Carter Presidential Library are to host Dr. Long on June 29 at 6:30 p.m. for a lecture and book signing at the Carter Center.

“Pandemics and Peace” is Dr. Long’s fourth book. He also is author of “War and Reconciliation,” “Econonic Incentives and Bilateral Cooperation,” and “U.S. Export Control Policy: Executive Autonomy Versus Congressional Reform.”

His appointment was announced in May. He assumes the position on Aug. 8.

As dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, Dr. Long is to lead more than 40 academic departments and interdisciplinary centers, with programs in the fine arts, humanities, natural and computational sciences and social and behavioral sciences. He also is to serve as a professor of political science.

His fields of interest include health diplomacy and transnational governance, international cooperation and conflict resolution, international political economy and international trade and technology transfer.

He has received research and teaching awards form the United States Institute of Peace, the Council on Foreign Relations, the Hew, Pew, Sloan and MacArthur Foundation, the Fulbright Commission, the U.S. Department of Education and the European Union Commission.

Dr. Long has been a faculty member at the Georgia Institute of Technology since 1991 and an academic administrator since 1993. He received his doctorate in political science from Columbia University and his law degree from Georgetown University.

The World Affairs Council of Atlanta is a non-partisan organization affiliated with Georgia State University, the J. Mack Robinson College of Business and the World Affairs Councils of America.

There is no charge to attend the Carter Center event, but advance registration is required at www.wacatl.gsu.edu