In this episode, we speak with Dr. William Rom, Research Professor and Professor Emeritus of Medicine at the NYU Grossman School of Medicine and faculty at the NYU School of Global Public Health, about his extraordinary career spanning pulmonary medicine, environmental science, and climate policy. In his book, Adventure Is in His DNA, Dr. Rom shares how a childhood spent in nature, wilderness guiding in Minnesota's Boundary Waters, and a 1,517-mile canoe expedition across Canada laid the foundation for his life's work in environmental health. He reflects on key milestones in public health history, including organizing a symposium for the inaugural Earth Day in 1970, conducting groundbreaking research on asbestos and lung cancer biomarkers, and leading clinical responses to the TB and HIV epidemics at Bellevue Hospital and World Trade Center dust exposures after 9/11. Highlighting NYU GPH's commitment to world-class faculty mentorship, Dr. Rom discusses establishing the William N. Rom Climate Change and Health Fellowship to prepare the next generation of leaders to tackle existential challenges like global warming, environmental policy, and air pollution.
