In Memoriam: Robert A. Rinsky,PhD

The public health community lost a beloved friend and colleague when Robert A. Rinsky, PhD, former editor in chief of Public Health Reports (PHR), died on June 25, 2021, after an extended illness.

During his long career, Bob made innumerable contributions to the public health field. His career spanned more than 33 years (1975-2008) as an occupational epidemiologist, journal editor, and professor. Bob was widely respected and admired for his brilliance and productivity in these fields. He approached his work with great passion, integrity, humility, and humor.

Bob served as editor in chief of PHR from 2000 until 2008. It was his energy and strong leadership that enhanced the scientific caliber, relevance, objectivity, and independence of the journal and secured its place as a well-respected and revitalized journal of public health. During his tenure as editor in chief of PHR, Bob produced 44 issues, 5 supplements on special topics, 3 multimedia CDs, 2 live instructional webcasts, 2 calendars with historical themes, and a book of important historical PHR articles. He was especially interested in public health history and the lessons learned that are still relevant today. One hallmark of his tenure at PHR was the role he played in enhancing the journal’s scientific rigor and reinvigorating the journal as a well-respected resource in the public health field.

Before joining PHR, from 1975 through 2000, Bob was a research epidemiologist at the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. At NIOSH, he authored or coauthored 30 peer-reviewed scientific articles and 17 technical reports. Bob’s areas of research at NIOSH included national studies of lung cancer among radiation workers, leukemia among naval shipyard workers, microwave radiation from traffic radar devices used by police officers, and mortality among uranium enrichment workers. He also sought to improve working conditions for cement masons in Washington, DC; chemical workers in West Virginia; lightbulb manufacturers in Kentucky; electricians in upstate New York; and hydraulic workers in Iowa.

Perhaps his most important work at NIOSH was his contribution to groundbreaking epidemiological research showing that the risk of death from leukemia rose with increasing workplace exposure to benzene. Not only did the research findings of Bob and his colleagues show this association was present below the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) permissible exposure limit for benzene at the time, but the team later went on to demonstrate a significant dose–response relationship. This landmark research not only formed the basis of a national standard for workplace exposure to benzene that remains in effect today (29 CFR §1910.1028—Benzene), but it was also the basis of a fundamental change in national policy for rulemaking by OSHA. Before the benzene rulemaking, OSHA was not required to show a dose–response relationship in its substance-specific rulemaking efforts. Based on 2 industry challenges to the revised benzene standard, the US Supreme Court ruled that all future OSHA substance-specific standards must demonstrate an expected reduction in risk to the worker commensurate with the reduction in the permissible exposure limit (448 US 607 [1980]). The methods used by Bob and colleagues for demonstrating a dose–response relationship are known today as quantitative risk assessment.

Bob also valued opportunities to share his experiences with students through teaching and mentorship. He served as an adjunct professor in public health at the University of Cincinnati and the University of Kentucky, where he taught courses in epidemiology and occupational health. While at PHR, he always made time to host student interns and engage them in his efforts at the journal, while making sure they had fun.

In addition to his many professional accomplishments, Bob was a beloved husband, father, and brother and had many nieces, nephews, and cousins. Bob was also the caretaker of his family farm and managed a 100-acre hardwood forest. The farm was a place where he relaxed, tinkered with tractors and other equipment, built a cabin, and happily bonded with family, friends, and nature.

A summary of Bob’s life’s work could simply list his professional or personal accomplishments, but what would be missed was his passion for standing up and caring for others. Epidemiology is, literally, the study of “what is upon the people.” Bob designed and published studies to shine light on unseen inequities and disparities for the purpose of enhancing social justice, improving public health policy, and protecting people worldwide. Given his long and illustrious career, he will forever be remembered for his passion, brilliance, honesty, humor, and important contributions to public health. But his enduring legacy may be that he set the highest standard for public health’s core values of integrity, excellence, and respect. Most certainly, all who knew and interacted with him are better people because of him.