Dr. David H. Leith has been selected as the 2008 recipient of the Greenberg Alumni Endowment Award for excellence in teaching, research and service.   Dean Rimer presented him this award during the School of Public Health’s Foard Lecture held April 14 at The William and Ida Friday Center for Continuing Education.  A reception preceding the lecture was held in his honor by the department and alumni.

Leith, professor of environmental sciences and engineering, received a Doctor of Science degree from Harvard University in 1975 and taught there for nine years before joining the UNC faculty in 1984. His research and teaching at UNC have focused on the measurement and control of contaminants in indoor and outdoor air.

Since 1981, he has advised 17 doctoral students, 10 of whom have advanced to faculty positions in public health. His students have won six national awards for “best paper of the year,” given for excellence in research.

At Carolina, he has won four other awards for teaching and mentorship, including the University’s Distinguished Teaching Award for Post-baccalaureate Instruction, presented by Chancellor Moeser in 2005.

Leith was nominated for the award by more than 20 former students and professional colleagues at UNC and throughout the country. One supporter observed, “Dave sees every situation as a learning opportunity and a chance for him to make a difference in someone’s life — whether it’s a student, a worker, or the greater community as a whole.” The seamless integration of research, public service and teaching, which the Greenberg Award was designed to honor, appears to be a hallmark of Leith’s career.

The Greenberg Award was established by the School of Public Health Alumni Association to honor Dr. Bernard G. Greenberg, founder and chair of the Department of Biostatistics from 1949 to 1972 and dean of the School from 1972 to1982. The award is given annually to an outstanding full-time faculty member for excellence in the areas of teaching, research and service. Special consideration is given to candidates who have seamlessly integrated these areas of focus. A major criterion is continuous demonstrated excellence over a number of years in service to the broader public health community.