Who we are

Applied Epi is a global non-profit organization made up of experienced epidemiologists around the world. We are registered in Maryland USA with 501(c)(3) charity status.

Our aim

We want to improve applied epidemiology worldwide, particularly in low-resource settings, by equipping applied epidemiologists with the knowledge, skills, and resources to be able to respond to public health threats. To do this, we provide:

Training
in epidemiological methods and tools, most notably our Intro to R course

Technical support
through our code review service and project work

Resources
to develop your R and epidemiology skills, for example the Epi R Handbook

An online community
to connect epidemiologists around the world

Our values

We believe in pragmatism, accountability, accessibility, inclusivity, community, and open-science principles. We’re a team of public health professionals with deep expertise in both data science and real-world public health challenges. We understand the pressures you face: limited resources, tight deadlines, and the constant demand to do more with less.

This means we develop training, resources, and services that truly address the diverse needs and challenges of pubic health teams. We design our work to not only respond to immediate needs but also empower organizations to build lasting capacity.

Our origins

Applied Epi emerged to address an unmet need in applied epidemiology.

The huge demand during the COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the urgent need for more efficient and reproducible reporting pipelines. So in November 2020, an independent group of 50 collaborators convened to create, in their spare time, the Epi R Handbook. As of 2025, the book has been translated into eight languages, and has now been viewed by almost 1 million people.

Applied Epi’s founders established the organization to build on the success of the Epi R Handbook, broadening its mission to strengthen applied epidemiology worldwide through methodological training, technical support, and fostering a global community.

Our audience and funding model

We strive to support applied epidemiologists worldwide — public health professionals who process and analyze data. Our efforts focus on those working in government health systems and NGOs, with particular emphasis on low-resource settings, recognizing the unique challenges they encounter.

We are able to provide free resources and training thanks to grants and savings from delivering paid services. By paying for our services, you help fund scholarships and support for low-resource settings, expanding access to essential epidemiological tools and knowledge.