Bill Jenkins (epidemiologist) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Bill Jenkins
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|---|---|
| Born |
William Carter Jenkins
July 26, 1945 |
| Died | February 17, 2019 |
| Education | Morehouse College, Georgetown University, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill |
| Scientific career | |
| Fields | Epidemiology, public health, statistics |
William Carter Jenkins (born July 26, 1945 – died February 17, 2019) was an important American scientist. He was a researcher and teacher who worked to improve public health for everyone. Public health is all about keeping communities healthy and preventing diseases.
Bill Jenkins' Early Life and Education
William "Bill" Jenkins was born on July 26, 1945, in Mount Pleasant, South Carolina. He grew up to be a very smart and dedicated scientist.
He went to Morehouse College, a historically black college, and earned a degree in mathematics in 1967. After that, he continued his studies, getting several advanced degrees:
- A master's degree in biostatistics from Georgetown University in 1974. Biostatistics uses math and statistics to understand health and disease.
- A master's degree in public health from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC) in 1977.
- A PhD in epidemiology from UNC in 1983. Epidemiology is the study of how diseases spread and how to control them.
Working for Public Health
In the 1960s, Bill Jenkins was one of the first African Americans to join the United States Public Health Service Commissioned Corps. This is a group of health professionals who work for the U.S. government to protect public health.
In 1980, he started working at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The CDC is a very important government agency that works to protect America from health threats. At the CDC, he was a top epidemiologist and managed the Tuskegee Health Benefit Program. This program helped provide healthcare benefits to people who were affected by a past health study.
After his time at the CDC, Dr. Jenkins shared his knowledge by teaching. He taught in the Epidemiology department at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He also taught at Morehouse College in Atlanta, Georgia, where he had studied as a young man. He helped lead the UNC Minority Health Project, which worked to improve health for minority groups.
Awards and Recognition
For his important work in public health, Bill Jenkins received the Hildrus Augustus Poindexter Award. This award came from the National Black Caucus of Health Workers, which is part of the American Public Health Association. It recognized his dedication to improving health for all people.
