Kenneth Bridbord ChE’64
(This article was originally published in 2009. It has been modified to include recognitions awarded since that time.)
Kenneth Bridbord ChE’64 also studied at the University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine (M.D.), and the Harvard School of Public Health (M.P.H.). He is widely recognized for his contributions to disease prevention and global health. For the past 28 of his 40 year career in the U.S. Government, Dr. Bridbord has worked for the Fogarty International Center (FIC), part of NIH.
In 2002, the AAAS honored him with the Award for International Scientific Cooperation for his tireless efforts combating HIV/AIDS in developing countries. As Director of FIC’s Division of International Training and Research, Dr. Bridbord has focused on training scientists in developing countries to address the AIDS epidemic through biomedical research. More recently, the work of his Division has expanded to address the growing epidemic of chronic non-communicable diseases in low- and middle-income countries, including cardiovascular disease, cancer, and mental health.
Under his leadership, FIC has trained over 2,000 scientists from 100 nations and has sponsored courses benefiting an estimated 50,000 health scientists around the world. Dr. Bridbord has worked for the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), part of CDC, and for the EPA, where he is known for his role in promulgating the initial Federal health-based regulation to remove lead from gasoline. He was honored for this work with a Silver Medal from the EPA in 1975.
At NIOSH, Dr. Bridbord is known for his work on occupational carcinogens including asbestos and workplace lead exposure. In 2001, Dr. Bridbord won a AAAS Award for International Scientific Cooperation Read NIH Press Release
In 2007, Dr. Bridbord received the NIH World AIDS Day Award and in 2009 he received a Distinguished Service Award from the University of Chicago, where he received his MD degree. Read about the University of Chicago award.
In 2012 the NIH published an interview with Dr. Bridbord where he discusses the Fogarty’s AIDS International Training Program See Interview.
Kenneth Bridbord received the 2005 CUAA Gano Dunn Award and was inducted into The Cooper Union Hall of Fame in 2009