The American Council on Science and Health (ACSH) today announced the addition of nine distinguished scientists, physicians, and policy experts to its Board of Directors. Directors are responsible for the overall direction of ACSH, such as setting organizational policy and overseeing the executive staff.
The new directors are:
Terry L. Anderson, Ph.D., M.S.
Executive Director
Political Economy Research Center (PERC)
Bozeman, MT
Dr. Anderson's career in law and environmental economics enables his providing insight to ACSH on such issues.
Elissa P. Benedek, M.D.
Clinical Professor of Psychiatry
University of Michigan
Ann Arbor, MI
Dr. Benedek is a psychiatrist particularly interested in risk assessment and women's and children's health.
Michael B. Bracken, Ph.D., M.P.H.
Professor and Head
Department of Epidemiology and Public Health
Yale University School of Medicine
New Haven, CT
Dr. Bracken is an epidemiologist with a special interest in biotechnology.
Christine M. Bruhn, Ph.D.
Director
Center for Consumer Research
University of California
Davis, CA
Dr. Bruhn's specialties lie in consumer behavior, food science and technology, and human nutrition. She is particularly interested in biotechnology and food irradiation.
Thomas R. DeGregori, Ph.D.
Professor of Economics
University of Houston
Houston, TX
Dr. DeGregori, a prolific writer, has expertise in economic development, technology, and science and public policy.
John H. Moore, Ph.D., M.B.A.
President
Grove City College
Grove City, PA
Dr. Moore is both an economist and a chemist.
Kenneth M. Prager, M.D.
Clinical Professor of Medicine
Director, Clinical Ethics
Columbia College of Physicians and Surgeons
New York Presbyterian Medical Center
New York, NY
Dr. Prager's areas of expertise are pulmonary medicine and medical ethics.
Mark C. Taylor, M.D.
President
Physicians for a Smoke-Free Canada
Department of Surgery
St. Boniface Hospital
Winnipeg, MB, Canada
Dr. Taylor is a surgeon and an expert on smoking and health.
Kimberly M. Thompson, Sc.D.
Assistant Professor of Risk Analysis and Decision Science
Harvard School of Public Health
Harvard Center for Risk Analysis
Boston, MA
Dr. Thompson has a special interest in risk assessment regarding children and health.
Fredric M. Steinberg, M.D., M.B.A., was elected Chairman of the Board, taking over for Alan Moghissi, Ph.D., who will remain a member of the board. Dr. Steinberg thanked Dr. Moghissi for his years of service as ACSH's chairperson, pointing out that "ACSH's impressive growth during Dr. Moghissi's term was no accident."
Current members who will also remain on the board are Norman E. Borlaug, Ph.D., Texas A&M University; Taiwo K. Danmola, C.P.A., Arthur Andersen LLP; Henry I. Miller, M.D., Hoover Institution; Albert G. Nickel, Lyons Lavey Nickel Swift, Inc.; Fredrick J. Stare, Ph.D., M.D., Harvard School of Public Health; Lorraine Thelian, Ketchum Public Relations; Elizabeth M. Whelan, Sc.D., M.P.H., American Council on Science and Health; and Robert J. White, M.D., Ph.D., Case Western Reserve University.
"The diversity of our new Board of Directors reflects the diversity and complexity of the issues ACSH faces," said ACSH's President, Dr. Elizabeth Whelan. "For example," said Dr. Whelan, "considering how important the issue of risk perception is, the addition of Dr. Benedek, a psychiatrist, to our Board of Directors is most appropriate."
"In the next few months alone, ACSH will publish papers on smoking cessation, chemoprevention of heart disease, Alzheimer's disease, vaccination myths, and AIDS in New York City, just to name a few," said ACSH's Medical Director, Gilbert Ross, M.D.