Joseph D. Tucker is an infectious diseases physician with a special interest in using public challenge contests to improve health. He is an Associate Professor at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine and at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine. His team’s ongoing research investigates challenge contests to promote HIV testing, engage communities about HIV cure, nudge people towards healthy cities, and promote gender equity.

Joseph is the Chairman of the Steering Committee of Social Entrepreneurship to Spur Health (SESH), a group focused on using public challenge contests to improve health. In this role, he has organized over 40 challenge contests and evaluated those using randomized controlled trials. His challenge contests have focused on developing innovative health services, engaging local communities, informing local and global policy, and creating sustainable change. He has contributed to several WHO guidelines and serves as a member of the TDR Global Working Group.

Joseph received his bachelor’s degree from Swarthmore, MD from UNC, AM (RSEA) from Harvard, and PhD from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine.