Linda Rosenstock
Encyclopedia
Linda Rosenstock is a public health
specialist and administrator. She served as the director for the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
from 1994 through 2000 and has been the dean of the University of California, Los Angeles School of Public Health since 2000.
in Waltham, Massachusetts. She continued her education at Johns Hopkins University
in Baltimore where she studied medicine and public health simultaneously. In 1977 she received her M.D. from the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine
and M.P.H.
from the Johns Hopkins School of Public Health.
With both an M.D. and M.P.H., Rosenstock opted to emphasize public health over clinical health, expressing a desire reach as many people as possible. She articulated this decision later, saying "Who wouldn't want to improve health for thousands or millions at a time?"
Rosenstock began post-graduate training at the University of Washington
, completing her residency in 1980. She continued on at the university as a chief resident in primary care internal medicine. She was a Robert Wood Johnson
Clinical Scholar from 1980 to 1982. In 1993, Rosenstock attained the rank of full professor in the Department of Medicine at the University of Washington, and professor in the Department of Environmental Health in the School of Public Health and Community Medicine. Over this time, she published numerous articles and three books. From 1993 to 1994, Rosenstock chaired the United Auto Workers
/General Motors Occupational Health Advisory Board.
, a framework for guiding occupational safety and health research. She led this effort, which involved hundreds of external partners, to identify pressing workplace health risks and to collaborate among the partners to address them. During Rosenstock's tenure, NIOSH acquired the health and safety functions of the former Bureau of Mines
and its staff of 400 in the Pittsburgh and Spokane research centers. Rosenstock emphasized practical recommendations, including new NIOSH respirator testing and certification requirements and the use of engineering controls in industry.
, the government's highest executive service award. Additionally, the Institute's successes were honored by Vice President Gore with a Hammer Award
for excellence in reinventing government.
As dean, Rosenstock oversees 700 graduate students and more than 180 faculty members. She holds appointments as Professor of Medicine and Environmental Health Sciences.
Public health
Public health is "the science and art of preventing disease, prolonging life and promoting health through the organized efforts and informed choices of society, organizations, public and private, communities and individuals" . It is concerned with threats to health based on population health...
specialist and administrator. She served as the director for the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health is the United States’ federal agency responsible for conducting research and making recommendations for the prevention of work-related injury and illness. NIOSH is part of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention within the U.S...
from 1994 through 2000 and has been the dean of the University of California, Los Angeles School of Public Health since 2000.
Early career
Linda Rosenstock was born in New York City in 1950. She studied psychology, receiving an A.B. from Brandeis UniversityBrandeis University
Brandeis University is an American private research university with a liberal arts focus. It is located in the southwestern corner of Waltham, Massachusetts, nine miles west of Boston. The University has an enrollment of approximately 3,200 undergraduate and 2,100 graduate students. In 2011, it...
in Waltham, Massachusetts. She continued her education at Johns Hopkins University
Johns Hopkins University
The Johns Hopkins University, commonly referred to as Johns Hopkins, JHU, or simply Hopkins, is a private research university based in Baltimore, Maryland, United States...
in Baltimore where she studied medicine and public health simultaneously. In 1977 she received her M.D. from the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine
Johns Hopkins School of Medicine
The Johns Hopkins School of Medicine , located in Baltimore, Maryland, U.S., is the academic medical teaching and research arm of Johns Hopkins University. Hopkins has consistently been the nation's number one medical school in the amount of competitive research grants awarded by the National...
and M.P.H.
Master of Public Health
The Master of Public Health and the Doctor of Public Health are multi-disciplinary professional degrees awarded for studies in areas related to public health....
from the Johns Hopkins School of Public Health.
With both an M.D. and M.P.H., Rosenstock opted to emphasize public health over clinical health, expressing a desire reach as many people as possible. She articulated this decision later, saying "Who wouldn't want to improve health for thousands or millions at a time?"
Rosenstock began post-graduate training at the University of Washington
University of Washington
University of Washington is a public research university, founded in 1861 in Seattle, Washington, United States. The UW is the largest university in the Northwest and the oldest public university on the West Coast. The university has three campuses, with its largest campus in the University...
, completing her residency in 1980. She continued on at the university as a chief resident in primary care internal medicine. She was a Robert Wood Johnson
Robert Wood Johnson Foundation
The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation is the United States' largest philanthropy devoted exclusively to health and health care; it is based in Princeton, New Jersey. The foundation's mission is to improve the health and health care of all Americans...
Clinical Scholar from 1980 to 1982. In 1993, Rosenstock attained the rank of full professor in the Department of Medicine at the University of Washington, and professor in the Department of Environmental Health in the School of Public Health and Community Medicine. Over this time, she published numerous articles and three books. From 1993 to 1994, Rosenstock chaired the United Auto Workers
United Auto Workers
The International Union, United Automobile, Aerospace and Agricultural Implement Workers of America, better known as the United Auto Workers , is a labor union which represents workers in the United States and Puerto Rico, and formerly in Canada. Founded as part of the Congress of Industrial...
/General Motors Occupational Health Advisory Board.
Director of National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
In 1994 Dr. Rosenstock was named director of the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) in Washington, D.C. She led a staff of 1,500 at the only federal agency with a mandate to undertake research and prevention activities in occupational safety and health. However, after only six months in the position, Rosenstock was threatened with the dissolution of the Institute. The 104th Congress attempted to dismantle NIOSH in 1995, though it was ultimately unsuccessful. Following this threat, NIOSH's responsibilities, staff, and budget grew.NORA
As director of NIOSH, Rosenstock was instrumental in creating the National Occupational Research AgendaNational Occupational Research Agenda
The National Occupational Research Agenda is a partnership program developed by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health . The program was founded in 1996 to provide a framework for research collaborations among universities, large and small businesses, professional societies,...
, a framework for guiding occupational safety and health research. She led this effort, which involved hundreds of external partners, to identify pressing workplace health risks and to collaborate among the partners to address them. During Rosenstock's tenure, NIOSH acquired the health and safety functions of the former Bureau of Mines
United States Bureau of Mines
For most of the 20th century, the U.S. Bureau of Mines was the primary United States Government agency conducting scientific research and disseminating information on the extraction, processing, use, and conservation of mineral resources.- Summary :...
and its staff of 400 in the Pittsburgh and Spokane research centers. Rosenstock emphasized practical recommendations, including new NIOSH respirator testing and certification requirements and the use of engineering controls in industry.
Awards
For her work at NIOSH, Rosenstock received the Presidential Distinguished Executive Rank AwardPresidential Rank Awards
The Presidential Rank Awards program is an individual award program granted by the United States Government to career Senior Executive Service members and Senior Career Employees within the OPM-allocated Senior-Level or Scientific-Professional community...
, the government's highest executive service award. Additionally, the Institute's successes were honored by Vice President Gore with a Hammer Award
National Partnership for Reinventing Government
National Partnership for Reinventing Government , originally the National Performance Review, was an interagency task force to reform the way the U.S. federal government works in the Clinton Administration.The NPR was created on March 3, 1993...
for excellence in reinventing government.
Dean of UCLA School of Public Health
In 2000, Rosenstock accepted the position of dean of the School of Public Health at the University of California, Los Angeles. In a press release, she stated "While I am excited about this new opportunity, it is difficult to leave NIOSH and all that we have accomplished over the last six years. I sincerely believe that working people are better off because of NIOSH's research and prevention activities. I am confident that the hard work and dedication to the field of occupational safety and health will continue long after I have left the Institute."As dean, Rosenstock oversees 700 graduate students and more than 180 faculty members. She holds appointments as Professor of Medicine and Environmental Health Sciences.