Kenneth J. Rothman, DrPH, formerly Vice President of Epidemiology Research at RTI Health Solutions, has transitioned to Distinguished Fellow Emeritus after 16 years with RTI-Health Solutions. Ken will continue to conduct and advise on epidemiologic studies, refine epidemiologic concepts, and write about research methodology.
“Ken’s work in epidemiologic research and teaching has impacted the lives of many throughout the world,” said RTI President Wayne Holden. “As Ken reaches this milestone at RTI, we’re proud of him for his dedication to improving the human condition through researching important health issues and delighted that he will continue this important work in an Emeritus role at RTI Health Solutions.”
Over five decades, Ken has conducted his research on a broad range of health problems which include cancer, cardiovascular disease, neurologic disease, birth defects, injuries, environmental exposures, and adverse effects of pharmaceutical agents. Some specific contributions focused on an elaboration of the dose-response curve of vitamin A in causing birth defects, the health effects of cellular telephone use, and factors that affect the ability of a couple to become pregnant.
Throughout his career, Ken has aimed to improve the quality of epidemiologic research. He approached this goal by dedicating considerable effort to teaching research concepts and methods and also by influencing the publication of research in scientific journals.
He has written two widely-read epidemiologic textbooks. His comprehensive text of epidemiologic methods, Modern Epidemiology, was first published in 1986 by Little, Brown and Co. and is now in its 4th edition. Epidemiology: An Introduction was first published in 2002 by Oxford University Press and remains a popular introductory epidemiology textbook for masters-level students of public health.
In the publishing sphere, he served as assistant editor of the American Journal of Public Health, editor of the American Journal of Epidemiology, a member of the editorial board of the New England Journal of Medicine and the international advisory board of The Lancet—all prior to his becoming the founding editor of the journal Epidemiology in 1990.
Additionally, Ken has authored or coauthored more than 450 peer-reviewed scholarly publications. He is a former president of the Society for Epidemiologic Research and was inducted as an Honorary Fellow of the American College of Epidemiology and as a Fellow of the International Society for Pharmacoepidemiology. He also serves as Professor of Epidemiology at Boston University.
"It has been a pleasure to have had someone of Ken’s expertise and stature working with us at Health Solutions for the past 16 years,” said Allen Mangel, Executive Vice President of RTI Health Solutions and Discovery Sciences. “We look forward to continued collaboration with him in his new role.”