Global health expert to talk about ideas for a healthier United States

Richard Skolnik

After a career working in more than 50 countries, an expert in international development – and a Dayton native – will share his journey through a presentation at the Wright State University Boonshoft School of Medicine.

Richard Skolnik will share insights into the lessons he has learned, global ideas for a healthy United States and career opportunities in global health. The discussion will be held Thursday, April 5, 5 to 6 p.m., at the Population and Public Health Sciences Education Center, 3123 Research Blvd. in Kettering.

Skolnik spent 25 years working at the World Bank, retiring as the director for health and education for the South Asia region. Afterward, he taught undergraduate and graduate global health courses at The George Washington University and Yale University.

He has written a widely used textbook, “Global Health 101,” and is the instructor for Yale University’s massive open online course Essentials of Global Health. Skolnik has worked on maternal, newborn and child health; communicable disease control; and health systems development in Africa and South Asia. He also helped set the global agenda for the control of tuberculosis, the eradication of polio and U.S. priorities for investing in global health.

Skolnik is a 1967 graduate of Dayton Fairview High School. He received a Bachelor of Arts from Yale University and a Master of Public Affairs from the Woodrow Wilson School at Princeton University. He also has learned, to varying degrees, Cantonese, French, Ilocano, Mandarin, Spanish and Tagalog.

Skolnik will be at Wright State’s Dayton Campus earlier in the day discussing careers in global health from 2:30 to 4 p.m. in the Student Union Discovery Room (163).

Support for Skolnik’s visit is provided by the Hittner Community Health Fund. The lectures are presented by the Delta Omega Gamma Alpha Chapter of the Master of Public Health Program at the Boonshoft School of Medicine.

Both events are free and open to the public. For more information, contact Lori Metivier at lori.metivier@wright.edu or 937-775-1427.