Fineberg professorship established

Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH) Associate Dean of Public Health Practice Howard K. Koh has been named the inaugural recipient of the Harvey V. Fineberg Professorship of Public Health, established to honor the former dean of the School and former Harvard provost. The appointment became effective Jan. 1. The professorship, titled the Harvey V. Fineberg Professor of the Practice of Public Health, was endowed with a gift from Richard L. Menschel, M.B.A. ’59, and his wife, Ronay A. Menschel. The professorship may be held by a faculty member in the Division of Public Health Practice or in the Department of Biostatistics, and will rotate to a new appointee every five years.”It is a tremendous honor to be the recipient of this professorship, which reflects the sterling lifetime achievements of Harvey Fineberg and Richard and Ronay Menschel,” said Koh. A professor of health policy and management, Koh joined the HSPH faculty in 2003 after serving as Massachusetts Commissioner of Public Health for six years. Fineberg served as dean of HSPH for 13 years, before serving as provost of Harvard from 1997 to 2001. He currently is president of the Institute of Medicine (IOM) of the National Academies, a nonprofit organization that advises the federal government and nation on important topics of health and medicine. Through Menschel’s initiation, the Horace W. Goldsmith Foundation has also established a fellowship fund at HSPH for talented students who have demonstrated their commitment to public service. The fund may be used for tuition, fees, living expenses, or other related needs of the students.